Travel business snapped up by €90m-turnover French company
A West Yorkshire travel business has been acquired by a €90m-turnover French company.
Killgerm Group has announced the sale of 100% of the shareholding in TravelWise Group to TPW S.A.S., which trades as Travel Planet.
The acquisition includes both the Leisure Travel and the Business Travel operations within TravelWise Group.
Based in Lille, Travel Planet is a family-owned company with more than 80 employees and a turnover of around €90m.
The senior management team of Travel Planet have purchased TravelWise as part of their plans to expand overseas and enter the UK market.
The new UK headquarters for Travel Planet is based in Wakefield, which is where the Business Travel operations will be centred. The Leisure Travel operations will continue to be based in Ilkley.
Rupert Broome, group managing director of Killgerm Group, said: “This decision to sell TravelWise Group has been a very tough one to make, not least because TravelWise Group has been a part of Killgerm Group since 1993.
“That said, it is clear that ownership by Travel Planet will bring significant opportunities both for staff and for sales which is beyond the capabilities of continued ownership by Killgerm Group.”
He added: “This strategic realignment of the activities of Killgerm Group will now allow us to refocus 100% of our future efforts on our manufacturing and supply activities within the pest control sector across the globe through our Killgerm and PestWest businesses. We have a number of expansion opportunities which we are already exploring.
“I do want to pay tribute to the staff of TravelWise Group who have been truly excellent colleagues over the years. I am both sad and excited for the future, as they will be missed as part of the Killgerm Group family but at the same time I strongly believe they will thrive as part of the Travel Planet family.”
