The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The company experienced a 17% reduction in turnover in 2024 compared to the prior year. The decrease in turnover was heavily influenced by long-term customer contracts coming to an end, which created capacity within the business. Competition in the UK warehousing and handling market remained strong throughout 2024, leading to a longer than anticipated shortfall in revenue, associated with the spare capacity. To offset the impact of this, the company managed its direct cost of sales effectively which allowed for a lower percentage reduction in Gross Profit of 11%, but this still resulted in a reduction of £822k of contribution margin when compared to 2023.

Administration costs reduced by 1% year over year, many costs in the business are fixed but variable costs were well controlled, allowing the company to offset cost inflationary pressures in labour particularly. The company continues to monitor its cost base closely, management are focused on identifying further process and cost efficiencies, to improve financial performance.

The company generated an operating loss in 2024 of £899k, a reflection of a challenging year commercially. The company remained focused on attracting new customers throughout the year, focusing on those that need the storage and transport flexibility and logistics expertise it can provide. This work proved very successful and a number of new customers were gained in the latter part of the year that will help the company to reduce the excess storage capacity experienced in 2024 moving forwards.

The company retains a positive balance sheet position, and the directors are satisfied that the business is well positioned to carry out its medium to long term strategic and business objectives, despite a challenging 2024.

There are numerous uncertainties for UK Logistics and Warehousing companies when looking to the future including -

• Wider global political/economic uncertainty, including the increased use of Tariffs in global trading

• Further changes to the UK customs environment systems & processes

The directors continue to monitor and wherever possible put mitigation actions in place to manage these risks and risk in general. In addition, being part of the Rhenus Group of companies in the UK helps to mitigate many of the perceived risks and uncertainties that the company faced historically as an independent entity.

As well as short term trade receivables and trade payables that arise directly from operations, the company’s financial instruments comprise of cash and lease payables. The objectives of holding financial instruments are to raise finance for the company’s operations and manage related risks.

The company’s activities expose it to a number of risks including interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and exchange risk. The company manages these risks by regularly monitoring the business and providing ongoing forecasts of the expected impacts.

Key Performance Indicators

Key performance indicators include revenue which fell by 17% from £11.11m in 2023 to £9.19m in 2024. Gross Profit fell by 10% from £7.82m in 2023 to £7.00m in 2024. The reasoning for the movements in KPIs is discussed in the business review above.

Interest rate risk

The company's interest rate risk exposure arises from interest-bearing borrowings, including intra-group loans. Contractual agreements placed at floating rates expose the entity to cash flow risk which fixed rate borrowing under finance leases exposes the entity to fair value risk. The company regularly reviews its funding arrangements to ensure they are competitive within the marketplace.

Credit risk

The company monitors credit risk closely and considers that its current policies of credit checks meet its objectives of managing exposure to credit risk.

Liquidity risk

The company closely monitors its bank balance, intra-group trading and external borrowings and other credit facilities in comparison to its outstanding commitments to ensure it has sufficient funds to meet its obligations as they fall due. The company's finance function produces regular forecasts that estimate cash inflows and outflows for the next 12 months, so that management can ensure sufficient funding is in place as needed. The company's objective is to maintain a balance between the continuity of funding and flexibility.

The directors are confident about the business and its performance for the coming year.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of the provision of road haulage and warehousing.

The results for the year are set out on page 8.

No ordinary dividends were paid. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

The auditor, Azets Audit Services, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The company has chosen in accordance with Companies Act 2006, s. 414C(11) to set out in the company's strategic report information required by Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, Sch. 7 to be contained in the directors' report. It has done so in respect of the company's principal risks and uncertainties.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

We have audited the financial statements of Rhenus Logistics (Corby) Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 December 2024 which comprise the statement of income and retained earnings, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 December 2024 and of its loss for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework.  Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.  This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:

• Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as actual, suspected and alleged fraud; 

• Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;

• Assessing the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations considered to have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the company through enquiry and inspection; 

• Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

• Performing audit work over the risk of management bias and override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for indicators of potential bias. 

