On 13 December 2024, Mark Supperstone and Ben Woodthorpe of Evelyn Partners were appointed as joint administrators to Utopia Distribution Services Limited (UDS or the ‘Company’), a physical entertainment distributor. Immediately following the appointment, a sale of the business and assets was completed to DP World Logistics UK Limited (‘DP World’), the supply chain solutions provider.
UDS operates out of a 25,000 square metre, state-of-the-art facility in Bicester UK. The warehouse ships more than 30 million units (including CDs/DVDs/vinyl) annually and distributes more than 60% of the UK’s physical entertainment products for a number of high-profile record labels and retailers.
Several assets were acquired in the transaction, including IT systems, and it is expected that all UDS employees will transfer to DP World via TUPE. The transaction follows bankruptcy proceedings being initiated against UDS’ Swiss parent, Proper Group AG (formerly Utopia Music AG) in September 2024.
Mark Supperstone, Joint Administrator of UDS and Partner at Evelyn Partners, commented:
“It is unfortunate to see a business such as UDS that benefits from high-quality facilities and prominent clients in the music industry encounter these difficulties. However we are encouraged that the business is expected to operate as usual following the sale to DP World, with all jobs saved.”
A DP World spokesperson said:
“We are pleased to confirm that we are taking on responsibility for full day-to-day operation of our distribution centre at Bicester, following our recent purchase of the business and assets of Utopia Distribution Services out of administration. We look forward to working closely with our entertainment partners in this expanded role.
“This facility has now been open for more than a year and is proving to be an outstanding success, supplying physical music and home entertainment to the growing UK market. Our reliable and competitive service, which includes state-of-the-art technology across the centre, enables our customers to distribute to the whole of the UK from a single site. DP World is committed to playing its part in ensuring the continued success and growth of the physical music and home entertainment sectors in the UK.”
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