Family haulier Chris Hayter Transport continued to drive up profit and turnover last year in a performance described as “satisfactory” by the company’s directors.

The Oxfordshire-based haulier has depots at Witney, as well as in Skelmersdale and Heywood, Lancashire and has operating licences for 154 trucks and 143 trailers.

The company, which has its headquarters in Witney, was launched in 1964 with one truck and boasts customers that have been with the firm for 50 years.

It specialises in distribution and warehousing, including palletised distribution, IDW deliveries, line feed and factory clearance logistics, chilled transport and home deliveries.

The company operates in a variety of markets including industrial flooring, food, and retail services.

Reporting its latest annual results to 31 December 2023, the haulage firm unveiled a rise in turnover to £30.4m (2022: £29.3m), with pre-tax profit showing a slight rise to £2.3m (2022: £2.1m).

The results also reveal that during the year the company employed around 328 staff, of which 120 are drivers, down from 123 in the previous year. Warehouse staff numbers remained constant at 152, whilst the number of admin staff rose from 50 to 56 during the period.

The company’s strategic report to the results said the firm’s directors had “achieved their aim during the year of continuing to consolidate the trading position of the company and maintain both turnover and profitability.”

It noted that turnover had increased in the period by 3.7% with the gross profit margin rising to 24.45% (2022 : 21.16%) and pre-tax profit and dividends for the year coming in at 7.60% of sales (2022 : 7.12%) which it said “is in line with the industry average and expected in the current economic conditions.”

The report added that the directors are “satisfied with the underlying financial strength and position of the company at the year end.”

Asked for comment on its latest financial results and current performance, the company declined to make a statement.

 

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