Aer Arran are a transportation company, as are Stobarts.
Their aim was to develop Carlisle and presumably Southend airports into cargo hubs, allowing them to send cargo to and from Europe by air, on their own cargo airline. Far easier to buy an existing carrier and launch cargo flights, than to try and get their own AOC. Obviously Aer Arran were available at a good price, and Stobarts jumped at the chance.