Investment type
- Management buyout
Northampton-based Panther Logistics is the UK’s largest independent two-man home delivery firm. Specialising in the retail and ecommerce sectors, its customers include Wayfair, Silentnight, Dunelm, Maze, Decathlon and Habitat.
Partnering for growth
In 2016, LDC backed a £17m management buyout of the business, taking a significant minority shareholding.
We were impressed by the team’s understanding of our business, LDC’s track record in the sector and their commitment to helping us achieve our long-term ambitions.”
The transaction backed Chief Executive Colin McCarthy and his leadership team, and the investment enabled the business to expand rapidly over the next four years with new services, locations and customers, whilst investing significantly in its technology platform, workforce and operations.
LDC also helped strengthen the firm’s board and management team with the appointments of retail veteran Greg Ball as a non-executive chairman as well as Tony Nicholas as CFO and Gary McKelvey as COO.
During the partnership, Panther created over 300 new jobs, doubled sales to more than £60million and tripled profits.
An international exit
In November 2020, LDC exited it shareholding in Panther to Chicago-based AIT, a global transportation management leader, operating from more than 75 locations in Asia, Europe and North America.
The acquisition of Panther will enable AIT to expand its presence in the UK, with Panther’s current management team remaining in the enlarged group to support its continued development.
The business will retain its own identity and operating structure while benefiting from strong financial support and a broader offering for our customers as part of a global logistics player.
They backed me and my team to grow the business but provided the input we needed when making the big strategic decisions. That meant we were able to build a better, more resilient and ultimately more valuable business. They were a huge support to me personally and their network also helped us accelerate our growth with some important customer wins.”
Awards
Large Company of the Year
Northampton Logistics Awards 2016
Innovation Award
Northampton Logistics Awards 2016