GREGORY Distribution Ltd (GDL) of North Tawton is going from strength to strength, having acquired refrigerated transport business Dylan Thomas International for an undisclosed sum.

The Fishguard-based business specialises in chilled foodstuffs, including delivering organic potato products for Puffin Produce Ltd, and poultry on behalf of Capestone Organic Poultry Ltd, to the major supermarket retailers.

John Gregory, GDl's chief executive said: 'Dylan Thomas has been handling some of our chilled distribution for some time. The acquisition adds value to our current operation while allowing us to expand into Wales and to seek new business opportunities.

'All seven Dylan Thomas employees have transferred to Gregory and Dylan himself will remain as transport manager.

'The deal increases GDL's network nationwide with business units in the South West of England, Scotland and now Wales.'

Dylan Thomas added: 'Gregory is a business with a very strong reputation for its standards of customer care. This is one of the key reasons why we wanted to be involved with them.

'The transaction allows the company I founded to grow while giving total reassurance to our valued customers that their business is in safe and experienced hands.'

Huw Thomas, managing director of Puffin Produce Ltd, said: 'We are delighted for Dylan Thomas, especially as Dylan himself will remain running the business in West Wales, providing us with valuable continuity going forward.

'We are also pleased to be working with Gregory Distribution, whose network of contacts and depth of resource may well provide new routes to market for us.'

Justin Scale, managing director of Capestone, added: 'We have had a very successful working relationship with Dylan Thomas and look forward to working with Gregory and benefitting from their established operational skills and depth of resource and so further enhancing the service we provide to our customers.'