Direct Couriers buys Phoenix Transport to grow national network

What's the deal? Direct CouriersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an Australian same-day courier and freight operator, has acquired Queensland-based Phoenix TransportDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The deal took effect on August 21. Terms were not disclosed.

What's the endgame? Direct Couriers wants to expand its national delivery network and lift its operational capacity. The acquisition adds Phoenix's established customer base and experienced team.

What changes? All Phoenix staff and drivers transfer to Direct Couriers, which the buyer says will keep service and local knowledge intact. Phoenix runs four facilities — Wetherill Park and Pendle Hill in NSW, plus Berrinba and Park Ridge in Queensland — and a fleet of more than 150 vehicles.

Phoenix Transport was founded in 1993. It grew in 1996 by acquiring Austcall ExpressDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, then diversified in 2000.

What they're saying: "This acquisition allows us to expand our capacity and reach while retaining the people and relationships that have made Phoenix Transport a trusted name in the industry," said Direct Couriers chief executive officer Garry Yovich.

The signal: Buying an operator with fleet, sites, and a customer book is a fast route to national scale in freight. For Direct Couriers, absorbing Phoenix's NSW and Queensland footprint deepens its east coast reach in one move.

Read more: ownerdriver.com.au

Image credit: ell brown