Prime Creative Media acquires ITS International and Global Highways
We are pleased to announce our latest completion. Fivefold Associates acted as lead adviser to Route One Publishing Limited.
Prime Creative Media, through its international subsidiary Prime Global Publishing, has acquired leading infrastructure titles ITS International and Global Highways from Route One Publishing.
The acquisition strengthens Prime Global Publishing’s support of the international infrastructure and construction sectors, building on the successful 2024 acquisition of Aggregates Business Europe and Aggregates Business International, also from Route One Publishing.
ITS International is a respected voice in intelligent transport systems, while Global Highways delivers authoritative coverage of road infrastructure projects, technologies and policy worldwide.
Both brands bring established audiences and strong industry credibility, aligning with Prime Global Publishing’s strategic focus on growing high-value, specialist markets.
The move draws upon Prime Creative Media’s presence in the roads and infrastructure space. In Australia, Prime Creative Media publishes Infrastructure, Roads & Infrastructure and Inside Construction, titles that have become trusted sources for industry professionals across Australia.
Christine Clancy, CEO of Prime Global Publishing and Prime Creative Media, said the acquisition reflects the company’s commitment to investing in industries that underpin economic growth and global connectivity.
“ITS International and Global Highways are highly respected brands with deep connections to their audiences,” said Ms Clancy. “Bringing them into our portfolio strengthens our ability to serve the global infrastructure and transport sectors with high-quality, insight-driven content.”
“Our goal is to build platforms that help industries thrive. By investing in these titles, we’re reinforcing our commitment to delivering value to readers, partners and stakeholders across the infrastructure ecosystem.”
Route One Publishing welcomes the transition, noting the strong strategic fit between the titles and Prime Global Publishing’s support of these industries.
Roger Adshead, Chairman and Business Development Director at Route One Publishing, said, “Prime Creative Media has demonstrated a clear commitment to developing specialist media brands, and we’re confident these titles will continue to grow and evolve under their ownership.
“This acquisition marks a positive step for the future of ITS International and Global Highways.”
Andrew Barriball, Managing Director of Route One Publishing and Publisher of ITS International, will join Prime Global Publishing as Chief Operating Officer – International, alongside members of the ITS International and Global Highways teams.
Mr Barriball said the transition presents an exciting opportunity for both the publications and the people behind them.
“We’re delighted to be joining Prime Global Publishing and to continue the journey of ITS International and Global Highways within a business that shares our passion for these industries,” Mr Barriball said.
“Importantly, this move brings continuity for our audiences and partners, with our experienced team making the transition and remaining dedicated to delivering the high-quality content and insights the market expects.”
“There’s a genuine sense of excitement across the team about what’s ahead. With the backing of Prime Global Publishing, we’re well positioned to accelerate growth, expand our global reach and continue supporting the industries we serve.”
JBA Consulting and Milestone Transport Planning Announce Strategic Partnership
Fivefold is pleased to announce that we acted as lead advisers to the shareholders of Milestone Transport Planning (MTP) on their new strategic partnership with JBA Consulting.
This partnership brings together more than 50 years of combined expertise across transport planning, environmental consultancy, engineering, water management and climate resilience, strengthening the joint capability to deliver integrated, future‑ready infrastructure solutions for clients.
“Our partnership with MTP brings together their transport planning and highways strengths with JBA’s environmental and water expertise. We’re looking forward to learning from one another and creating tangible value for our clients,” said Marc Pinnell, Managing Director, JBA Consulting.
MTP will continue to operate with its established team and client‑focused approach, while gaining access to JBA’s wider technical resources and specialist knowledge, enhancing service delivery across complex, multidisciplinary and sustainability‑focused projects.
Fivefold is proud to have supported the shareholders of Milestone Transport Planning and enabling the business to enter its next phase of growth.
“We extend a heartfelt thank you to Steve and the team at Fivefold for all their guidance and support in bringing MTP and JBA together. Fivefold’s expertise and dedication helped us to identify the right fit for a successful partnership and solid foundation for MTP’s future,” commented Matt and Julia Stevens. They added, “We were in safe hands during the complicated communications from both sides, Fivefold go the extra mile. We’re all excited about the opportunities ahead for MTP and JBA.”
“Matt and Julia set us a challenge when they retained us,” said Steve Anstey, MD of Fivefold and lead adviser to MTP. “Under Matt and Julia, MTP has developed a very strong people and service culture, their instruction was to find a partner that aligned perfectly, in JBA we have found such a partner and I am very confident that this partnership will thrive,” he added.
R D Johns Acquires Cooper Foods
Fivefold Associates in partnership with Symmetry Corporate Finance has advised the shareholders of Cooper Foods in their sale to R D Johns. This strategic move expands R D Johns footprint across the Home Counties and into outer London.
Established over 50 years ago, R D Johns has cemented its position as one of the South West’s leading foodservice providers. The acquisition of Cooper Foods gives the company enhanced strengths in fresh butchery, seafood, and broad foodservice offerings.
“We are pleased to have identified R D Johns as part of our comprehensive research and marketing exercise for Cooper Foods,” said Steve Anstey, Managing Director at Fivefold Associates. “The acquisition is a perfect fit operationally and culturally, and we’re delighted to have played a role in bringing two like‑minded family businesses together,” said Jonathan Tate, Managing Director at Symmetry.
Key Benefits of the Acquisition:
- Expanded geographic reach: R D Johns now serves new markets in Hampshire, the Home Counties, and outer London.
- Complementary capabilities: Cooper Foods’ expertise in fresh butchery and fish enriches R D Johns’ fresh product portfolio.
- Joint vision for service and quality: Shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer focus drives the collaboration.
