The sale of Zinc Communicate Publishing marks a strategic move for Zinc Media Group to focus on its core businesses.
- Zinc Media Group sold its Macclesfield-based publishing unit for £100,000.
- Specialist Business Media Ltd, a part of The Datateam Group, acquired the non-core business.
- The sale allows Zinc Media to enhance its television and brand content production.
- Zinc Communicate Publishing was established in 1995 and underwent multiple transitions.
Zinc Media Group is strategically repositioning its focus towards core activities in television and brand content production. A notable step in this direction is the sale of its Macclesfield-based unit, Zinc Communicate Publishing, for £100,000, allowing the company to streamline operations and allocate resources more effectively.
Zinc Communicate Publishing, originally founded in 1995 as McMillan Scott, later became part of Ten Alps in 2006, and rebranded as Zinc Communicate Publishing in 2021. Throughout its journey, the company has specialized in telesales and contract publishing, concentrating on advertising, commercial inventory sales, and producing various publications, particularly within the construction and freight industries in England.
The acquisition of Zinc Communicate Publishing by Specialist Business Media Ltd, a segment of The Datateam Group headquartered in Maidstone, signifies a new chapter for the unit. Specialist Business Media Ltd is renowned for its expertise in digital and print media, operating across sectors including construction, healthcare, electronics, and manufacturing, providing targeted marketing solutions within B2B sectors.
During the fiscal year of 2023, Zinc Communicate Publishing reported a revenue of £2.2 million, though facing a minor loss before tax of £0.05 million. As a non-core component of Zinc Media Group, the business has been identified as occupying considerable management time and resources, prompting this sale after a comprehensive competitive process managed by Trillium Partners.
Zinc Communicate Publishing’s assets were valued at £0.8 million as of December 31, 2023. The asset evaluation included numerous trade debtor balances due over the next three years. The completion of the sale is anticipated by the end of October, subject to typical closing conditions. The net proceeds from this transaction are intended to bolster Zinc Media Group’s working capital.
Mark Browning, CEO of Zinc Media Group, emphasized the strategic importance of this transaction, indicating that it enables the group to focus intently on expanding its television and film-oriented production, areas where significant growth is foreseen.
The sale represents a pivotal step for Zinc Media to concentrate on its profitable core ventures.
