From a single truck travelling to mainland Europe in 1994 to a modern fleet transporting temperature-controlled cargo across Europe every week, Adare International Transport has built its reputation on reliability, consistency and outstanding customer service.
Based four miles outside Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, the family-owned business has become a trusted name in international refrigerated haulage, specialising in the transportation of fresh and frozen meat, along with other temperature-sensitive products, throughout Europe, including Switzerland. The company is particularly recognised for its efficient groupage transport service, enabling customers to move smaller consignments quickly and cost-effectively, while also providing return transport services for goods destined for Ireland.
More than 30 years after founder John Butler established the company, Adare International Transport continues to grow, employing around 45 people and operating one of Ireland’s leading specialist international refrigerated haulage fleets. The company remains firmly family-run, with John, Evelyn and Lorna Butler all serving as directors.
Lorna Butler, who joined the business on a full-time basis seven years ago, has witnessed the company continue to evolve while remaining true to the values on which it was built.
“My dad was a Garda and he always wanted to work for himself,” she explained. “So he took a notion and decided to set up a transport company. He started off with one truck, and he used to drive to Europe himself.”
Like many successful transport businesses, Adare International Transport was built through hard work, determination and a commitment to going the extra mile. More than three decades later, the family-owned company continues to be guided by the values established by founder John Butler. While John and Lorna Butler oversee the day-to-day development of the business, Evelyn Butler remains an active director, helping to preserve the strong family ethos that underpins the company’s commitment to personal service, reliability and long-standing customer relationships.
Today, Adare International Transport transports fresh and frozen meat and other temperature-controlled products from Ireland to destinations across mainland Europe, including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, with return journeys carrying products back to Ireland.
Working within the food supply chain demands precision at every stage. Strict temperature control, careful route planning and reliable delivery schedules leave little room for error, making experience and attention to detail essential.
“We specialise in international refrigerated transport and groupage services, moving fresh and frozen products across mainland Europe before returning with goods for customers throughout Ireland,” said Lorna.
Alongside its international transport operation, Adare International Transport provides temperature-controlled storage solutions through its network of modern cold storage facilities in Roscrea, Portlaoise and Mallow. These strategically located facilities allow customers to store products securely before onward distribution, enabling the company to offer a complete logistics solution from storage through to delivery across Ireland and mainland Europe.
Transport is a sector where reputation and reliability are everything. Customers depend on products arriving exactly when promised and in perfect condition, and Adare International Transport has earned that trust through years of consistent performance.
The company has developed long-standing relationships with clients who value not only its expertise in refrigerated transport but also the reassurance that every load is handled professionally from collection to delivery. Its groupage service has become particularly popular with customers requiring flexible transport solutions for smaller consignments, allowing them to benefit from regular departures to mainland Europe without the need to fill an entire trailer.
That reputation is reflected in current trading, with the business enjoying another busy year
“We are doing well. We’re busier than last year and we have between 18 and 20 trucks going out internationally every week,” Lorna reported
Supporting that workload is a modern fleet that continues to benefit from significant ongoing investment. Adare International Transport currently operates 27 tractor units backed by between 45 and 50 trailers, giving the company the flexibility to meet customer demand across multiple European routes.
Fleet renewal remains central to the company’s long-term strategy.
“We’ve recently added two new Scanias and a new Volvo, and we’re currently waiting on delivery of four new refrigerated trailers,” Lorna explained.
The fleet consists exclusively of Scania and Volvo trucks, two marques synonymous with quality, reliability and fuel efficiency in the heavy transport sector. Volvo vehicles are supplied through McCarthy Commercials in Cork, while Scania units are sourced from T Nolans in Castleisland, Co Kerry, relationships that have helped Adare International Transport maintain a consistently high standard across its fleet.
The company intends to continue investing in new vehicles and trailers over the coming years, recognising that a modern fleet is essential not only for operational efficiency but also for maintaining the level of service customers have come to expect.
However, Lorna is quick to point out that trucks and trailers are only one part of the equation.
“We’re reliable and they know that their product is going to be delivered on time and we are very consistent in what we do,” she said.
“With the product that we’re delivering, it’s either fresh or frozen so it must reach its destination on time.”
Equally important is the team behind the operation. While recruiting and retaining skilled staff has become an increasing challenge across the transport industry, Adare International Transport has been fortunate to build a loyal and experienced workforce, with several employees having dedicated more than two decades and more to the business.
“We’ve built long-term relationships over the years and all our staff here work hard to maintain that,” Lorna said. “Our staff are brilliant and there’s a good few of them here over 20 years, so we’re lucky in that respect.
That continuity provides enormous value for both the company and its customers. Experienced drivers, mechanics, office staff and logistics personnel understand exactly what is required to ensure every load reaches its destination safely and on schedule, reinforcing the dependable service that has become synonymous with the Adare International Transport name.
As a family-run business, maintaining those relationships remains central to everything the company does. Whether dealing with customers, suppliers or employees, the emphasis has always been on building partnerships that stand the test of time.
Looking ahead, the focus is on sustainable growth while embracing new technologies that will further strengthen the business and improve efficiency.
“We hope to grow the business in the next couple of years and keep our team with us,” said Lorna. “We want to improve as well and to develop the business as we go along with regards new technology and logistic systems and everything like that.”
After more than three decades in business, Adare International Transport continues to demonstrate that success in international haulage is built on far more than simply moving goods from A to B. It requires investment in people, investment in equipment and an uncompromising commitment to delivering on every promise made to customers.
From John Butler’s decision to leave a secure career and head for Europe with a single truck, the business has grown into a thriving international transport company operating a modern fleet and employing dozens of people in the heart of Co Tipperary.
With demand continuing to grow, regular fleet investment and a clear vision for the future, Adare International Transport is ideally placed to continue serving the European food industry for many years to come.
Adare International Transport Ltd
Ballnakill
Roscrea
Co. Tipperary
Phone: +353 505 21066
Fax: +353 (0)1 8956476
Weekend after-hours only
First published in Irish Trucker magazine September/October 2026, Vol 29-5
Adare International Transport, featured
