Carolyn Carmichael – nee McBurney, the daughter of founder Norman – was speaking to the News Letter after it was revealed that the Ballymena business has been bought by Danish shipping outfit DFDS.

She said the company will keep its staff, its own branding, and much of its management structure under the new owners.

However, in an announcement co-inciding with the sale, her father Norman has decided to step down from the helm.

Even so, Mrs Carmichael said he will be kept on to help the new owners in an unofficial capacity.

Norman set the company up with a single truck in 1965 and, alongside wife Lynn, grew it to be the £99.7m-turnover business it is today.

Mrs Carmichael, who joined the firm 27 years ago and had been its group operations director, told the News Letter: "There will be no re-branding of any of the current fleet.

"We are very much trading as a separate entity [from DFDS]. There's no new management team. The remaining family and senior management team will continue to run the business.

"The only change will be as Norman takes his well-earned retirement, I'll be his replacement as MD.

"It certainly is a high in terms of our success – and what a privileged position he is in, in that he didn't need a sale, but had the opportunity, once approached, to consider it.

"He's very happy and content and feels it's the right time for him to make this decision.

"It's been fully his decision – one he's been free to make, or not make."

She added that "Norman will continue to have a limited role" so the new owners can draw on his expertise.

She also said there was “absolutely not” any threat of redundancies.

McBurney has over 800 employees, around 400 trucks, and 1,360 trailers. In 2021 it had a pre-tax profit of about £9.2m.

DFDS said it had bought McBurney for 1.2 billion Danish Krona.

According to currency conversion site XE.com, that translates into just over £142.5m.

DFDS had pre-tax profits of 853m Krona (£101m) during quarter three 2022, and roughly 11,000 employees.

More from this reporter:

Norman McBurney 'contented' as he sells McBurney Transport for about £140m and retires at age 79, says new boss - his daughter Carolyn

NLAW order: 'Sometimes a weapon becomes an emblem of a conflict, like Spitfires and T-34s'