EM rogers(Car Transporter)

EM Rogers (Transport) expanded its specialist car transporter business during its previous financial year, buying several enclosed car transporters and the associated customer-list from Advatec.

The company’s car transporter fleet now comprises 40 vehicles. A rebrand to replace the division’s Kentvale branding – the business it acquired in 2006 - with that of the EM Rogers name took place last year, albeit keeping the orange colour associated with Kentvale, rather than adopting EM Rogers traditional green and yellow livery.

EM Rogers MD David Rogers told Motortransport.co.uk that the car transporter division had been “really busy”, with the business aiming to continue its expansion at a steady pace. “We’re aiming for gradual growth, year by year, without going mad. Advatec cropped up last year, for example, so there was an expansion there of five or six trucks. If opportunites crop up to expand, we'll be interested.”

On the general haulage side of the business, including international work, Rogers added that it had also been a busy year, boosted of late by the drop in oil prices.

“This year is going well, and fuel is a massive help," he said. "We buy a lot of our fuel in Europe, and the euro in recent months has been very good as well, about 130 to the pound, so that's a big help.”

EM Rogers invested in 12 new trucks during its last financial year, a mix of Euro-6 Daf and Volvos, two new car transporters, and several good-quality used Euroliner trailers of between one and two years’ old, which the firm refurbishes and rebrands.

Group turnover for the year ended 31 January 2014 was up 5.7% to £19.9m (2013: £18.9m) in it latest results. Pre-tax profit was down 16% to £444,962, ascribed to fleet investment during the period and the purchase itself.

The group results include a contribution from the company’s used vehicle sales business, as well as a ferries division.  Haulage turnover for the year contributed £11.4m to the total, up 13% on the previous year.

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