Express Couriers Ltd (ECL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of New Zealand Post, has announced thesale of its freighting business Roadstar to Transport Investments Ltd (TIL), effective from 1
March, to concentrate on its express and parcel activities.Owned by ECL since 2007, Roadstar specialises in delivering pallets of stock to major retailersthroughout New Zealand. Since TIL is already a major player in this field through wholly-ownedsubsidiaries such as Hooker Pacific and TNL, this acquisition naturally fits with its growthstrategy, NZ Post explained.
New Zealand Post CEO Brian Roche said the sale makes sense for all parties involved. “TIL is anestablished and respected freighting operator, and this change in ownership will enable them tobring that considerable expertise in freighting to Roadstar. At the same time, this enables ECL tofocus on its core activity; express parcel pickup and delivery, at which it is a marketleader.”
The takeover will be smooth and it will be ‘business as usual’ with the Roadstar management teamand staff remaining intact and no variations required in contracts with customers. “ECL and TILwill maintain an on-going relationship to ensure a seamless transition for all customers of bothcompanies,” NZ Post added.
In June last year, DHL Express sold its 50% stakes in ECL and the Australian company ParcelDirect Group Pty Limited (PDG) to New Zealand Post for NZ$108 million (€68 million) as it exitedthe domestic express markets in Australia and New Zealand. This deal enabled NZ Post to expand itsexpress and parcel operations and DHL Express to focus on the international express markets in thetwo countries while working commercially with the domestic operators.
Express Couriers Limited (ECL) was formed in 2004 through the amalgamation of New Zealand Post’scourier and freight operations, and was then made part of the joint venture between NZP and DHL inearly 2005. The company offers express delivery services in New Zealand through the market leadingbrands of CourierPost, Pace and Contract Logistics, and internationally via the DHL Expressnetwork. ECL, which competes with Freightways, has more than 1,000 vehicles and some 900 deliverystaff.
