Menzies Distribution Buys Aberdeen’s Thistle Couriers

Menzies Distribution has acquired Thistle Couriers of Aberdeen for an undisclosed sum. The deal is the firm’s third acquisition in the past 12 months, underlining its intent to expand its e-commerce offering within the UK’s parcel market.

Menzies Distribution, which is traditionally known for overnight deliveries on behalf of print media publishers, outlined its vision to secure more business in the logistics market early last year, by making better use of its existing depots, vehicles and drivers during daylight hours. Since then, the business has successfully completed the acquisition of courier firms AJG Parcels in Inverness and Oban Express, and two supply chain deals have also been struck with e-commerce firms B2C Europe and wnDirect.

Formed in 1998, Thistle Couriers provides a UK-wide same-day service, delivers around 1,000 overnight parcels, and makes 450 parcel collections daily with its 45 staff and fleet of more than 25 vehicles, covering Aberdeen city and the whole of the wider Grampian region.

The business will provide Menzies with additional reach into Scotland’s hard-to-reach areas, where it can act as a neutral consolidation partner for major parcel carriers.