Hatfield, UK: Arla Foods UK is to acquire PCL Transport 24/7 and take on all its services with the exception of Bristol.
Arla says that the move will enable it to assure the future operations at the Hatfield site and the continuation of service to its customers.
The acquisition will see Arla take over the lease to the Hatfield warehouse and bring in-house all logistics operations related to those services previously provided by PCL.
As part of the acquisition, 470 PCL employees are expected to transfer to Arla. In addition to the lease of the Hatfield site, assets currently used in operation of the site will also transfer.
The acquisition has also brought forward the timeline for Arla’s transfer of its Bristol operations, which, following notice given to PCL last year and a competitive tender process, were awarded to Gist. The milk volume will transfer to Gist, with effect from 6 March 2020.
Arla Foods UK managing director Ash Amirahmadi said: “Bringing our Hatfield operations in house will allow us to focus on delivering the best possible service to our customers. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues at the Hatfield site and we will work hard to maintain a smooth and seamless transition for our customers throughout this process.”
PCL Transport 24/7 specialises in providing both chilled and ambient warehousing for a wide range of products, including dairy and salad items, in a tightly temperature-controlled environment.
