Maire Claire Reid is the managing director of TST Group and chairwoman of Logistics UK Northern Ireland.
TST Group is a family-owned, integrated third-party logistics company delivering transport, warehousing, customs and supply-chain solutions across the UK and Ireland.
Headquartered in Ballymena, it employs more than 400 people and operates a fleet of more than 300 trucks, 500 trailers and about 140,000 sq m (1.5 million square feet) of warehousing across Ballymena, Birmingham, London and Manchester.
TST supports manufacturers, retailers and fast-moving consumer-goods businesses across Britain and Ireland, helping to simplify supply chains through innovation, technology and service.
RM Block
What light bulb moment prompted you to start up in business?
Business fascinated me from a very young age, long before I understood what entrepreneurship really meant. I was the little girl sitting in our transport office with a yellow typewriter, determined to be involved and endlessly curious about how businesses operated. When my family founded TST Group in 2013, we shared a vision to build more than just another logistics company. We wanted to create a business that people were proud to be a part of.
What makes your business unique?
We provide customers with one trusted partner for transport, warehousing, customs and distribution across the UK and Ireland. Our integrated model removes complexity, while our size allows us to stay agile, make decisions quickly and deliver genuinely personal service. We don’t aim to be the biggest; we aim to be the partner our customers couldn’t imagine operating without.
What was your back-to-the-wall moment and how did you overcome it?
Losing my brother John when he was just 21 years old was our family’s back-to-the-wall moment. We lost not only a son and a brother, but also a founding member of TST. Rather than let grief define us, we turned it into resilience, building a legacy in John’s name that gives our work a purpose far greater than business alone.
What were the best and the worst pieces of advice you received when starting out?
My father always told me: “The train can’t go so far off the tracks that we can’t get it back on.” It taught me not to fear making decisions from an early age.
The worst advice was to compete on price. We built our business by creating value backed by service, not by being the cheapest.
To what extent does your business trade internationally?
Our foundations are in the UK and Ireland but Brexit opened new opportunities. By mastering an entirely new customs landscape, we have developed the capability to move freight globally, making it as straightforward for us to ship a pallet from China to Dublin as from London to Dublin. As we grow, our ambition remains clear: to become the UK and Ireland’s premier third-party logistics provider.
What are your annual revenues and profits?
Revenue increased from £26.5 million in full-year 2024 to £35 million (€41 million) in full-year 2026, delivering 32 per cent organic growth over two years and £4.7 million Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation). None of this would be possible without our outstanding team, whose commitment, resilience and dedication have driven every stage of our growth. With acquisitions currently under way, TST is positioned to surpass £50 million in annual revenue in full year 2027.
What makes your company a good place to work?
Although we have grown significantly, TST has never lost its family-business ethos. Today, we are proud to have brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, sons and daughters choosing to build their careers together across TST. Having worked in almost every department myself, I would never ask someone to do something I haven’t done myself. We invest in our people, promote from within and create a workplace where people feel valued, supported and feel a sense of belonging.
What is the most common mistake you see entrepreneurs make?
Early in my career, particularly as a young woman in a male-dominated industry, I felt I had to prove myself by having all the answers. I have since learned there is real strength in asking for help, listening to others and admitting you don’t know everything. That has helped me become a better leader, and TST is stronger because we have succeeded together.
