Abbey Logistics Group has ordered 52 tractor units from DAF and Mercedes Benz, following a “significant improvement in financial performance, despite COVID-19”.
CEO Steve Granite explained: “Performance in the current financial year to June 2020 has seen a major improvement on previous years and a return to profitability since earlier this year.”
“I am incredibly proud of what our team has achieved since we made structural and operational changes in late 2018, and not only are we back to where we should be financially, our service to customers is back to industry leading standards and our workforce is motivated and engaged.”
Customer confidence is further evidenced by the recent contract renewals and new business wins which the firm say, “will be announced shortly, including the renewal of two major customer contracts”.
Granite went on to add “Our workforce engagement levels are the best I’ve seen, and we’ve supported our key workers through COVID with increased sick pay, a bonus to be paid at Christmas and support including health packs and online fitness classes to recognise their hard work and dedication to keeping the UK’s food supply chain flowing.”
The Group says its increased business pipeline along with the renewed energy and customer focus reflects the company’s confident outlook, and it says more investment is planned in its fleet in 2020 as the company continues to see growing sales despite challenging market conditions.
Abbey’s latest order is a mix of DAF CF and XF and Mercedes Benz’s latest generation Actros. The vehicles are expected to go into service in September and will operate across Abbey’s large fleet of bulk liquid and powder road tankers.
The majority of vehicles in this order are dual purpose which means they are equipped with both pumps for liquid products and blowers for powder or granulated products.