Positive Performance For Bretts Transport Despite Uncertain Economy

Cambridgeshire based transportation and warehousing specialist Bretts Transport has reported an 11.55% increase in turnover for 2023. It is a strong performance and despite the ongoing cost of living crisis, high fuel and inflation costs, Bretts has managed to successfully navigate its way through the current turbulence plaguing the transport industry across the UK. Bretts' positive financial year has been credited by its directors to the company's high customer retention rate and its commitment to solidifying its long-standing presence in the food warehousing and distribution sector, for which it is renowned.

  Improved pay, retention and conditions for drivers, as well as the reduction in need for agency drivers has also resulted in increased growth for the family business.  

Gross margin has decreased for the year, due to the company's ongoing investment into a new fleet of 12 CAT electric forklift trucks, 30 new curtainsided trailers, eleven new Scania Trucks, as well as its continued commitment to advancing its own sustainability initiatives as the industry looks towards Net Zero.   This ongoing investment programme across the business also includes capital investment in accreditations such as securing its BRCGS AA grade for Storage and Distribution.

This coincides with taking the strategic decision to appoint a new HSEQ Manager to not only implement and maintain quality management standards, but also to ensure the well-being and progression of all staff, as well as being responsible for driving forward solutions to reduce the company's carbon footprint. Bretts Transport Managing Director Simon Brett commented: "When taking into consideration the unprecedented turbulence many transport and warehousing operators have experienced over the past 12 months, our financial performance over the past year provides a strong foundation on which to continue to build. "The food industry has always been the backbone of our business and will continue to be so, however as we seek further growth we intend to leverage on our expertise to further expand our operation and range of services.  We are also committed to investing further into key areas of the business as well as staff training and pushing forward our all-important sustainability plans."

"While we will also inevitably leverage our services and experience to exploring other opportunities alongside our primary customer base, food warehousing and distribution still remains at the very core of the business. We are grateful to have a number of long-standing customers residing within this sector, which continues to be the lifeblood of Bretts Transport, and has been for over 90 years. Simon continued: "The past 12 months have been extremely challenging and we wish to pay tribute to our fantastic team members, who have worked tirelessly to ensure we continue to prosper.

"Furthermore, the fact that many of our employees have been with the business throughout their career demonstrates the commitment and patronage each and every member has to Bretts for which we are ever grateful."