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Felixstowe container haulier James Kemball saw its pre-tax profit decrease by more than half in the year ending 31 March 2014.

Accounts filed at Companies House show that the firm made a £395,000 profit during the 12-month period, compared with £967,000 for the previous 15 months.

Turnover appeared to better reflect the reduced length of the accounting period, with sales of almost £19m, compared with £24.5m in 2013. Of this, £18.9m derived from turnover generated in the UK, with the remainder overseas.

Kemball general manager Chris Abbott declined to comment, but in the accounts’ business review it stated: “The directors are pleased with the results for the year, despite a relatively small decrease in the company’s turnover this year after adjusting for the extended length of the prior accounting period.

“The overall gross margin has increased from 12.4% last year to 12.6% for the 2014 period. This has been in line with the directors’ expectation given the additional three months included in the extended prior accounting period, and given that profits do not accrue evenly throughout the year.”

In 2011, James Kemball and sister company Ralph Morton Transport merged after parent K Line Holdings (Europe) decided to centralise and expand the business.

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