Deben Transport has had to close its doors for good this week after failing to turnaround a 2013 pre-tax trading loss of £658,000, blaming a “sustained period of losses”.
They were one of the UK’s longest-established container haulage companies who had depots in Southampton, Tilbury, Alconbury, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, South Shields and Doncaster along with their main base in Felixstowe.
The company was established back in 1987 by managing director Paul Dawson with only two vehicles, the company grew very fast and at the time of closing they employed over 200 drivers and 50 administration staff, along with 100+ subcontractor owner-drivers. Their fleet was one of the biggest in the UK with 225 tractors and 500 trailers.
The failure of a business as large and what seemed very sustainable as Deben Transport will be another worrying message to other transport companies who are struggling with margins in the haulage industry continuing to be reduced as freight rates drop.
