A family-founded group that buys to keep
Halden Group (sample) owns six companies with about 2,800 people. The parent company is small: twenty-nine people who look after money, risk and the long view.
Started with four lorries
The group began as a haulage yard in 1972 (sample). When the Haldens bought their first bakery customer in 1998, they kept its name, its managers and its recipes, and that became the rule for every company since.
The founding family still owns the largest share of the parent company through a trust. Institutions, employees and private shareholders own the rest.
How the holding works
Two levels, with clear jobs. The parent company owns; the companies run their businesses.
The parent company
Owns the shares of each company, raises and lends the group’s money, sets the budget once a year, appoints the managing directors and checks the risks.
The companies
Run their own sales, people, prices and plans. Each has its own board, chaired by a group director, and keeps its own name with customers.
Shared services
Insurance, treasury, internal audit, health and safety reviews and the property portfolio sit at group level, because they are cheaper and safer done once.
Shareholders
The parent company is owned by the Halden family trust, institutions, an employee share plan and private shareholders (sample).
Fifty years in six steps
1972
A haulage yard in Springfield
Edith and George Halden start a road freight business with four lorries (sample).
1998
The first company bought
Northbank Foods joins: the first business the Haldens buy rather than build.
2003
Halden Group is formed
A parent company is set up to own the businesses; the sites move into Halden Property.
2011
Into building materials
The group buys 80% of Carrow Materials; the founding family keeps the rest.
2019
Energy services
A majority stake in Vale Energy Services, a wind and solar maintenance firm.
2025
A first associate
A 35% stake in Larch Software, which plans routes for our trucks and many others.
The board
Six directors: the chair, two executives and three independent directors. The board meets eight times a year (sample).
Helen Halden
Chair (sample)
Marcus Bell
Chief executive (sample)
Priya Natarajan
Finance director (sample)
Owen Lacey
Senior independent director (sample)
Grace Mwangi
Independent director, chairs the audit committee (sample)
Jonas Ekberg
Independent director, chairs the remuneration committee (sample)
Questions about the group?
Investor relations, press, partnerships or a business you might sell: head office answers every enquiry.