Knights’ Corporate team has advised the shareholders of Midlands-based Swanline Group and BoxMart Ltd on their sale to global packaging group Zeus Packaging.

With 150 employees based in Stone, Staffordshire, Swanline Group is one of the UK’s leading trade-only suppliers of paper-based materials, print and conversion services to the packaging and point-of-sale sectors.

BoxMart – also Midlands-based – has built a reputation among high-profile clients including Lush, Fever Tree and Moet Hennessy for its gift, retail and e-commerce packaging.

Knights supported the selling shareholders in their preparation for the legal aspects of a sale process and the legal negotiation of sale agreements with the preferred bidder, to ensure value and reputation was protected working alongside the Midlands corporate finance and tax teams from Grant Thornton.

Paul Batchelor led the Corporate team for Knights, with full service support from Peter Abel, Alex Morris, Orjeta Neli, Madiha Ahmed (Corporate), Kate Featherstone, James Arnold (Tax), Chris Dingley, Richard Saxton (Real Estate) and Rachel Hatton (Employment).

Paul Batchelor, Partner at Knights, said:

“It was a pleasure to work with the shareholders and management team throughout the whole sale process from pre-sale preparation, marketing and sale negotiation after selection of preferred bidder.

“It was also particularly pleasing that the sale process delivered by Midlands based advisers including lead adviser Grant Thornton, Knights, Legal Clarity - advising minority selling shareholders - and Swanline’s funders Natwest and ABN AMRO, who are all based around Colmore Row.”

Nick Kirby, CEO of Swanline, said:

“What an awesome job by all at Knights! We are so grateful for your diligence, hard work and patience in getting this done.”

Richard Towers, MD of Swanline, said:

“The level of commitment has been outstanding and we have welcomed the expertise and advice from Knights.”