Battles acquires Trilanco to strengthen multi-category wholesale position

The Battles group has acquired one hundred per cent of Trilanco Ltd, bringing together two established UK wholesalers to strengthen their combined presence across the equine, pet, agricultural and animal health sectors.

With immediate effect, Trilanco Ltd becomes part of the Battles group, which operates under the parent company DC Holdings (Lincoln) Ltd. The acquisition is positioned as a strategic move to accelerate growth and enhance service capability in increasingly competitive markets.

Customers, distributors and brand partners can expect business to continue as normal in the short term. The enlarged group will be led by Managing Director Richard Dewey Clarke, with a phased integration planned over the coming months. Wholesale operations will be consolidated at the Wesham distribution centre, while manufacturing and brand management activities will remain in Lincoln.

Commenting on the acquisition, Richard Dewey Clarke, Managing Director of Battles, said the combination of the two businesses will allow the group to better respond to customer needs across multiple categories. He added that discussions with the Trilanco management team had already identified a number of opportunities, with further details to be shared with stakeholders in the weeks ahead.

Martin Balmer, Managing Director of Trilanco, described the deal as an important step in securing the long-term future of the family business, which has been grown over more than four decades. He noted that joining forces with Battles creates new growth opportunities for staff, customers and brand owners, while ensuring continuity for the business founded by his parents in 1979.

The acquisition brings together two wholesalers with extensive distribution networks, each supplying more than two thousand retailers nationwide. Battle Hayward & Bower Ltd has nearly 200 years’ experience in manufacturing and wholesaling and is known for both third-party brand partnerships and its own established brands, while Trilanco operates a purpose-built, 110,000-square-foot distribution centre in Lancashire, supporting a broad portfolio of agricultural, equine, pet and smallholding products.

Further updates on the integration process are expected to be released by the group in the coming weeks.