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Landbridge Logistics has stepped in to take over some of Surfair Global Logistics’ contracts after the company’s voluntary liquidation this week, Motortransport.co.uk has learnt.

Surfair’s liquidation - following its collapse into administration earlier this month - comes just months after it is understood to have lost a major contract with DB Schenker. Motortransport.co.uk understands the company had been in financial trouble for sometime before it lost the contract.

Dublin-based Landbridge, which was a Surfair distribution partner servicing clients in Northern Ireland and Eire, confirmed this week it has taken warehousing on the same site as Surfair in Woodville, Derbyshire. It has also kept on around ten Surfair staff.

The haulier has also taken over a number of Surfair’s Irish clients.

Landbridge Logistics MD Peter Heenan told Motortransport.co.uk: "We have secured a warehouse on the same site as Surfair’s depot in Woodville and we are pleased to say we have also been able to take on a number of Surfair's staff.

“Our aim is to continue to keep the service going for our Irish clients, many of whom we have worked with for over 20 years, as a distribution partner of Surfair. Hopefully we may be able to build a UK client base as well."

He added: "We've been operating for over 25 years with depots in Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Glasgow and we are a completely independent and reputable company which services all of Ireland directly, not through any pallet network.

“We have taken over some of Surfair's ex-clients who have seen our accounts and know we are a reputable, independent business that they are happy to do business with."

Surfair comes to the end of the road

Surfair had a range of clients and specialised in the toy retail sector as a distribution partner of Wincanton and DHL for Mattel and Hasbro. Other clients included Loughborough-based Charles Bentley and Sons, Moore Large, MV Sports, and SIP Industrial Products.

Landbridge Logistics specialises in UK and Ireland distribution. Established 1988, it has over 100 staff across its four depots in Belfast, Cork, Dublin and Glasgow. The company, which operates a fleet of 60 vehicles, is headquartered in Dublin.

Administrators Milner Boardman & Partners in Hale, Cheshire confirmed this week that Surfair Global Logistics, which traded as Surfair Logistics, went into voluntary liquidation after a creditors’ meeting held on 26 April 2016.

Surfair Logistics was set up in 2011 by MD Paul Cannon. His former posts include director of Transafe (Training), sales director at RSE Sandbach and MD of Leyland-based Road & Sea Express Group Limited, which was dissolved in 2009.

Surfair Logistics was a UPN Pallet network member, expanding its coverage for the network last September. It operated from a 15,240m² depot near Woodville, Derbyshire, a coastal hub at Immingham and depots in Belfast, Dublin, and Cork.

In 2014 the company, which ran a fleet of 17 vehicles and 14 trailers, rebranded from Surfair Global Logistics to Surfair Logistics as part of an expansion drive. This saw it invest in new warehousing, expand its fleet and boost staff numbers.

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