Culina Logistics and Baylis Logistics are merge in January forming a new company, which will be known as Culina Logistics Ltd and which will be part-owned by Luxembourg-based TML Invest , the investment arm of Theo Müller, owner of the Müller Dairy Group.
The new, independent Culina will have sales of £125m and offer a range of ambient and multi temperature services through a national warehousing and transport network.
“Our aim is to be the UK’s leading food and drink logistics specialist,” says chief executive, Thomas van Mourik.
Van Mourik was managing director of Culina before leaving to take over at Baylis in November 2005.
And earlier this year, Theo Müller, owner of Culina Logistics, invested a “seven-figure sum” in Baylis Logistics.
Baylis company secretary Nigel Jury said at the time: “Theo Müller knows from his own experience what Thomas can do with a supply chain business and he is keen to support and to share in the success of someone he knows very well and holds in high regard.”
The new business will employ 1,300 people, said group operations director Rien Brakel, who was managing director of the old Culina.
It will operate from nine sites (including the new site at Haverhill) totalling 1.45 million square feet and has a vehicle fleet of 250 vehicles and 550 trailers.
“Chilled customers will see potential economies of scale in our ability to offer a combined solution incorporating their ambient ranges. Ambient customers will have a readymade solution as their sector moves towards chilled disciplines, including daily ordering, as well as stockless RDCs with 24/7 customer services and SOP teams,” said Brakel.
“The transition from two organisations to one will be gradual and smooth,” says Thomas van Mourik. “We have the capacity, flexibility, resources and financial clout to deliver unbeatable supply chain solutions to the food and drink industry. That’s what we intend to do.”
