Fuel efficiency increases from its Euro-6 fleet boosted CM Downton’s pre-tax profit last year.

For the year ended 30 June 2016, Downton recorded a pre-tax profit of £5.7m, up 12% on the previous year’s £5m.

A CM Downton spokesman said: “Part of the reason for the slight increase in profit was the big investment in Euro-6 vehicles, and we’re starting to see the benefit of that with better fuel consumption, along with good telematics results.”

However the lower fuel costs from that period knocked the haulier’s turnover, which fell 1.6% to £111.6m (2015: £113.5m).

A spokesman for the company said this was “predominantly due to the fact that obviously the fuel price dropped quite significantly in that financial year”.

“Fuel is obviously a carry through cost for our customers,” he said, “so the turnover dropping was predominantly because of that. It passes through because it’s shared by the clients as well.”

The spokesman added the business was on track for a good performance in the year ending 30 June 2017.

He said: “It’s on track and we’ve had great enquiries and fleet utilisation. We’re very pleased.”

Last week CM Downton announced it had extended its contract with Saica, one of its 10 biggest custmers, for another year.

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