Bedfords RPL

Bedfords buys RPL Transport

Bedfords Group has returned to the acquisition trail with the purchase of RPL Transport.

The Yorkshire operator told Motortransport.co.uk it bought the £4.5m turnover Milton Keynes business because it wanted a base further south, in order to strengthen its offering and “solidify its capabilities as a UK wide logistics company.”

More acquistions are highly likely, it added.

Bedfords MD Steff Pfadenhauer said: “With the purchase of RPL we can significantly increase our presence in the South. This will be key to our growth plan over the next few years.

“Bedfords, like most companies, needs diversification and locally that is not always easily achieved. The team is keen to grow but in a very controlled manner. Bedfords has several operating centres throughout the country and this acquisition is just the next step.”

RPL will adopt Bedfords’ corporate branding but will trade separately within the group. The company added that “more will be revealed on this in the coming weeks. We are currently looking at our options but more acquisitions are planned.”

In 2011, the company became the sole owner of Linq Alliance in order to bolster its national coverage.

The price for RPL was undisclosed. All staff, including directors, have been retained.