Field-marketing company The Network has been sold to magazine and newspaper distributor Menzies Distribution for an undisclosed sum.
Managing director Jane Dyson, who started her career as a travel agent and founded the business in 1990, will remain in her role as a result of the sale to Menzies Distribution, a division of John Menzies. There are no redundancies planned as a result of the sale.
The company was set up to serve the field-marketing needs of the travel industry, offering merchandising to travel agents, but has grown to cover a number of other sectors, particularly free newspaper distribution.
Despite the sale, Dyson said the business will continue to work in travel. “We want to carry on doing what we already do in travel. I have a real fire in my belly and want to get started. I will continue to head up the travel side – it’s business as usual.”
The sale will allow more investment and support further growth of the business, she said. “I took the business as far as I could. I had grown it organically but to take it to the next level I needed the support of a larger organisation. It will also give the staff the benefits of working for a plc,” she added.
The company’s travel division specialises in outsourced sales teams, surveys, mystery shopping, research and leafleting. It also organises around 100 travel industry roadshows and events each year. It employs 40 full-time staff in Chiswick, which will remain its head-office under the deal, and 7,000 field marketers are registered with the company.
Menzies Distribution commercial and marketing director David McIntosh said: “As part of Menzies Distribution, The Network will open up new opportunities for our existing customers while helping us recruit new customers.”