Warde Groupage celebrates 55 years in style 

17/11/2025

Warde Groupage celebrated 55 years in business with a big win at the 2025 Full of the Pipe in Mondello Park. 

The Newry-based groupage specialist’s stunning Scania P320 six-wheeler came up trumps in the highly-competitive ‘2019 to 2024 Best Rigid’ category. After more than half a century of turning heads with its magnificent fleet, it was entirely fitting that Warde Groupage was recognised in what is a milestone year for the successful family business. 

“We brought five Scanias and were delighted to come away with a prize. With 2,000 lorries entered in the show, you’d have to be happy,” Warde Groupage director Kyle Ward enthuses. 

“We’re celebrating 55 years in business and it’s nice to be able to mark that with a win like this. It’s no more than the driver of the P320, Decky McGreevey, deserves. He takes great pride in the truck's appearance and put a huge amount of work into having it immaculately turned out. 

“He certainly put the work in. The winning rigid is used for groupage mainly around the North. 

“One of the other trucks we brought along – a new Scania S770 – also looked fantastic and I thought it would win. But we’ll settle for the one win this time! We also brought an S500, S580 and an S770.” 

Warde Groupage have been avid supporters of Full of the Pipe down through the years and have also been regular winners. Recognised as Ireland’s premier truck show, it’s a wonderful social outlet to truckers, where old and new acquaintances are renewed and the daily grind of collections and deliveries are parked for one weekend in the year. 

“We’ve been ever-present since it was held in the Cavan Equestrian Centre and received a special presentation last year for our long association with the show,” Kyle explains. 

“We’ve also been lucky enough to win something every year, including ‘Best Small Fleet’ on a number of occasions. Alan Browne won ‘Best Scania 2015 to 2018’ last year. We also won ‘Best MAN’ at the Tipperary Truck Show five years ago and have had success at the Mid-Ulster Truck Festival too. Any time you win, it’s good for morale.” 

Since its inception in 1970, Warde Groupage has earned a stellar reputation as one of Ireland’s most professional and dependable transportation providers, offering a wide range of value-for-money services island-wide and across the UK and the continent, including distribution, express groupage, full- and part-load haulage, storage and warehousing. 

Established by Drew Warde, the company was run for many years by his brother Trevor. It has experienced significant growth since Trevor’s sons Kyle and Gareth, and wife Lorraine, took up the reins about a decade ago. 

“We’ve grown to run a fleet of 25 trucks and to employ about the same number of drivers. The fleet consists of 21 Scania, four MAN and two vans. They’re split evenly between artics and rigids, and we also have a good mix of trailers, including 25 straight frames, five double-deckers and a selection of urban trailers for getting in and out of tight spots. The trailers are SDC, Montracon and Dennison,” Kyle says. 

The trucks are driven by reliable and friendly drivers who are in direct contact with the office in Newry, thus giving customers complete peace of mind. The team at Warde Groupage are vastly experienced and customer-focussed, while a regularly-replenished fleet – which is predominantly white and blue – is at the heart of the operation. 

Gareth and Lorraine are founding members of PalletXpress which is a nationwide distribution network comprising 21 haulier members who provide an integrated, seamless service throughout Ireland. PalletXpress operates from a hub conveniently located in Huntstown Business Park, Dublin. As well as offering next-day pallet collection and delivery service in Ireland, the network provides an express service to and from the UK. 

Warde Groupage has been setting the standards for 55 years and the business has never been in a stronger position than it is now. Going forward, the plan is to consolidate and expand by continuing to aspire to the highest standards and to invariably provide each and every customer with unrivalled solutions. 

“We have a large number of long-serving staff and clients, and that speaks for itself,” the 37-year-old adds. 

“Some of our clients have been with us since the very start and they never wavered because they are dealing with a family business and the owners are always available on the other end of the phone, giving a personal service. 

“Everything here is dealt with on a personal level, in a professional and friendly manner. We’re flat out working for valued clients such as PRL, Zeus Packaging, Unilin, Forker Peat, White’s Oats, Whiteriver Group and National Tile to name but a few. We also enjoy an excellent working relationship with Response Logistics in Stoke-on-Trent. We look after their Irish groupage needs and they look after ours in the UK. The loads come in through Warrenpoint Port.” 

As Warde Groupage continues to go from strength to strength, they would like to take this opportunity to thank their clients and suppliers for their unwavering support as well as their staff for their dedication and expertise. 

Here’s to the next 55 years! 

Footnote: Warde Groupage has a new premium clothing brand, The Warde Way, inspired by their new vehicles. To view, log on to https://wardegroupage.co.uk/the-warde-way 

Warde Groupage, 

19 Tandragee Road, 

Newry, 

Co. Down. 

Telephone: 028 30263336 / 30263381 

Email: [email protected] 

Web: www.twgs.co.uk 

First published in Irish Trucker magazine November/December 2025, Vol 28-6