November 9 - Australian-based Toll Group has acquired Logistic Distribution Systems (LDS), one of the leading privately-owned international freight forwarding companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

LDS is headquartered in Dubai, and provides an integrated international sea and air freight forwarding service to its customers through its extensive operational platform in Dubai and the Jebel Ali Free Zone. LDS also provides transport and logistics services to its freight forwarding customers within the UAE.

LDS serves the import, export and transshipment requirements of industrial and infrastructure customers throughout the UAE, with strong volumes in the key European and Asian trade lanes.

The purchase is the third significant expansion for the Toll Group, despite the hard economic times this year.  In June, the group reached agreement for the purchase of 1000f the shares in Perkins Group Holdings, the parent of the Perkins Shipping Group. The Perkins Group provides shipping, integrated freight services, land haul services and general freight services.

Earlier in the year, Toll Group had completed its purchase of BALtrans Logistics Worldwide and will use its new Asian forwarding and logistics operations as a platform to strengthen the TGF network in the Middle East, South Africa, Europe and North America. Toll had acquired BALtrans Logistics in early 2008 and completed the re-branding of the company as Toll Global Forwarding on 27 February 2009.

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