Deutsche Post World Net agrees to sell Marken to 3i

Deutsche Post World Net has agreed to dispose of Marken, a specialist clinical trials courier company that it acquired as part of the acquisition of Exel in December 2005. A sale has been agreed with 3i, the world leader in venture capital and private equity, with the support of the existing management team. The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction.

Marken currently employs 200 people including an experienced management team, who will all remain with the business. The purchase helps safeguard the future of those employees and will enable Marken to focus on its specialist business outside of the DPWN network. Headquartered in London, Marken specializes in time-critical special deliveries for the pharmaceutical, technology and media industries throughout the world.

As part of its ongoing business review process, Deutsche Post World Net has consistently been divesting units and activities that do not have as many direct synergies with the wider business within its global network. Since 2004, active portfolio management has resulted in the divesture of more than 30 holdings that are not tied to the company's core business.