Trade Extensions expands using former Freight Traders team

Trade Extensions expands using former Freight Traders team

Trade Extensions, a Swedish online negotiation and procurement provider, has established a subsidiary company in the United Kingdom that will be staffed and operated by the former management team of Freight Traders Ltd.

   Trade Extensions Europe Ltd. will be based in Norfolk in the United Kingdom, but operate throughout Europe. Garry Mansell, former head of Freight Traders, has been appointed as the new company’s managing director. He will also become president of the Swedish parent company.

   Food giant Mars Inc., Freight Traders’ corporate parent, decided to close the company after a review of its business portfolio, Mansell said.

   “For a number of years Freight Traders had a very successful partnership with the software arm of Trade Extensions,” Mansell said. “When Mars took the decision to close Freight Traders, since it was no longer seen as a core business in the Mars family, it became obvious that we should speak with the management team of Trade Extensions to investigate the benefits of working together.

   'We very rapidly agreed to join forces and a number of the former Freight Traders employees, myself included, showed their commitment to the idea by investing in the new business.”

   Arne Andersson, chief executive officer and founder of Trade Extensions, said: “We are delighted to welcome a large part of the former Freight Traders staff to join us. The skills and experience they bring to our organization, not just in the area of transport or logistics but in general procurement, will be invaluable and we are anticipating a period of very rapid growth over the next two or three years.”