2015 saw some shocks in the market; FedEx bidding for TNT Express; XPO Logistics buying Norbert Dentressangle and BCA Marketplace buying Eddie Stobart's automotive business. But they weren't the only acquisitions in a year packed with M&A activity. We take a look at some of the deals that changed the industry.

JANUARY 2015 – DX Group acquires £1.1m of assets from City Link administrators Ernst & Young.

MARCH 2015 - Ferguson Transport (Spean Bridge) - which trades as Ferguson Transport & Shipping - buys Skye Transport (Crossal) for an undisclosed sum.

APRIL 2015 - US 3PL XPO Logistics acquires Norbert Dentressangle for €3.24bn (£2.3bn) – in a deal that valued ND at €2.17bn and incorporated €1.08bn of net debt.

Framptons1

Gregory Distribution bought fellow South-West haulier Framptons Transport Services in April 2015

APRIL 2015 - Gregory Distribution bought Framptons Transport Services – its fifth acquisition in two years. Both parties are members of Palletline and the Hazchem Network.

APRIL 2015 - FedEx makes an offer to acquire TNT Express, valuing the business at €4.4bn (£3.2bn). The deal is still to receive regulatory approval from the European Commission.

MAY 2015 - Palletline buys Tonbridge, Kent-based network member S&S Distribution. It had been member of the network for 19 years.

JUNE 2015 - Menzies Distribution acquires Inverness-based AJG Parcels for £7.5m.

JULY 2015 – North Yorkshire haulier TEF Transport buys Millfield Haulage for an undisclosed sum.

AUGUST 2015 – Private equity firm EmergeVest acquires Palletforce for £30m. Emergevest had purchased NFT Distribution in April 2014.

Stobart Autologic

BCA Marketplace bought Stobart Automotive, formerly Autologic, in August 2015.

AUGUST 2015 - Eddie Stobart’s automotive logistics business – formerly Autologic - was sold to BCA Marketplace, an automotive support services company best known for consumer brand Webuyanycar.com for an undisclosed sum. BCA Marketplace was bought in March 2015 by an investment vehicle formed by Avril Palmer-Baunack- the former chairwoman of Stobart and chief executive of Autologic.

SEPTEMBER 2015 – Palletways acquires Dalkeith, Midlothian-based network member Dalkeith Transport and Storage.

OCTOBER 2015 - Strood, Rochester-based R Swain & Sons acquires specialist plant and services firm Gatwick Plant.

NOVEMBER 2015 - NWF Group acquires Staffordshire Fuels for an undisclosed amount.

DECEMBER 2015 - DB Schenker Logistics purchases Redhead International for an undisclosed sum. The deal is described as a "reverse integration" with Schenker UK employees in the land transportation side of the business working for Redhead - which will be run by its existing management team.

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