MONTGOMERY TRANSPORT GROUP “FOCUSED ON OUR CUSTOMERS, DRIVEN BY OUR PEOPLE”

The origins of the Montgomery Transport Group dates back to 1970 when it was established with just a single tractor unit and was the first Ballyvesey Holdings company. Its first depot was opened in Leyland, with a two berth caravan in the corner of another hauliers yard.

Fast forward to the end of the 90s when the Northern Ireland based business started, the turnover of Montgomery Transport Group was around £60million with 400+ employees. Having celebrated its 50th anniversary, it has grown to become one of the largest privately owned transport companies in the UK, operating from multiple sites, with a fleet of over 250 trucks and 1500+ trailers. Today it operates in seven different areas –including transport, distribution and freight management - and over the next few months, Export & Freight will be highlighting each, starting with its Customs Brokerage service.

Customs Brokerage Team Offers Tailored Service

Providing a wide range of customs services to its broader customer base, its Customs Brokerage team of in-house experts are always on hand to explain and de-mystify the often-complex world of customs regulations, so you can rest assured that, whatever your needs, you will have the right guidance and support throughout the entire process so you don’t have to worry about changes in customs regulations and legislation, tricky procedures, documentation, and communicating with government bodies. Such has been the steady success of the Customs Brokerage Service that it has grown from being an in-house support function to a standalone business unit, offering a range of services for custom clearance regardless of if the Montgomery Transport Group is physically transporting the goods or not; it is a service in its own market and another business that strengthens the group’s offering.

“We provide a streamlined one-stop-shop service, wherein goods can be transported, cleared with customs, and managed throughout their movement,” says Montgomery Freight Management’s Managing Director Rachael Forshaw. “This expedites goods movements and alleviates the problems that come from working with 3rd parties. Managing everything in-house gives you peace of mind and allows you to focus on what matters most: your products and your customers.”

It is clear that Imports and Exports are the Montgomery Customs Brokerage team’s passion. “Almost every customs clearance is different, both when importing and exporting goods, and our team have completed tens of thousands of these clearances.

“Our customs agents undergo a thorough and in-depth training programme to ensure they are doing more than entering information provided. They truly understand the how and the why. Our tailored customs software allows us to not only complete entries faster, but also with high- level accuracy and detail. This means that your goods move through Customs and the ports faster, further expediting the process. Much of which is a result of our ongoing relationships with individuals not only in the industry, but also within government bodies and customs regulatory authorities.”

It’s a highly proactive team, too. Take the recent HMRC’s decision to swap its Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system on 31 March 2023, to a Customs Declaration Service (CDS), a system founded on world-leading technology to serve as the UK’s single customs platform. Montgomery’s Customs Brokerage team anticipated the changes well ahead of the switch-over. They were completing GB import declarations via CDS for more than a year earlier and they took the necessary steps to ensure customers were ready to make the change well in advance.

CDS has been developed over a number of years in consultation with the border industry and provides a more secure and stable platform that has the capacity and capability to grow in line with the government’s ambitious trade plans. The move to one system for all imports and exports also deliver savings for the taxpayer.

“Customers are our priority. This means that integrity and accuracy are of upmost importance to us. We have one of the best teams in the industry and pride ourselves in getting every clearance right the first time, ensuring that all your goods are claimed correctly, down to the last package, gram, and penny.”

To that end, Montgomery Group’s