Pollock (Scotrans) back in the black after restructuring

Pollock (Scotrans) returned to the black last year after making a loss in 2015 following the collapse of one of its clients.

The Scottish firm made a pre-tax profit of £25,690 on a turnover of £25.6m in the year ending August 2016, newly published accounts show.

This compared with a £156,214 loss on a £24.9m turnover the previous year, which it attributed in part to the collapse of paper maker Tullis Russell.

In its business review, the company said a new group structure was put in place during the period, with the creation of a new holding company, Pollock Holdings.

It said the directors remained interested in further acquisitions following its purchase of Gilbraith (TS) in 2014, but added: “The current priority is to continue to grow the existing business and improve margins in a competitive market.”

The review added: “Trading conditions have been difficult for the transport sector, particularly due to the shortage of drivers, leading to an increased use of agency drivers. The imposition of regulatory changes to pay and pensions have also affected driver costs.

“Despite the difficult trading conditions, the company has increased its customer base and has shown an increase in turnover due to winning a number of new contracts.”

MT approached the directors for comment but none were available as this article was published.