What This Means for Customers and Stakeholders
R D Johns expects to balance its Southwest roots with increased market access in the densely populated Home Counties and London fringe. The merged operations will feature an expanded product range, improved logistics, and enhanced support for both existing and new customers.
About Fivefold Associates
Fivefold Associates specialises in advising SME and lower mid-market businesses on business improvement, readiness for sale and selling when the time is right. This is the second sale completion in the food sector this year for Fivefold Associates, having advised Whitakers Chocolates on its sale to Bramble Foods in January.
About R D Johns
Founded in 1970, R D Johns has grown from a local butcher to a £66 million + turnover foodservice wholesaler with depots across Devon and Somerset. The firm supplies over 5,500 products—including fresh meat, chilled, and frozen foods—to hospitality, retail, education, and care sectors. The company is known for its fantastic service offering and its attention to detail.
About Cooper Foods
Founded in 1986, Cooper Foods began as a seafood specialist in Andover, expanding into fresh and frozen foodservice products, including butchery, fish, desserts, and ambient goods. The company is known for quality and personalised customer care.
Private Equity-backed Bramble Foods Acquires Whitakers Chocolates
Fivefold Associates has advised the shareholders of Yorkshire-based Whitakers Chocolates Limited on its acquisition by Market Harborough-based Bramble Foods Group.
Tony Foster, managing director of Bramble Foods, said: “We are delighted to welcome Whitakers Chocolates to the Bramble Foods Group and look forward to working with William and his team to further develop the business. Whitakers is a well-run business with a long history of producing excellent products, this coupled with a broad customer base and dedicated team of employees attracted us to the business. As a family, Whitakers is our longest standing supplier having worked together for over 40 years.”
Bramble Foods was founded in 2008 by brothers Nigel and Tony Foster, alongside Chris Neville and Ken Osborne. It produces confectionery, traditional cakes, award-winning preserves and chutneys.
William Whitaker, managing director of Whitakers Chocolates, said: “As a fourth-generation member of the Whitaker family, chocolate has been at the very heart of my life for as long as I can remember. I am delighted that Whitakers Chocolates has joined the Bramble Foods Group as it is a wonderful opportunity to share our knowledge and invest for the future together. Whilst I will always carry the immense pride and heritage we’ve built over 135 years, I recognise that now is the right time to pass on our cherished traditions to a company that can develop the business further.”
Steve Anstey, managing director of Fivefold Associates, said: “It has been a genuine privilege to advise William Whitaker throughout this process. It’s always satisfying to help our clients to achieve a successful outcome, especially a business with such a long and rich history.”
The Whitakers Chocolates management team, led by William Whitaker, will remain in place.
Bramble Foods was backed by private equity firm LDC in 2022.
Prime Global Publishing Acquires Aggregates Business
Fivefold Associates have advised the shareholders of Route One Publishing Limited on the sale of their Aggregates Business Europe and Aggregates Business International titles to Prime Global Publishing the international subsidiary of Prime Creative Media, Australia’s largest independently owned B2B Events and Publishing business.
First published in 2006, the Aggregates Business masthead was launched as a global information source for the aggregates sector. Prime Creative Media CEO John Murphy says he’s excited to extend his company’s purpose of growing individuals, organisations and industries to the international aggregates sector through these publications. The Melbourne headquartered company has a history of growing its national quarrying sector through Quarry Magazine, which it publishes in partnership with the Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA). It also serves the broader infrastructure sector through its publications Road and Infrastructure, Inside Construction, Cranes & Lifting Magazine and Infrastructure Magazine. Its major expo, Converge, is the only Australian-owned major event showcasing the latest tools and technology in the municipal works, civil and commercial construction space.
“We have long admired the important work of the quarrying and wider aggregates sector as the backbone of infrastructure development,” says John. “We appreciate the opportunity to invest in the growth of these publications, to continue to tell the stories of the exciting developments in this space, now on a global scale.”
Route One Publishing Chairman Roger Adshead says that Prime Global Publishing is an ideal new home for Aggregates Business magazines, with its parent company’s proven record in growing publications and events.
“Aggregates Business is positioned very much at the business end of the industry, which like many, is now embracing digitalisation and the deployment of more efficient equipment to become both more profitable and more sustainable,” says Roger. “At a time when its footprint has been growing rapidly, it makes sense for Aggregates Business to join the construction materials team at Prime Global Publishing as it moves to leverage its industry experience beyond the shores of its Australian home base.”
Steve Anstey, Managing Director of Fivefold Associates says, “It was a pleasure to advise Roger Adshead and his fellow Route One shareholder on the sale of their Aggregates Business titles. The fit with Prime Creative Media was apparent from our first conversation with John Murphy and I’m confident that the titles will thrive as they are developed and taken forward under new ownership.”
Chris Fox, Director and co-founder of Fivefold Associates added, “In light of the sector Aggregates Business serves, global research was required with potential acquirers identified and contacted across four continents in disparate timezones to ensure a competitive process.”
Roger Adshead commented on the sale process further, “Principal Steve Anstey inspired confidence from the start, providing guidance which proved invaluable. Of course, we thought we knew who the likely buyers might be, but Fivefold has a great team who researched the international market and came up with a quite amazing list of potential target buyers for Fivefold to contact. In the meantime, Steve and his team worked with us to produce a comprehensive ‘Information Memorandum’ to supply to interested parties under NDA. Fivefold explained the necessity to generate real positive interest from multiple potential buyers, in order to create competition, and before long, we had several firm expressions of interest.
From the start we were working across multiple time zones, and Steve proved willing to run Teams calls at either end of the day to ensure nothing got lost in translation. He inspired confidence form the start and maintained it throughout. We received five-star service at all times.”
Prime Global Publishing and Route One Publishing are now working together to ensure a smooth transition for the magazines, advertisers, readers and partners.
