Freightways Group has announced the acquisition of VT Freight Express (VTFE) for $71 million, adding a Victorian-based business-to-business express freight operator to its Australian portfolio alongside Allied Express. The deal significantly expands Freightways’ Australian presence by pairing Allied Express’s established B2C courier network with VTFE’s B2B capabilities across specialised industry verticals.
Acquisition Details
VTFE, established in 2010, operates an asset-light, road-based B2B express freight business serving clients in the building, healthcare, retail, and plumbing sectors. The company uses a contractor fleet and leased facilities — a model similar to Freightways’ existing operations in both New Zealand and Australia through Allied Express.
Freightways has described VTFE as “an asset-light, road-based B2B express business similar to New Zealand’s Post Haste”, referencing one of its established New Zealand courier brands. The acquisition is projected to increase Freightways’ earnings per share by 6 per cent in the first year, with completion expected on or after 30 January 2026.
VTFE will be operated as a separate brand within the Freightways Group, maintaining its own leadership while sharing resources with its parent where synergies allow.
Strategic Fit with Allied Express
The acquisition is explicitly designed to complement Allied Express rather than compete with it. Where Allied Express focuses on B2C oversized and bulky parcel delivery — handling items like furniture, appliances, and sporting equipment for online retailers and consumers — VTFE operates in the B2B express segment, moving goods between businesses in sectors where same-day and next-day reliability is critical.
The two businesses serve different customer segments through different service models, but share the same parent company infrastructure for back-office functions, technology, and strategic direction. Together, they give Freightways coverage across both major segments of the Australian express freight market.
Australian Growth Strategy
The VTFE deal follows Freightways’ $160 million acquisition of Allied Express in 2022, which marked the New Zealand-based group’s entry into the Australian courier market. Since that acquisition, Allied Express has delivered double-digit volume growth and even stronger bottom-line improvement, validating Freightways’ thesis that the Australian market offered significant growth potential for well-run, niche-focused operators.
With VTFE, Freightways now operates two distinct Australian brands addressing different market needs, replicating the multi-brand portfolio strategy it has employed successfully in New Zealand.
Implications for the Market
For Australian businesses evaluating courier and express freight options, the Freightways-Allied Express-VTFE combination represents an expanding alternative to the major integrated carriers. The strategy of acquiring specialised operators and letting them retain operational independence — rather than forcing integration into a single brand — allows each business to maintain the service characteristics and customer relationships that made it successful in its niche.