As promised last year (MT 21 October), Bibby Distribution has returned a profit for the financial year ended 31 December 2013 after it suffered a loss in its subsidiary System Training in 2012.
Bibby Distribution Services (Holdings) turned a pre-tax loss of £4.6m in 2012 into a pre-tax profit of £4.6m in 2013. Turnover was broadly flat at £252m, compared with £255m in 2012.
Last year System Training made a pre-tax loss of £7.5m, bringing down overall group profit. In its annual report, filed at Companies House, Bibby said the operating loss in the subsidiary had been reduced by £5.3m to give a marginal operating loss of £500,000. It added that the business was now “more streamlined and focused” and that work was continuing to return it to profit.
Away from System, Bibby said its contract distribution business “continued to improve performance”, citing “substantial levels of new business wins in 2013”. This trend has continued into 2014 with the likes of Seabrook Crisps (a three-year contract renewal) and Lucite International (a 10-year contract renewal).
Bibby Distribution has had five MAN TGS LS tractors (pictured) converted into dual-fuel trucks using LPG for its work with Unipart Rail, in a move it claimed would save up to £200,000 on fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by 10% over the next five years.
