Bunzl agrees to buy US-based DDS for undisclosed sum

International distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl on Wednesday said it had agreed to acquire buy US-based Diversified Distribution Systems (DDS) for an undisclosed sum.

DDS distributes not-for-resale goods and value-added services to retailers and other general distribution customers, principally throughout North America but also in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Bunzl said.

Based in Minneapolis and with four distribution centres in the US and several third party logistic arrangements internationally, the business supplies a wide range of packaging, consumables and operating store supplies through a variety of distribution and outsourcing programmes.

DDS revenue in 2016 was $312m. Completion of the acquisition is subject to clearance of the transaction by the Federal Trade Commission, the relevant US competition authority.