Penrith firm reports seven-figure profit growth following “energetic year”

Westmorland Limited, a family-owned motorway services company headquartered in Cumbria, has seen its profits leap by £2.8m.

In the 12 months to June 2015, the Penrith firm achieved a pre-tax profit of £3.6m, up from £800k the year previous, while its turnover rose year on year by £20m to hit £72m.

The growth follows the firm’s decision to expand in Gloucestershire by investing £45m in a new motorway services business, Gloucestershire Services Southbound.

Westmorland has partly attributed its year-on-year growth to the acquisition of South Lanarkshire-based Cairn Lodge Services, which pushed its staff count to 1,000.

The managing director at Westmorland, Laurence King, commented: “Last year was an energetic year which saw the successful completion of our investment in Gloucester Services and significant growth both financially, in employees and in the number of local suppliers with whom we work.

“We look forward to another year of growth as Gloucester Services Southbound completes its first full year of trading.”

Westmorland launched its other Gloucestershire business, Gloucester Services Northbound on the M5, in May 2014, adding to its core Tebay Services business on the M6 in Cumbria.

Speaking further, Laurence said: “The year to June 2015 has demonstrated strong results in each individual business, which is the result of some very hard work by all our valued people.

“We continue to invest in resources and systems required for the management and control of a much larger business and we look forward to seeing further growth in the future.”