A HAULAGE company has seen the number of containers it handles rise by 233 per cent in the past year.

Family-run SJG Haulage says it is defying the global challenges facing the haulage sector to see accelerated growth.

It says the expansion is thanks to its adoption of a software solution that offers industry standards electronic data interchange (EDI) messaging.

SJG Haulage, based in Marchwood, began working with Bankside Systems and using the company’s Intermodal Manager system last year.

The haulage industry has been dealing with the challenges of Brexit and Covid-19, with a shortage of HGV drivers affecting supply chains.

But SJG Haulage says the communications upgrade allowed for rapid growth, particularly in dealing with the container shortage being seen across the country.

Natalie Noke, director at SJG, said: “Seeing the industry we have worked in for decades facing huge challenges, we knew we needed to adapt to be part of the solution.

“Bringing in Bankside has been a game changer. They rescued us, and in just one week we were seeing the impact of their new system, which has supported our rapid growth and enabled us to compete successfully with our larger industry peers.

“We’re looking forward to using some of the more powerful features as our company continues to expand.”

SJG upgraded from a paper-based process commonly used in the domestic haulage industry.

The upgrade enabled it to increase its throughput from 2,100 containers per month in November 2020 to more than 7,000 a year later.

Graeme Miller, sales director at Bankside, said: “It has been wonderful seeing how our systems have been of such significant benefit to SJG.

“The impact of the pandemic and Brexit are being felt across the industry but working with SJG and witnessing their continued incredible growth in the face of such uncertainty has been a privilege.”

Gloucestershire-based Bankside Systems has been supporting businesses with container logistics since 1999.

The company offers bespoke software for Windows, web, iOS and Android.