Sales for UK and European Road Haulage Firms on the Rise

21st March 2019

Logistics BusinessSales for UK and European Road Haulage Firms on the Rise

Road Haulage firms in the UK have seen a 1.6% increase in sales growth over the last year, according to new analysis.

New data released by Plimsoll Publishing Limited – a leading provider of company and market specific financial analysis – reveals that average sales growth for road haulage companies in the UK has reached 3.5% for the current year.

This represents an increase of 1.6% compared to last year, when average sales growth sat at 1.9%, indicating moderate growth in the sector. However, sales have some way to go to reach the high of 8.9% industry average sales growth recorded in recent year

Whilst the figures are higher than those for UK business more broadly – average sales growth for the UK as a whole currently sits at 0.4% – road haulage firms trail behind their continental counterparts in France, Italy and Spain.

Spanish road haulage companies saw the highest growth in average sales, increasing from 1.8% last year to 4.9% for the current year.

In Italy, average sales growth for road haulage companies sits at 4.4% for the current year. Meanwhile in France it is 4.3% – still some 0.8% higher than UK road haulage firms.

Related UK industries have also been witnessing increases in average sales growth. Over the past year, the Cargo Handling Services industry has seen a rapid increase of 6.3% in average sales growth, up from 2.4% from last year to 8.7% for the current year.

Average sales growth in the Freight Forwarding industry has risen 5.5% over the last year, increasing from 1.9% to 7.4% for the current year. Meanwhile average sales growth for Bonded Warehousing sits at 5.2%, up 1.8% compared to the previous year.

In comparison, in the parcel delivery services industry growth remains more of a mixed picture. Average sales growth for courier firms for the current year is 4.9%, up from 0% for the previous year. However, average sales growth for Same Day Couriers sits at 0.3%, only marginally higher than the 0% growth recorded last year, demonstrating the ongoing challenges the industry faces.