GROWTH LEVELS SOAR FOR BIBBY DISTRIBUTION
22 June 2012
Economic uncertainty and a reduction in disposable income may have led to a fall in demand for goods, but Bibby Distribution is proving that this backdrop doesn’t have to spell doom and gloom as it announces £103m of net secured business over the course of 2011.
Turnover increased by 7.6 per cent (to £247.6m) in the last financial year, with EBITDA of £13m. The company says it will continue to invest heavily in the business to expand its service offering and deliver further value to customers.
“In the context of current economic circumstances, 2011 represented another significant step forward in the evolution of our business,” said Iain Speak, Chief Executive Officer of Bibby Distribution. “Not only have we grown our service portfolio with the investment in Atchison Topeka, we have also continued to focus on building long-term relationships with our customers. This has helped to win a total of £103m in sustainable business.
“In-line with the growing diversity of the business, and the sectors in which we operate, we have looked to bring uniformity to the Bibby brand which we hope also demonstrates the values we believe set us apart. ‘Logistics without limits’, which features prominently on over 400 newly liveried trailers, is what we are all about; being adaptable to customer needs, providing innovation and building value for the long term. With this in mind, we are also making a significant investment into our vehicle fleet and technology in 2012 to support customers in their business aspirations,” added Speak.
The purchase of Atchison Topeka gave Bibby Distribution access to a market-leading company in the niche sector of food manufacturing logistics. A significant investment was also made in a new facility in Manchester, which means it now operates from 105 locations across the UK and manages 2 million ft2 of warehousing.
“Scale and capability are often subjective but are naturally two things which any business strives to demonstrate to its customers. What actually counts is the way a company and its people conduct themselves, the quality of the service offered and the level of investment. It’s our people who really make the difference. We create an environment that allows them to do the right thing and go about their business in such a way to create maximum value for our clients. This is why clients stay with us and come to us,” said Speak.
“I see positive feedback from customers, coupled with a wealth of repeat and new business, as being more indicative of scale and capability, and this is what allows us to compete with other leading players in the industry. We expect 2012 to be a challenging year but it will be another year of considerable investment in our fleet, technology systems and operational infrastructure so that the foundations are in place for long term growth.”
ends
Notes to editors:
As one of the top ten logistics providers in the UK, Bibby Distribution exists to enable other companies to drive value from their supply chain activities. The company specialises in providing contract logistics, warehousing, distribution, systems integration and added value services to a wide range of customers.
Bibby Distribution operates from 105 locations across the UK, employs 2,500 people and manages 2 million ft² of warehousing space.
The majority of Bibby Distribution’s business is based on long-term partnerships. Its diverse capability also means it can share best practice across the various industry sectors it operates in, from Automotive to FMCG.
The company is part of the £1bn-turnover Liverpool-based Bibby Line Group, a 200 year old family owned business-to-business services specialist. It is involved in ship-owning and operation, shallow water accommodation, offshore oil and gas services, contract logistics, financial services, memorial parks, employment law, health & safety advisory services, specialist plant & equipment hire and retail.
BIB/044/12
