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Former TNT Logistics managing director Neil Crossthwaite launched the company's new name this week - CEVA Logistics.

And he tells Motor Transport that life is even better under the new owner, Apollo Management of the US.

Crossthwaite says he gets more freedom under Apollo, which completed the purchase last month.

Decision-making will be leaner and quicker now that the business is solely logistics and doesn't  have to compete for funds with parcels and mail.

"It's been the most exciting 12 months of my life - and I've been here for 28½ years," he says. "Apollo invests in management and expects management to grow and develop the business."

Uncertainty over the past year hasn't affected the business at all, he says: "It's the opposite. We haven't lost a single customer - our renewal rate overall is the highest it has been for four years. And our new business is as healthy this year as it has ever been."

There will be no quick on-sell by the venture capitalist owners - CEVA will not go down the same route as Hays Logistics, bought by Kuehne + Nagel after a short spell at ACR, he says.

"Our business development efforts are as effective as they've always been. I don't think they had that at ACR," he adds.

"I want to outperform our major competitors. We're  number three at the moment and there is no real ambition to become number one. Exel are so big and so dominant and I don't know if that's a happy state of affairs," he adds.

• CEVA (pronounced see-vah) is inspired by Giovanni Ceva, an Italian 17th century mathematician known for his theory of triangles. "The symbol of the triangle is important to us. It represents the essence of supply chain and also links the cornerstones of our strategy: innovation collaboration and pro-activeness", the group says.