Uniserve; the largest privately owned logistics operator has acquired Wilgo Freight Services for an undisclosed sum.

Iain Liddell managing director described bringing Wilgo into Uniserve a “perfect match” with little overlap in terms of customers and operations. Mr Liddell: “This acquisition fills in some of the blanks spots we had – we now have coverage across pretty much all of eastern and western Europe, as well as throughout the UK and Ireland.”

The Wilgo brand will disappear; Liddell said the integration procedure would begin immediately and take around two months.

Liddell also confirmed Jim Wilson; owner of Wilgo would continue to work in a senior role. “Jim is going to be rather like a mentor to myself and the Uniserve management team – we all have an awful lot to learn from him,”

Haulage operations between the UK and Europe comprise around half of Wilgo’s operations, with sea and air freight forwarding. Wilgo has 85 employees who will be offered positions in Uniserve, at: Wickford, Heathrow, Birmingham and Dover, which Uniserve has taken on.

Jim Wilson Wilgo owner said the firm had rebutted numerous bids in the past, but felt that the time was now right for it to become part of larger organisation. “We felt we needed to take the firm to a greater level, and we felt comfortable with becoming part of Uniserve.”