TR Group is making its entry into the Australian market with the acquisition of Melbourne-based trailer rental company Semi-Skel Hire.
It comes after many years of investigating the Australian market and fits with TR’s ambitions to provide world class service in renting and leasing trucks and trailers.
TR was founded in 1992 and now have a team of 180 people and a fleet of 5500 rental and lease vehicles in New Zealand.
The group provides customers with a complete fleet management service and provide operational support.
Semi-Skel Hire was founded in 1994 by Geoff Kelly and is based in Yarraville, Melbourne. With over 1100 trailers available for hire, and a further 70 on order, it is the largest rental operator in the Victorian transport market.
Semi-Skel’s clients value its high-quality equipment, the availability of vehicles when needed and the quality service provided by its team.
The family is selling to allow the business to reach its full potential to become an Australia wide company while continuing with the core values that have made the business so successful to date.
Geoff Kelly will retire from his role as managing director, although continuing to be available as a consultant to the business. Geoff’s daughter Kim will be the state manager for Victoria and son David will be the fleet and operations manager going forward with TR.
Both businesses share similar philosophies with respect to being fully focussed on the transport industry and providing high quality vehicles and customer experience.
The Semi-Skel Hire business will now operate as TR Semi Skel Hire in Australia under the leadership of TR Group’s Chris Perry, who has relocated to Melbourne.
“The Semi Skel team of 18 are a quality group of people and I am really looking forward to working with them as we all grow and develop as a team.
“I know that they are as excited as the TR team about building further on the great business that Semi Skel already is,” Perry says.
The team is now hard at work getting to know current and future customers and understanding their experiences and needs.
Having strong working relationships with suppliers is an important part of achieving this, Perry says.
