Shipping firm Motis has revealed another improved trading performance as it continues to increase services on freight ferries, rail and road to companies throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Results filed at Companies House show that the Newry-headquartered company had sales of £58.9 million in the 12 months to June 2024, up 8% on the previous year’s figure of £54.6m.
And retained profit at the firm – which bills itself as “a European haulier’s one-stop shop” – almost doubled to £1,608,314 (from £882,612 previously), while it reduced its liabilities from £3.2m in 2023 to £2.8m last year.
Motis, which operates across 500 freight ferry routes and serves more than 3,000 customers across Europe, is a private company founded 23 years ago by friends David McComb (58) and Patrick Hutley (55), who remain directors along with Paul King (56) and Christopher Polwart (49).
The directors say they consider the results for the year to be satisfactory, despite operating in a very competitive marketplace, and they anticipate that the current levels of performance “will be maintained or improved upon in 2025″.
They added: “We are committed to long term creation of shareholder value by increasing market share through a continued combination of organic growth, including new branch openings and acquisitions. And while the upcoming year is likely to be challenging, early results are satisfactory.”
Motis has enjoyed a years-long period of continuous growth, and indeed last year predictive software from Red Flag Alert identified it as one of the top 15 Irish firms working in the freight transport by road industry which are ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to grow over the next 12 months.
Motis operates across 500 freight ferry routes and serves more than 3,000 customers across Europe (Liam McBurney/PA)
The firm currently employs 59 people (five directly and the other 54 indirectly), and its wages bill over the year was just shy of £4.3 million, with its highest paid director earning £392,000.
Motis provides services on freight ferries, rail and road to companies throughout the UK, Ireland, and Europe, covering the Irish Sea, English Channel, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea and Adriatic Sea as well as transport through the Alps, Mont Blanc and Frejus Tunnel.
It also has a significant presence within the Port of Dover, where its freight services agency has parking for more than 300 trucks.
In addition to its Newry headquarters, Motis has offices in Stoke-on-Trent in England and others in Prague, Poznan, Vilnius and Bucharest.