Established in 1944 by the four original Cartwright brothers, John, James, William and Keith, the Lincolnshire based haulage company is now run by the second generation and cousins, John and Jamie Cartwright.
To celebrate the landmark, the family-run business has taken delivery of new additions to their already expansive fleet, sporting a commemorative livery to promote their 80th anniversary.
They currently operate over 50 vehicles nationwide, ranging from curtain sided vans to articulated trucks with trailer mounted forklifts, and Cartwright Brothers accredit a lot of their success to a continued ability and willingness to adapt their business.
Having joined the Pall-Ex network in 2001, Cartwright Brothers Co-Director, Jamie Cartwright explains what a crucial role Pall-Ex Group has played in assisting their growth, commenting: “One of the most positive decisions we have made, which has allowed our business to grow so significantly, was when we decided to join the Pall-Ex network over 20 years ago. This has benefitted us not only from a financial standpoint, but technologically too. With Pall-Ex being so forward thinking, it has given us the opportunity to join their vision.” In previous years, the company have been awarded Pall-Ex Depot of the Year four times, with the partnership proving to be a significant success.
As expected of any company with such history, there have been many significant changes in operations over the years. Jamie Cartwright reflects on the how the company has advanced since being founded: “From driver logbooks, paper tachos, route planning with a road atlas, the list is endless and there is no part of our original business that hasn’t seen progression.”
“We were one of the first hauliers to introduce telephones to our vehicles. Until this time drivers had to use the nearest pay phone to make contact with their transport manager, which is about as far away as you can get from the technology used in modern day transport, with PDA’s, in cab management systems and electronic mirrors.”
The company has continued to see growth throughout the business, now employing over 100 staff members and offering storage solutions across Lincolnshire, with over 200,000 sqft of warehousing space spread across three sites.
Speaking about reaching such a remarkable milestone, Jamie comments: “The success and longevity of the business can without doubt be attributed to the hard work and dedication of our staff, who exhibit genuine care and loyalty each and every day. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our fantastic customer base who have also shown great loyalty over the years. We have many customers who have used our services consistently over decades. Furthermore, our long-established relationship with the Pall-Ex Group for more than twenty years has been pivotal in providing our customers with a reliable and cost-effective freight solution.
We hope that through the dedication of our staff and customers, we can look forward to the next eighty years!”