The directors at Birds Groupage Services and Montgomery Transport – the two operators that are part of Northern Irish conglomerate Ballyvesey Holdings – have said that they are “disappointed” with the financial performances of the businesses.

In a directors’ report filed to Companies House for Birds Groupage – which Ballyvesey acquired in February 2013 – it states that for the financial year-ending 30 September 2014 the company has “struggled to cope with the extra turnover it has achieved in the year with the existing structure”.

The report states outright that the directors are “disappointed” with the results for the year, despite it narrowing its losses from £397,000 in financial year 2013 to a loss of £211,000 in 2014.

The report does not reveal turnover figures at the business.

It adds that the Birmingham-based haulier has “made all the critical appointments to the management team” and that the directors “firmly believe that the company is heading in the right direction, although it will be 2015 before all the changes made take effect”.

John Hawksworth – formerly of AM Widdowson & Son, which entered a CVA this week – was appointed as MD in April 2014. He did not respond to inquires regarding the directors’ report.

Montgomery

Meanwhile Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland-based Montgomery Transport also posted a loss in the financial year-ending 30 September 2014. Pre-tax profit fell from £830,000 in 2013 to a loss of £57,000, while turnover rose to £32.4m from £31.9m in the previous year.

Its directors’ report states that: “The directors are disappointed with the results for the year as we failed to hit all our key performance indicators.

“The company faced intense pressure in the year on rates from competitors in the highly competitive Irish Sea market and this was compounded by increased costs in most areas,” it adds.

It goes on to say that falling oil prices at the end of 2014 helped alleviate some of the pressure, and it has continued its fleet replacement programme so it now has “one of the youngest fleets on the Irish Sea”.

Subsequently Montgomery has signed the UK and Ireland pallet distribution contract for technology distributor Exertis UK in February - which sees it move over 22,000 pallets a year from Accrington and Kettering for next day delivery across the UK, Northern Ireland and Dublin. It also won a three year contract with Coillte Panel Products, which sees it move between 24 and 30 full loads a week from location in Co Tipperary and Co Waterfod throughout the UK.

Palletways livery

In March 2015 Montgomery also expanded its relationship with Palletways, for which it has operated Northern Ireland deliveries since 2002. Under a new agreement it has been responsible for parts of the CV (Rugby) and M (Manchester) postcode areas from 1 May and 1 June respectively.

Montgomery was not available for comment.

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