Leeds-based Ligentia completes Poland acquisition

Leeds-based Ligentia Group, a global supply chain manager, announced that its acquisition of Poland-based VGL Solid Group (VGL) is now complete.

Ligentia said the deal further strengthens its position as a provider of supply chain and logistics services, with revenues of over £1 billion, accelerating its ambitions to leverage its technology and experience into new, fast-growing territories and sectors.

The Leeds firm said the combination strengthens its presence on the Asia-Europe and Transpacific trade lanes “at a time when customers are facing increasing complexity in managing their international supply chains.”

Ligentia received investment from Equistone Partners Europe in 2021 to deliver its ambitious growth plans.

The deal is financed with the support of Ligentia’s existing funders Partners Group and Santander.

“This is an exciting day for both Ligentia and VGL Solid customers and colleagues, and a natural extension from our highly successful joint venture, which we have operated together for nearly 10 years,” said Ligentia CEO Nick Jones.

“We would like to give a warm welcome to Marcin and Grzeg, the VGL co-founders, and their management shareholders, who all become shareholders in our new combined business …

“This is an important and significant step in a growth strategy that we set out with Equistone at the start of their investment in 2021.

“We are committed to continuing to invest in our technology platform, and an ambitious program of digitalisation and automation, but we also recognise the power of regional expertise and experience, and we believe that one of Ligentia’s key differentiators is its ability to combine technology and people in a way that gives customers quite a unique and tailored solution.”

Equistone investment director Sebastien Leusch and director Chris Candfield said in a joint statement: “We are proud to support the board in this acquisition which enables the business to expand into new geographies and sectors, continue to innovate its technology and strengthen its position in a dynamic market.

“The team have delivered exceptional growth over the last two years, including the launch of its US business, and we have been hugely impressed by the clear ambition to scale and build a diverse, customer-focused and responsive global supply chain management business.”

VGL founding members Grzegorz Dobkowski and Marcin Gruchala will join the Ligentia Group board, working alongside the existing board members and chairman Garry Watts.

Ligentia said it has been supported in the transaction by Rothschild, DC Advisory, Squire Patton Boggs, KPMG, Roland Berger and Addleshaw Goddard.

VGL Solid Group has been supported by PwC, GKW, Skadden, Żelaznowski & Głowiński and KPMG.