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation.  This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance.  The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

Rhenus Logistics (Corby) Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Liverpool Road, Eccles, Manchester, Lancashire, United Kingdom, M30 7RF.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.

Turnover is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the company and the turnover can be reliably measured. Turnover is measured as the fair value of the consideration received or receivable, excluding discounts, rebates, value added tax and other sales taxes.

Turnover from a contract to provide services is recognised in the period in which the services are provided in accordance with the stage of completion of the contract when all of the following conditions are satisfied:

• the amount of turnover can be measured reliably;

• it is probable that the company will receive consideration due under the contract,

• the stage of completion of the contract at the end of the reporting period can be measured reliably; and

• the costs incurred and the costs to complete the contract can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Estimated future dilapidation costs included within leasehold improvements are depreciated over the remaining term of the related lease.

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and net realisable value, being the estimates selling price less costs to sell. Cost is based on the cost of purchase on a first in first out basis.

At each reporting date, an assessment is made for impairment. Any excess of the carrying amount of stocks over its estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell is recognised as an impairment loss in profit or loss. Reversals of impairment losses are also recognised in profit or loss.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans and loans from fellow group companies, are initially recognised at transaction price. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the profit and loss account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the profit and loss account, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset when the company has a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.

Provisions are recognised when the company has a legal or constructive present obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that the company will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.

The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the consideration required to settle the present obligation at the reporting end date, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the amount expected to be required to settle the obligation is recognised at present value. When a provision is measured at present value, the unwinding of the discount is recognised as a finance cost in profit or loss in the period in which it arises.

The company contributes to a defined contribution plan for its employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the company pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the company has no further payment obligations.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. Amounts not yet paid are shown in accruals as a liability in the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the company in independently administered funds.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leases asset are consumed.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The company recognises dilapidations provisions on the leasehold properties it occupies. The directors assess the level of provision required on a property by property basis based on past experience within the property portfolio along with professional advice from qualified surveyors where appropriate. These provisions are reviewed annually to ensure that they reflect the current best estimate of the provision required.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

In both the current and prior period, the company paid no remuneration to the statutory directors.

The actual charge/(credit) for the year can be reconciled to the expected credit for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

Estimated future dilapidation costs have been capitalised and included in leasehold improvements. The net book value of which is £660,406 (2023: £902,510).

On 4 September 2020 a fixed and floating charge over all assets of the company was registered in favour of HSBC UK Bank Plc.

Provisions held relate to future anticipated costs of restoring leased sites to their original state and condition.

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:

At the balance sheet date, the company had deferred tax assets of £261,107, being losses of £249,639 and other short term timing differences of £38,265 net of deferred tax liabilites of £26,797 relating to accelerated capital allowances. The deferred tax assets are stated as net figures, being charged at 25% of gross values, and have not been recognised until it is probable that any future economic benefit will be received.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

Ordinary shares hold full and equal rights to participate in voting in all circumstances and in dividends and capital distributions, whether on a winding up or otherwise. The shares are not redeemable.
    

The A ordinary shares shall carry no right to receive notice of, attend or vote at any general meeting of the company save of a meeting of the holders of the A ordinary shares as a class.

The B ordinary shares shall carry no right to receive notice of, attend or vote at any general meeting of the company save of a meeting of the holders of the B ordinary shares as a class.

The C ordinary shares hold full and equal rights to participate in voting in all circumstances and in dividends and capital distributions, whether on a winding up or otherwise. The shares are not redeemable.

The reserve represents the excess amount received that was above the cost amount of the shares issued.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

The following amounts were due from/(to) the following related parties at the reporting end date:

The balances above are related to the company by virtue of common ownership and control.

At the current year end the company's parent company was Rhenus Beteiligungen International GmbH and its ultimate parent undertaking was Rethmann SE & Co. KG, a private company controlled by its directors. The results of the company are consolidated into Rethmann SE & Co. KG, a company incorporated in Germany.