Thomas Nationwide Transport (TNT) and later as TNT Limited was an Australian logistics and transport company. Founded in 1946, it was taken over by

KPN Koninklijke KPN N.V. (Royal KPN N.V. in English), trading as KPN is a Dutch List of telephone operating companies, telecommunications company. KPN originated from a government-run postal, telegraph and telephone service and is based in Rotterda ...

in 1996 and in 1998 became part of the TNT Post Group.

History

TNT was founded by Ken Thomas in 1946 with one International truck as KW Thomas Transport, being renamed Thomas Nationwide Transport in 1958. In January 1962 it was listed on the Sydney Stock Exchange.TNT-Alltrans '' Network'' March 1984 pages 37-39 In 1967 it merged with Alltrans to form TNT-Alltrans with Peter Abeles becoming managing director. In 1968 it purchased Kwikasair. In 1970 it commenced hiring complete freight trains to operate between

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

and

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

. It diversified into shipping, acquiring a 25% share in RW Miller in 1968, a 33% share in Bulkships in 1970, increasing it to 63% by 1976 and a 50% share in Union Shipping in 1971. In March 1972, TNT acquired a 23% shareholding in Ansett Transport Industries. It launched a takeover offer for Ansett, but withdrew it after the

Government of Victoria The Victoria State Government, also referred to as the Victorian Government, is the Executive (government), executive government of the Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. As a parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutiona ...

advised it would legislate to prohibit it. In 1979, TNT increased its shareholding in Ansett to 50% with

News Corporation The original incarnation of News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp. and also variously known as News Corporation Limited) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational mass media corporation founded and controlled by media mogul Ru ...

holding the balance. In the early 1970s it expanded into Asia, Brazil, Europe and North America. In February 1983 TNT purchased global document courier Skypak International from Ipec. TNT was awarded a 50-year concession in October 1985 to operate the Sydney Monorail, which opened as TNT Harbourlink in 1988. from 1980 to 1996. Thomas Nationwide Transport was the official referee sponsor for the

New South Wales Rugby League The New South Wales Rugby League Ltd (NSWRL) is an Australian rugby league football competition operator in rugby league in New South Wales, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Co ...

. In December 1985, Thomas Nationwide Transport Limited was renamed TNT Limited to better reflect its common name. In 1987, Red Star Express Lines,

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area. ...

with 38 terminals in 12 states was acquired. In 1992 TNT acquired a 50% shareholding in

Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...

based

Condor Ferries Condor Ferries was an operator of passenger and freight ferry services between the United Kingdom, Bailiwick of Guernsey, Guernsey, Bailiwick of Jersey, Jersey and France. History Condor Ferries was formed in 1964 by Channel Island businessme ...

. In the same year it took a 50% stake in GD Express Worldwide, with the other 50% of shares held between partners

(Dutch telecoms and postal company) and the state owned postal companies of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...

and

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

. In July 1996, TNT purchased a 30% shareholding in the Port of Geelong in partnership with Infrastructure Investment Corporation. In 1996 TNT sold its 50% shareholding in Ansett to

Air New Zealand Air New Zealand Limited () is the flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 20 domestic and 28 international destinations in 18 countries, primarily within the Pacific Rim. The airline h ...

, although it retained its shareholding in Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services. It also sold its trucking businesses, including its 50% shareholding in Union Shipping to Brierley Investments, its Brazilian operations and Australian trucking interests. In August 1997, TNT commenced operating the Sydney Light Rail as TNT Transit Systems, under contract to Sydney Light Rail Company. In January 1997, KPN took full ownership of TNT after launching a friendly takeover.Costello clears TNT takeover ''The Australian'' 1 November 1996 page 37 In June 1998 TNT merged with KPN's PTT Post division to form the TNT Post Group.

References

{{Reflist Companies based in Sydney Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange Conglomerate companies of Australia Logistics companies of Australia Transport companies established in 1946 Transport companies disestablished in 1998 1998 disestablishments in Australia Australian companies established in 1946