Brit European Transport (Holdings) says the industry needs to target a net margin of around 4% "to maintain investment and to have a strong balance sheet". Managing director Rod Carman says the firm made a small improvement in trading in 2006, and is "ahead again" in 2007, despite difficult conditions and margins that "could do with being stronger".
But he adds that Brit European is targeting "steady growth and ensuring that profit margins stay in line with expectations and not try and
take on the world at the minute".
Pre-tax profit for the holding company increased to £567,606 for the year to December 2006, from £552,627 in 2005. Group turnover nudged up to £35.4m from £35.3m.
A similar picture emerges for Brit European Transport Limited, which increased pre-tax profit to £350,408 in 2006 from £318,434 in 2005. But turnover for the trading firm dipped to £18.3m from £18.9m.Carman says the firm's stability is down to its achievement of "better levels of truck util-isation", and not price increases and improved margins. "We're making the assets work harder," he states.
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