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Draw up your battle plans, warns report
Page 8
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• Vehicle operators are being advised to adopt battle plans for survival after research has shown a big shake-out of underperformers is imminent.
Financial analyst Plimsoll Publishing identifies 211 of the UK's top 2,000 hauliers as "walking wounded" who need to reduce debts by an average of 39% and sack an average 18% of their employees.
David Pattison, senior analyst at Plimsoll, says bosses of 237 companies identified as doing extremely well also reed to think strategically, otherwise complacency will set in.
'Every general of an army must preserve the life of the troops by recognising the signs of strategic advantage and exploiting their enemies' weaknesses. If companies are vulnerable then they must retreat and re-group so they can fight another day," he says.
Plimsoll analyses financial results posted at Companies House to determine which companies are likely to be winners and losers in the battle for customers.
Its research outlines the tactics that each company researched needs to adopt. It says that apart from ones needing to expand and contract, a further 554 need to consolidate their position.
Pattison says the research dispels the myth that there is no
money in haulage because 58 companies analysed grew by an average of 16% last year and 40 companies made an average 23% return on investment.
"Some sectors are pretty bad but we think haulage tends to be pretty normal," he says.
Road Haulage—Battle Plans' Special Edition costs £325. CM readers will receive a 5% discount.
• Contact: Plimsoll on 01642 626400,