TDG

TDG is a multinational transport and storage company with operations in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Holland, Germany and Belgium.

It has 7,200 employees across Europe and a fleet of 1,600 trucks working across 133 sites.

The company started life in 1922 as the General Lighterage Company. It changed its name to Transport Development Group in 1957 and became a public limited company in 1982.

In 1999 the company, which was now called TDG, began a long run of acquisitions with Van Straaten in Holland.

In 2000 it bought Safeguard and SDS in the UK and Van den Berg in Holland. In 2001 is snapped up La Fleche in France, TCG in Holland and IWT in Ireland. In 2003 TDG closed its French business, but opened an operation in Barcelona.

The acquisitions continued in 2006 with the purchases of Mond & Cie in Belgium and Bradship & SCA in the UK. TDG also opened a distribution centre in Spain.

The following year saw TDG buy Briskair in the UK and Doman in Spain.

In 2008 it was itself subject to takeover speculation, with both Wincanton and Laxey Partners expressing an interest in the company. The saga ended with TDG delisting from the London Stock Exchange and becoming a private company again after it was acquired by Bidco, a company set up by Laxey Partners, for £222m.

In its last set of results, for the first half of 2008, operating profit rose 15% to £9.2m, pre-tax profit increased 19% to £6.9m and turnover was up 16% to £371m.

TDG operates in the construction, chemical, consumer, industrial, retail and paper and packaging sectors.

Key customers include Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Corus.

Roanna Avison
roanna.avison@rbi.co.uk

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