The managing director of Lochaber freight services firm Ferguson Transport and Shipping (FTS) has said it is looking to further develop its marine and rail activities as part of its continuing growth plans.
Alasdair Ferguson outlined the strategy as annual results for the Spean Bridge-based company showed turnover in the year to end of April 2017 remained “consistent” with the previous 12 months at £17.5million.
The family-run company, which employs around 150 people, said that, “given the challenges facing the industry and the economic climate,” it was pleased with the figures, despite a small drop in pre-tax profits from £297,678 to £283,798 over the period.
In the documents, released by Companies House, the firm also acknowledged issues facing customers in some of its main sectors, including high log prices and biological problems in the aquaculture industry.
During the year, FTS, which has a fleet of more than 70 trucks and six vessels, acquired Methil-based trucking company Barclay Brothers and expanded its operations in Fort William and on Skye.
Mr Ferguson said: “In recent years we have invested in people, through apprenticeships for young people and pathways for existing staff, innovation and infrastructure on the back of acquisitions and organic growth in a number of business sectors, including aquaculture, whisky, sawn timber, forestry, aluminium, general products, shipping, port and marine activities at Kishorn Port and warehousing integrating logistic solutions for our customers.
“We have expanded on the island of Skye and Methil, in Fife, through recent company acquisitions, as well as purchasing and developing an 18-acre logistics hub in Fort William laying further foundation for the future.
“We will look to continue to grow our marine and rail activities on the back of our existing logistics services we provide, working with our customers and stakeholders to achieve this, focusing on affordable and sustainable costs, coupled to a reliable service.”
He added: “Most important are the people we employ – they are truly professional and dedicated across the board who must take great credit for the part they play in the success of our business, and its continued growth and development, along with our senior management board and directors.” FTS is a joint venture partner in Kishorn Port Ltd with Leiths (Scotland), which is focusing on the regeneration of the Wester Ross dry dock for energy sectors including decommissioning, renewables and oil and gas.
Last year, a renovation project saw the dry dock brought back into operation. The facility was built to help with the construction of the North Sea oil and gas industry’s Ninian Central platform in the 1970s and last used to build supports for the Skye Bridge in 1994.