The purchase of Macintyre Transport is a “significant” move that has doubled the size of Turners (Soham)’s container vehicle fleet in one fell swoop, according to its boss Paul Day.
Speaking to Motortransport.co.uk after last week’s acquisition of the Felixstowe-headquartered business, MD Day said discussions began after he became aware that Harvey Macintyre was looking to retire.
“He was comfortable about how we were going to run it,” said Day. “It is a well run business, which you have to be due to the strong competition present here in the market.”
Day said that a few years back Turners had decided to get involved in the container market and had built that side of its business to 200 vehicles [the group operates 1200 vehicles in total].
The Macintyre deal has added 200 more vehicles and positioned the combined businesses for “significant growth”.
Day, who following the retirement of Harvey Macintyre, has placed MD Paul Miller and director Mike West in charge of the day-to-day running of the business they were with, said the name of the haulier would be retained.
“The Macintyre name is synonymous with quality service,” said Day. “It will stay and in time it will likely be that it will be known as part of the Turners group.”
Although the two businesses have a number of areas where they both have operations, for example Felixstowe and also Southampton, the plan is to expand rather than rationalise the enlarged estate.
“We may look to move a few lorries in Southampton, that sort of thing, but there’s no plans to make any drastic changes to the business.”
