Northumberland malting company completes acquisition of Scottish grain merchant

A Northumberland malting company has announced that it has completed the acquisition of a Scottish grain merchanting business.

Simpsons Malt, headquartered in Berwick-upon-Tweed, has fulfilled a “long-held ambition” with its acquisition of W.N. Lindsay for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition sees Simpsons Malt operate four of the business’ stores in Scotland within a new subsidiary company, retaining the W.N. Lindsay name.

The four stores, which are situated at Gladsmuir in East Lothian, Stracathro in Angus, Keith in Morayshire, and Sidlaw in Perthshire, will provide more than 200,000 tonnes of extra in-house grain storage, enhancing traceability and sustainability for both the grower and end user.

Simpsons Malt were supported in the negotiation and delivery of this strategic acquisition by corporate lawyers Matthew Walsh and Sara Worsick at Muckle LLP. Tax and financial due diligence advice was provided by David Ward and Paul Kaiser at UNW.

Andrew Lindsay, managing director of W.N. Lindsay Ltd, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to agree the purchase of our family business by Simpsons Malt.

“The combination of two fifth-generation family businesses with more than 300 years of history will enhance the supply chain across Scotland and I believe Simpsons Malt’s vision for the future aligns closely to that of our colleagues, suppliers and customers.”

Tim McCreath, managing director of Simpsons Malt, added: “W.N. Lindsay Ltd is an established, well-known family business with an excellent reputation in Scottish and UK agriculture and we are delighted to have the opportunity to acquire its grain merchanting business.

“All suppliers within the cereal supply chain are increasingly accountable to the end user and even the consumer – particularly on product traceability and sustainability – and as a pivotal buyer of malting barley and supplier of malt, we are ideally placed to play a leading role in improving supply chain management for the benefit of our growers, as well as our distilling and brewing customers.

“W.N. Lindsay Ltd’s people and infrastructure will complement our own and, together with our ongoing investment in business systems and processes, this acquisition will be a positive step for the entire cereal and malt supply chain.”