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The origins of the company go back to the 1950s when the current Directors’ grandfather, T W Gooderham, purchased a Morris Commercial truck to transport cereals and grains off-farm to the local markets in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.

In 1959 control of the business passed to James Downie, the son-in-law of T W Gooderham, who incorporated the business into a limited company and set about developing the operations. Following a few years of steady growth in the agricultural trade, the emergence of the Port of Felixstowe in the late 1960s and early 1970s heralded huge growth in the road haulage industry in Suffolk. The fleet expanded to over 20 vehicles, working for many of the leading maritime shipping companies of the day.

The 1980s was a difficult time for the company with several ownership changes and recession leading to eventual withdrawl from the container transport market. However, at the beginning of the 1990s the company was reformed and ready to go again as a thriving general haulier. A distribution operation was added to the bulk haulage operations and the fleet grew again to 30 vehicles under the youthful management of Edward Downie, who joined the company in 1993, the third generation of the family to work in the business.

The pace of development at the company picked up again during the 2000s which has seen the business move into more specialised contract distribution, together with the addition of pallet networks. In 2005 Edward was joined by his brother, Charles, adding to the depth and experience of the senior management team.

As the business moves into its seventh decade, the company remains true to its origins as a service driven, owner-managed business with the emphasis on continuing to build a secure future for customers, suppliers and employees alike while cementing its place in the region as one of Suffolk’s leading road hauliers.