Charles McFadyen started his haulage business in 1901 in Campbeltown where he met cargo vessels at the pier and delivered their freight with a horse and cart to local merchants; bricks and coal were regular loads. His five sons all followed their father's footsteps and each had his own horse and cart for haulage in the area, with the family stables based in Longrow. In those early days the McFadyens also advertised public excursions by horse-drawn wagonettes to popular local destinations such as Southend or Machrihanish, but this was their only venture into passenger transport.

Towards the end of World War 2 in 1945, the first motor lorries were purchased by Archibald McFadyen in the shape of second-hand Bedford tippers, one of which was a square nosed 'OY' type which had served with the army. Since then a variety of makes has been in use, including AEC, Albion, Commer, ERF, Ford, M.A.N, Mercedes, Volvo and Scania. There has been a close relationship with Scania in particular, with the first of that make, a tipper, arriving in the early 1980s.

Historically, a large amount of the business was based on livestock transport but today the business focuses mainly on timber haulage and wind turbine transportation for the renewable energy sector.

Our trucks are well-known and easily recognisable with our original colour scheme: Oxford blue, with contrasting red chassis, white wings, bachelor blue grill and hand-painted livery.