Following the recent acquisition of Malmo Main Air Cargo AB, John Menzies plc, the time-critical logistics company, is pleased to announce that Menzies Aviation, its aviation support services subsidiary, has made a further two acquisitions.

 

Menzies Aviation has signed a conditional agreement to purchase Catamount Holdings LLC ("Catamount") a cargo services business in Chicago.  It has also purchased the trade and assets of Integrated Airline Services Alliance LLC ("IASA") a ground handler specialising in the low cost sector based at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

 

Catamount provides a range of cargo services to airlines including Cathay Pacific, Swiss and Air India at Chicago O'Hare airport.  It will represent an important expansion of our cargo handling operation in the USA following the acquisition earlier in the year of Aeroground, which operates at 9 airports in North America, including Chicago O'Hare.  Catamount is privately owned and its reported gross assets as at 25 December 2005 were £1.4m.

 

IASA, a privately held company, operates at Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Fort Myers, Atlanta and Minneapolis.  Its main customers are Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines and it provides a good fit with our USA ground handling business, which is predominantly on the west coast.  IASA also provides an entry into the American low cost sector, which has been a successful growth area for Menzies Aviation in Europe.  Its reported gross assets as at 31 December 2005 were £1.4m.

 

Patrick Macdonald, Chief Executive of John Menzies plc, stated:

 

"Following our acquisition of Aeroground earlier in the year, Catamount and IASA will provide a strong platform for growing our USA operations.  Menzies Aviation will be well positioned to grow rapidly on the back of the successful integration of these additions to our network".

 

 

Patrick Macdonald, Chief Executive, John Menzies plc	020 7638 9571
Paul Dollman, Group Finance Director, John Menzies plc	020 7638 9571
Investor Relations, John Menzies plc	0131 459 8186
Ginny Pulbrook/Ged Brumby, Citigate Dewe Rogerson	020 7638 9571

 

  

1.	John Menzies plc, the time-critical logistics company, is one of Scotland's largest companies. The company has two operating divisions, Menzies Distribution and Menzies Aviation. Both divisions operate in distinct B2B sectors where success depends on providing an efficient, high quality, time-critical service to their customers and partners.
2.	In the year ended 31 December 2005 under UK GAAP, John Menzies reported turnover of £1,390.0m (2004 - £1,369.2m) and headline profit before tax of £39.4m (2004 - £33.6m). Turnover at the Distribution division was £1,104.3m (2004 - £1,109.4m) whilst operating profit was £30.7m (2004 - £30.5m).  In the Aviation division turnover was £285.7m (2004 - £259.8m) and operating profit was £13.3m against £10.3m in 2004.
3.	The company was established in 1833 and its head office is in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today the company is an international operation with businesses in Europe, North and South America, South East Asia, Australasia and Africa.
4.	Menzies Aviation is one of the world's major independent suppliers of ground handling services to the aviation market providing passenger, ramp and cargo services for many of the world's leading airlines and some of the busiest international airports. The division employs over 12,000 people across the world, at 105 airports in 24 countries servicing more than 500 aviation customers.   The Division won various awards in 2005, including the 'BA Way' award for the handler which most closely matches the way BA wants its outsourced handling performed and the 'Most Responsive Handler' award also from BA for the way in which it helped restart their operations at Houston after Hurricane Wilma.
5.	Further information on John Menzies plc can be found at: www.johnmenziesplc.com, www.menziesdistribution.com and www.menziesaviation.com.