EP Group

What EP Group does

EP Group is a privately held investment holding company controlled by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, specializing in the acquisition and long-term operation of profitable, differentiated businesses. The company's portfolio is anchored by International Distribution Services (IDS), the parent company of Royal Mail, acquired in April 2025 for £3.6 billion in a deal approved by over 80% of shareholders. The acquisition is subject to a binding mandate to maintain the Universal Service Obligation (USO) for UK mail delivery, embedding a regulated-monopoly position at the core of the group. The second material asset is Morgan Wood Products, an Ohio-based family-owned wood pallet manufacturer acquired in July 2023, which supplies wood pallets across the United States and represents EP Group's diversification into the US logistics supply chain sector.

The group's operating model is that of a lean holding company: EP Group itself lists 1-10 employees and provides operational and capital resources to acquired companies to facilitate expansion, while execution is delegated to subsidiary management. Disclosed leadership includes Terry Hurley as President and CEO, Joe Waring as EVP and CFO, and DeAnne Baumgartner as VP and Chief Human Resource Officer. Under EP Group's ownership, Royal Mail has pursued material operating changes, including Ofcom-approved delivery reforms (removal of Saturday second-class deliveries, nationwide rollout delayed to early 2026) and a planned near-doubling of the UK parcel point network from approximately 24,000 to 45,000 locations by 2030, with the goal of placing collection points within a five-minute walk in urban areas. An Ofcom fine was issued for missed delivery targets, indicating ongoing operational execution risk.

Revenue at the consolidated level flows through Royal Mail's postal and parcel services (first-class stamp priced at £1.80 and second-class at 91p as of 2025) and Morgan Wood Products' wood pallet sales. No SaaS, software product, API, or technology platform details are disclosed in the supplied sources, and AI/ML capabilities are not referenced. The group operates across Europe (UK) and North America (USA), with EP Group itself domiciled in the Czech Republic under Kretinsky's control. No public revenue figure for EP Group is disclosed; valuation is anchored to the £3.6bn IDS transaction.

Name

EP Group

Website

https://epgroup.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EP Group is a privately held Czech investment holding company controlled by Daniel Kretinsky that acquires and operates differentiated businesses, most notably Royal Mail's parent IDS (acquired 2025 for £3.6bn) and US wood pallet supplier Morgan Wood Products (acquired 2023). It provides capital and operational resources to facilitate portfolio company expansion in infrastructure-adjacent sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

EP Group is a private investment holding company that acquires and operates profitable, differentiated businesses. Its portfolio is anchored by International Distribution Services (IDS), the parent of Royal Mail, which provides UK postal and parcel delivery services under the Universal Service Obligation. EP Group also owns Morgan Wood Products, an Ohio-based supplier of wood pallets across the United States.

Product overview

EP Group is a Czech-based holding company (owned by billionaire Daniel Kretinsky) that operates primarily through its subsidiary International Distribution Services (IDS), which owns Royal Mail. The portfolio includes UK mail and parcel delivery services under Royal Mail and the recently acquired Morgan Wood Products (wood pallets business). The company does not appear to offer a unified software product platform with distinct modules; rather, it operates traditional logistics and postal service businesses. No SaaS product, API, or technology platform details are available in the provided sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Royal Mail Delivery Services
• Royal Mail Parcel Points and Lockers Network
• Morgan Wood Products Pallets

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• International Distribution Services (IDS) / Royal MailflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2025EP Group acquired International Distribution Services (IDS), the parent company of Royal Mail, for £3.6bn. The deal was approved by over 80% of shareholder votes and mandates the maintenance of the Universal Service Obligation (USO) for mail delivery services. Royal Mail is a major UK postal and parcel delivery company.
• Morgan Wood ProductsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2023EP Group acquired Morgan Wood Products, a family-owned business based in Ohio that supplies wood pallets across the United States. The acquisition aims to facilitate Morgan Wood's expansion by leveraging EPG's operational and capital resources. This represents EP Group's investment in the wood products/logistics supply chain sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• EQT: Major Nordic-rooted private equity firm with extensive European infrastructure and industrial holdings. Comparable to EP Group as a European sponsor that takes long-duration, controlling positions in operating businesses.
• CVC Capital Partners: Leading European private equity firm with deep UK and continental deal experience and a portfolio spanning logistics, industrials and services. Comparable to EP Group as a European-headquartered sponsor of large operating businesses.
• Sofina: Belgian family-controlled investment holding company with diversified, long-duration stakes across consumer, digital and industrial sectors. Comparable to EP Group as a European family-controlled holdco deploying patient capital into operating businesses.
• BC Partners: European private equity firm with a track record of large take-privates and a portfolio spanning consumer, industrial and logistics assets. Comparable to EP Group as a European-headquartered sponsor executing control deals of scale.

Broad incumbents

• Blackstone: Largest global alternative asset manager with deep infrastructure, logistics and European M&A franchises. Comparable to EP Group in deal scale and the ability to underwrite regulated, capital-intensive operating businesses across geographies.
• Berkshire Hathaway: Iconic diversified holding company that owns and operates wholly-owned businesses in insurance, transportation, energy and industrials. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating-holdco model, though vastly larger and more diversified than EP Group.
• KKR & Co. Global alternative asset manager with significant European deal flow and a track record of take-privates of large, regulated operating businesses. Comparable to EP Group as a sponsor with the scale and structure to execute £multi-billion operating acquisitions in Europe.
• Koch Industries: Privately held, family-controlled US conglomerate operating across industrials, chemicals and consumer goods. Comparable to EP Group as a private, family-controlled operator of differentiated industrial and logistics-adjacent businesses.

Direct peers

• JAB Holding Company: Privately held, family-controlled investment holding company that acquires and operates consumer-facing businesses across multiple geographies. Closely comparable to EP Group in model: long-duration family capital, decentralized operating companies, and a multi-sector portfolio built through M&A.

Emerging players

• 3G Capital: Private investment firm known for acquiring and operating consumer and industrial businesses with a lean central team and aggressive operating focus. Comparable to EP Group in its hands-on, low-headcount operating-holdco style.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ep-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EP Group