The acquisition of Framptons Transport Services by Gregory Distribution (Holdings) boosted the latter’s pre-tax profit by 25% in 2015.

The group’s annual accounts for the year to 3 October 2015 show pre-tax profit rose to £6.1m from £4.9m in the previous year. Turnover increased by 13% from £146.3 to £165.3m in the period.

Gregory Distribution, which has its headquarters in North Tawton in Devon, said as well as the boost from the purchase of Shepton Mallet-based Framptons, which contributed £781,000 of operating profit during the period, it also saw an increase in volume from its clients.

At the company’s joint-venture with Scottish haulier Hayton Coulthard - Hayton Coulthard Transport - turnover was up from £8.1m to £9m but pre-tax profit fell from £412,000 to £327,000 year-on-year.

Speaking to Motortransport.co.uk, Gregory Distribution group finance director Angela Butler said the group had seen continued growth across the business with Framptons playing its part.

She added that the fall in pre-tax profit at Hayton Coulthard Transport “was not a significant issue”, adding it had been “impacted by customer volumes in the summer, so trading was down in that period”.

Expanding on a statement about future challenges contained in the annual accounts, she added: “The real challenge is the volatility of demand from some customers and we have been looking at ways to address those costs and minimise that.”

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