EFS Group has embarked on an acquisition trail, starting with the purchase of Winsford, Cheshire-based courier 747 Express Freight for an undisclosed six-figure sum.
Mark Jones, MD of EFS Group, which has sites in Burnley, Lancs, and Manchester, says the deal is part of the company's plan to grow with strategic business purchases.
Jones believes the acquisition, the first of several planned, is a low-risk opportunity because it allows EFS Group, which runs 42 vehicles and is part of UK Pallets, to support the 747 Winsford site, which has 10 vehicles, from Burnley.
"If we are busy they can send vehicles up from Winsford and when they are busy we can send vehicles down - its close enough to share resources and far enough away to have work that pays both ways," he says.
The plan includes EFS Group starting to collect pallets from the Winsford area.
Steve Blackie, founder of 747 and now group business development director for EFS, says introducing pallet collections in Winsford opens the door to other work in the area.
"The pallet network attracts the haulage and courier business; once a company sees you can move a pallet for, let's say £40/£50, they automatically think of you for doing other work rather than just offering courier rates," he says.
The next targets for acquisition will be in Birmingham and Leeds, says Jones. "Basically, anything that is on the motorway and isn't too far; then you are getting paid two-ways a lot more often. The key is sharing resources," he adds.
