Darlington, UK: Northgate Vehicle Hire has entered the chilled and freezer van rental sector with the acquisition of FridgeXpress. Northgate bought the Rugby-based business which provides specialist refrigerated vehicles to UK commercial customers. FridgeXpress has over 600 chilled and freezer vans and trailers and more than 100 UK principally in the pharmaceutical and food sectors.
FridgeXpress will enhance Northgate Vehicle Hire’s range of specialist LCVs in the UK and follows the July 2022 acquisition of traffic management specialist Blakedale which has grown its fleet by over 30% in the past year, Northgate says.
FridgeXpress runs a fleet of diesel and electric vans and trailers. It was one of the first companies to add electric refrigerated vans to its fleet to help customers tackle their emissions particularly in urban areas.
The business will continue to trade under the FridgeXpress brand. Founder and managing director David Richards is leaving the business and Danny Bell, who has been the company’s operations director for over a decade, will become the new managing director.
Martin Ward, chief executive, Redde Northgate, which owns Northgate Vehicle Hire, said: “With FridgeXpress, we continue our record of acquisitions offering significant potential for growing both customers and fleet, leveraging our extensive customer network. FridgeXpress has an impressive track record and an excellent reputation in its specialist sector.”
Northgate’s current branch manager of the year Craig Diaz becomes the company’s new operations director, while Scott Steadman will join the company as a business development manager, moving from his current position as a new business manager at Northgate.
“We have been impressed with all aspects of the FridgeXpress business. It is a profitable and well-run business and very complementary to Northgate and we are delighted to welcome them to the Group. It employs an experienced and dedicated workforce that are extremely focused on providing a first-class service to its customers,” said Neil McCrossan, UK sales and marketing director for Northgate.
“We would like to congratulate Danny, Craig and Scott on their new positions and wish David well for the future,” he added.
