Arc Acquires Wholesalers

Arc International, the French maker of glass tableware, has acquired its UK distributor wholesalers Alcester Glassware and JL Barnett. Alcester Glassware supplies hotels, restaurants and public authorities while Barnett supplies retailers. Arc has had long and close relationships with both firms for many years, and financed the building of their distribution warehouses. Arc's business in the UK will now be organised into four divisions; Alcester Glassware for hotels, restaurants and so on; JL Barnett for mass retailers; Kensington for gifts and top-of-the-range retailing; and Arc International for business to business markets in the UK and for the hotels and restaurants market in Ireland.