SIMARCO EYES FURTHER GROWTH AS HEADQUARTERS LEASE EXTENDED

26/02/2019

 

Simarco, one of the UK’s leading independent logistics firms has just announced its future growth plans after securing a 10-year extension of the lease on its headquarters.

Since moving to its current premises at Witham, in Essex, a decade ago, Simarco Worldwide has become one of the area’s largest independently-owned employers.

Co-founder and CEO, Simon Reed, has revealed that a rise in freight volumes and investment in services and facilities was expected to contribute to another double-digit increase in turnover this year.

 

That, in turn, follows a 20 per cent rise in sales during the previous 12 months.

“We believe that our main depot at Witham has been an important platform for expansion.

“At the time that we moved to the site in 2009, we had 60 staff and a turnover of just in excess of £9 million – all in all, a considerably smaller operation than we are now. Last year, in fact, our sales topped £60 million and we have 330 employees in total, 175 of whom work at the three sites which we now have in Witham.

“That makes us one of one of the largest employers in Braintree and Witham, something which we’re immensely proud of.

“We regard it as no little responsibility to make our contribution to the local economy both in Essex and everywhere else where we have depots or offices because these are the communities from which we recruit our colleagues. 

“I’m glad to say that, even allowing for the uncertainty created by Brexit, the improvements which we have made to services and infrastructure mean that we expect further growth over the course of the year to come in revenues and staff numbers.”

Mr Reed stated that by the time that the new lease is due to expire, Simarco will have occupied its current Witham headquarters for 20 of its 30 years in business.

In addition to its head office at Crittall Road, the company has two other sites in the town as well as other depots at Stoke, Heathrow Airport, Bedford and Barton-under-Needwood. Simarco also has offices in Bury, Lancashire.

Last November, the firm’s growth secured it a place among Essex’s top 100 businesses – a ranking based on turnover – for the second time.

Mr Reed described how Simarco’s plans included opening further premises and making more strategic acquisitions, highlighting the impact made by the successful integration of two businesses – Formula Goss International (FGI) and Sutch and Searle.

He added that the company was likely to recruit another 20 staff in the next 12 months in order to support the continued growth.

“We are an ambitious business and we work with a number of like-minded organisations.

“Just as they rely on us to help them develop sales in new markets, so we want to broaden our own corporate horizons.

“This is a very exciting phase for Simarco, one which has great challenges and significant opportunities. I am confident that the work which we have undertaken will help us capitalise on them.”