Toleman buys Helf Spedition
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• Tolernan, the Brentwoodbased vehicle distributor, has agreed to buy Hell Spedition of Essen, West Germany for an undisclosed sum after year-long discussions.
Helf, a vehicle distribution company established since 1926, includes among its customers: Audi-Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, Daimler-Benz, Fiat and Nissan.
Its 136,000m2 (33.6 acres) site, near Dusseldorf, is in the high-density Rhine/Ruhr area which acounts for more than 25% of all West German vehicle sales.
Toleman chairman Ted Toleman says he believes success in Europe will depend on distribution locations like Hetes, sited near population centres rather than on the borders.
"I'm sure we have got it right with Hell," says Toleman. "This is just the type of site we have been looking for. We now have plans for the acquisition of other strategic sites in other countries. Essen is only the forerunner of similar developments in a borderless Europe."
Holding company executive Peter Pegg says Toleman has been holding talks with other distribution companies in France, Spain and Italy. It already has an office in Turin providing direct liaison with the Fiat and Iveco manufacturing plants, and intends to base its European headquarters in Holland.
Like almost everyone else, Toleman is interested in Eastern Europe, although no specific discussions are taking place at the moment, says Pegg.
Pegg also expects the prototype European version of its new Mark V computercontrolled car transporter, developed in collaboration with Strasbourg trailer manufacturer Robert Lohr, to be built by the end of this year.
"It will probably be a demountable version and its on the drawing board now," adds Pegg.