Exertis UK Announces Plan to Cut Around Ninety Per Cent of Workforce After Private Equity Takeover
Technology distributor begins consultation on proposals to reduce headcount from around 1,200 to approximately 130 amid financial and operational challenges.
Exertis UK has informed employees of proposals to reduce its workforce by around ninety per cent, a move that would see headcount fall from roughly 1,200 to about 130, as the technology distribution and specialist services group enters a formal consultation period with staff.
The drastic restructuring plans affect the Business & Consumer and Supplies divisions of the company, with workers at sites in Burnley, Harlow, Elland and Basingstoke told of the proposals in recent days following the sale of Exertis UK to German private equity firm Aurelius earlier in 2025. Staff described the announcement as a shock, with many learning that they could face redundancy and the company’s focus might shift toward a smaller, more specialist retail-oriented business model.
A minimum forty-five-day consultation period is now underway, during which terms and alternatives to the proposals will be discussed between leadership and employee representatives.
Sources familiar with the situation indicate that the new owners have previously halted certain supplier payments tied to a past credit issue, prompting the withdrawal of credit insurers and complicating normal operations.
Observers suggest that these financial pressures — along with broader market challenges within the technology distribution sector — have informed Aurelius’ decision to pursue a significant rightsizing of the UK business.
Exertis UK said in correspondence to customers that the proposed changes aim to transform the company into a more “agile and specialist distributor” capable of serving its markets more effectively, though formal comment on the scale of potential redundancies is pending the outcome of the consultation.
The company’s recent acquisition by Aurelius, valued at around one hundred million pounds, marked a significant change in ownership after the broader Exertis group was divested by its previous parent, DCC, which continues to focus on its core energy business.
As the consultation progresses, the technology sector and employee representatives will be watching closely to see how the plans evolve and what support will be offered to those affected by the proposed workforce reductions.
The drastic restructuring plans affect the Business & Consumer and Supplies divisions of the company, with workers at sites in Burnley, Harlow, Elland and Basingstoke told of the proposals in recent days following the sale of Exertis UK to German private equity firm Aurelius earlier in 2025. Staff described the announcement as a shock, with many learning that they could face redundancy and the company’s focus might shift toward a smaller, more specialist retail-oriented business model.
A minimum forty-five-day consultation period is now underway, during which terms and alternatives to the proposals will be discussed between leadership and employee representatives.
Sources familiar with the situation indicate that the new owners have previously halted certain supplier payments tied to a past credit issue, prompting the withdrawal of credit insurers and complicating normal operations.
Observers suggest that these financial pressures — along with broader market challenges within the technology distribution sector — have informed Aurelius’ decision to pursue a significant rightsizing of the UK business.
Exertis UK said in correspondence to customers that the proposed changes aim to transform the company into a more “agile and specialist distributor” capable of serving its markets more effectively, though formal comment on the scale of potential redundancies is pending the outcome of the consultation.
The company’s recent acquisition by Aurelius, valued at around one hundred million pounds, marked a significant change in ownership after the broader Exertis group was divested by its previous parent, DCC, which continues to focus on its core energy business.
As the consultation progresses, the technology sector and employee representatives will be watching closely to see how the plans evolve and what support will be offered to those affected by the proposed workforce reductions.
