A family-run Birmingham logistics company has doubled its turnover since 2013 and is set to double again in the next three years.
 
Birmingham Business Park-based Corporate Solutions Logistics works with companies like Smurfit Kappa, Vax and Lidl amongst others. Growing from £12 million to £22 million in just three years, the company now operates 60 trucks and 150 trailers from nine operation centres; employing 150 people across the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.
 
The company can be traced back to 1967 when Denis Ponsonby launched removal company DJ Ponsonby with just one vehicle.
 
Corporate Solutions Logistics was launched in 1997 by the four directors Des and Mark Ponsonby, Brian Croghan and John Mangan.   The company works in a different way to most logistics and haulage companies.
 
Sales Director Mark Ponsonby said: “We place operational teams on our customers’ premises, so they are able to respond to any changing needs quickly and efficiently.  We’ve found this to be very successful in not only growing the size of the contracts, but being able to understand what our customers want and when they want it. The team embeds themselves into our customers’ culture.”
 
“Our staff who work for Lidl for example, talk like retailers, not like logistics people, it’s that blending of different skills and them being with the client every day that makes the difference.”
 
Aside from placing staff within their customers’ operations, it is also the adoption of new technologies that has helped drive the fast growth within the business, according to Mark.
 
“We are able to effectively manage the growth by investing in technology.  We ensure we plan and schedule quickly and accurately through our custom built Transport Management System; minimising travelling distances and ensuring we are loaded for every mile travelled. Through our telematics system we have full tracking to ensure our customers are always given progress updates.  This also enables us to closely monitor driver behaviour to highlight areas for additional training, reducing wasted fuel and improving safety on the roads.”
 
And with plans to have more than 100 - British made -  trucks in operation by the end of this year, Mark puts the success of the business down to hiring well and working hard.
 
“Any business is only as good as the people they employ - and I’m extremely proud and fortunate to have a team of such hard working people.”