Logistics Development Group plc said its portfolio company, WS Holdco, had bought Walkers Transport Holdings Limited and Madex Logistics Limited as part of its continuing buy-and-build strategy. LDG said it had made no additional investment into WS Holdco for the latest deals. Its interest in the company now stands at 39.5%.
The acquisitions extend WS Holdco’s reach across several parts of the UK logistics market.
Walkers Transport, based in Leeds, provides pallet distribution services across the UK and Ireland. According to LDG, the business also adds international freight forwarding capabilities to the group.
Madex Logistics is a London-based pallet distribution company. LDG said the acquisition gives WS Holdco a London hub and an international network extending into mainland Europe.
The deals follow WS Holdco’s March acquisition of EV Cargo Solutions and Distribution, which added managed transportation, contract logistics, road logistics, warehousing and fulfilment services. Before that, the group had also taken a majority stake in The Alternative Parcels Company, described by LDG as the UK’s largest independent parcel delivery network.
A faster route to scale
The latest acquisitions show WS Holdco moving quickly beyond parcels into a broader logistics platform covering pallet distribution, contract logistics, warehousing, forwarding and road transport.
For the UK market, the deal is another example of consolidation among mid-sized logistics operators, where scale, network density and customer coverage are becoming increasingly important.
LDG said the enlarged WS Holdco group is now expected to generate annual revenues of more than £400m.
