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Dugdale Nutrition site

Ruminant feed specialist Dugdale acquires Tickle & Sons

25 October 2017

B Dugdale & Son Ltd (trading as Dugdale Nutrition Ltd) has acquired 100% of the share capital of B Tickle and Sons Ltd for an undisclosed sum supported by Barclays.

This brings together two family businesses with a combined 330 years’ of trading history supplying the farmers of Northern England and beyond.

Matthew Tickle will join the board of Dugdale Nutrition Ltd as Operations Director alongside Matthew Dugdale, Managing Director and Michael Townend, Finance Director. Matthew Dugdale and Michael Townend will join the board of B Tickle & Sons Ltd, alongside Matthew Tickle as Operations Director.

B Tickle & Sons Ltd will continue to manufacture ruminant feed in broadly the same manner as it has previously done, and will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of B Dugdale & Son Ltd.

The blending operation at Speke will cease, with the production absorbed into Dugdale Nutrition’s new purpose built Blend Plant. This expands the warehousing capacity at Speke to enable stockpiling of bagged products ahead of peak demand periods.

Matthew Dugdale, Managing Director said, “Dugdale Nutrition had seen rapid expansion, particularly over the last 2 to 3 years. With the manufacture of compound feeds at the Clitheroe site at 100% capacity, the acquisition of B Tickle & Sons Ltd allows extra manufacturing capacity, enabling the long term aim of both companies to deliver outstanding customer service. “

Steve Berry, Relationship Director at Barclays commented, “Barclays is delighted to support this transaction - the unification of two long established family businesses, represents job security and opportunities for the employees of both companies. It also ensures that a strong independent ruminant feed manufacturer continues to serve the industry in the northern market place.”

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