Montgomery Transport founder Harold Montgomery has confirmed the demise of Birds Transport & Logistics, bringing the curtain down on a tough period for the well known Midlands firm.
In a statement sent to MT, Montgomery, who via his family's Ballyvesey Holdings owns Birds along with a number of interests including trailer manufacturer Montracon, said: “There have been various rumours and speculation about what has been happening with our Birds Transport & Logistics business based at Oldbury, Birmingham.
“We now wish to clarify the position for our valued customers, suppliers and the industry as a whole.”
Montgomery said the transport and logistics operations and trade had been transferred to Montgomery Transport as of the 1 April.
They are now under the direct control of Montgomery Transport’s MD Stephen Marshall (and the company's old website has been incorporated into the Montgomery Transport site).
Birds Transport and Logistics was registered at Companies House as Birds Groupage Services but, as previously reported by MT, was renamed Midlands Warehousing Limited last year. Midlands Warehousing is overseeing the remaining property element of the former Birds business and is under the direct control of Ballyvesey Holdings’ director Mark Montgomery.
“No customer of or supplier to Birds Transport and Logistics will be affected in any way by these structural changes within Ballyvesey Holdings, with ‘business as usual’ in both areas of the business.
“Ballyvesey would like to thank all of our customers, suppliers and staff for their patience and understanding over the recent months and would hope that this statement clarifies the position and gives comfort to all concerned going forward,” Montgomery said.
Birds Transport & Logistics
Ballyvesey Holdings purchased the loss-making Birds business for an undisclosed sum in February 2013 from family owners Andrew and Delvene Levett.
However, efforts to turn around the haulier proved elusive.
In abbreviated accounts to 30 September 2015, auditor RSM raised concerns over Birds’ future.
The accounts showed that despite parent firm Ballyvesey Holdings’ waiver of a £4m intercompany loan, the haulier made a loss of £22,109.
But this was an improvement compared with pre-tax losses of £211,000 and £397,000 in 2014 and 2013 respectively.
In December of last year, Birds MD Patrice Schneider denied that Birds had closed its doors after rumours began circulating as the reorganisation got underway.
In February, it was revealed that an attempt to merge the Birds Business with the now collapsed Widdowson Logistics had been abandoned.
While Widdowson Logistics is in administration, the business’s remaining assets were sold via a pre-pack process to individuals associated with the failed haulier, who have kept it going under a series of new holding companies and service agreements struck with administrator Leonard Curtis.
