Business on the right road

Since being formed by managing director Mike Bates in 2000, MB Distribution has expanded from being a freight agent working from a small office in Bewdley into a total logistic organisation covering the UK and the world, winning contracts from multinational blue chip companies.

Having bought the former Cradley Print building with the support of NatWest Business Banking, the firm now has two warehouses – one in Cradley and one in Kidderminster – totalling 70,000 sq ft.

The company employs 25 people with further expansion planned in the future. With the help of Lombard, the business runs a fleet of 22 vehicles, representing an increase of 35 per cent in just 12 months.

Mike Bates said: "When I first came up with the idea of establishing a storage and distribution business I knew that there was a lot of competition in the marketplace.

"With this in mind, I set out to be approachable, flexible and professional, with all of my customers receiving a personal touch.

"This clearly has been the key to the success of the business and as I look at where it is today I can hardly believe how well it has taken off.

"With this latest expansion and the investment in vehicles I can now take the business even further in 2007.

"I would like to thank everybody who has helped me to build MB distribution into the business it is today – my management team, Lombard and our NatWest senior business manager Lynn Wyke. Without all their help and support we would not be in the position we are in today."

Lynn Wyke added: "I am absolutely delighted to see how well Mike is doing after all his hard work and patience. I know that this latest investment in the premises and vehicles will help him to take the business to a new level.

"Business ventures like MB Distribution are vital to the UK's economy and NatWest is there to help in every way it can."