On the 25th March 1934, Welch’s Transport is founded by Gordon and Jim Welch with a single Morris petrol truck to their name, in Foxton, Cambridgeshire. The first contract customer on the books was Eastwood Cement Works.
A second contract customer arrived in the form of The East Anglian Cement Co. (later Rugby Cement); a relationship that would last for over 60 years until the plant closed in 2004. The following year the Group obtained their ‘A’ Licence and within five years had acquired all three local hauliers that originally opposed the licence application.
The group acquires a second depot, this time based in Stapleford, Cambridgeshire. An impressive contract with Spicers soon followed, one which would last for 68 years.
The haulage industry was nationalised and Welch’s 15 vehicles were amalgamated into part of the ‘Eastern Region of British Road Services’ of which Gordon Welch was made manager. Welch Group Garages managed to acquire a ‘C’ Licence which meant they were permitted to continue running one vehicle.
In this year came the denationalisation of the haulage industry and within a few years Welch’s boasted a fleet of over 200 vehicles with depots across the UK in Norfolk, Hereford, Bedfordshire, Essex, London, Yorkshire and Cambridge.
The Group ensures the retention of its family-run status as Roger Welch enters the business, becoming the second generation.
Welch’s Transport received its biggest ever contract for BRS (British Home Stores), handling all their warehousing, collections and deliveries, supported by 100 vehicles. This lasted until the late 1970s when the contract was sold to Christian Salvesen.
Welch’s consolidates its fleet and premises to three locations: Cambridge, Bedford and Essex.
The third generation starts to join the company in the form of Tony Welch and starts his training as a workshop engineer.
Roger's first son Jim Welch followed in 1987 enters the business taking control of the accounts department.
Welch’s is a founding member of the Palletways palletised network, one of the first pallet freight networks in the UK and Europe. With the growing number of contract customers asking for additional services, like liveried vehicles, dedicated drivers and storage, the Welch’s Contract Distribution division is formed.
Space Age contract starts with Spicers leading wholesaler of office supplies; this lasts for 15 years until the Space Age division is shut down. As a testament to the contracts hardworking team, The Welch Group helps fund them to start up on their own, forming what is known today as JPS Installs.
Why not have a look at an independently written piece on our first sixty years
Hamleys contract starts and you will still be able to see a Welch’s unit and trailer parked on London’s Regent Street every night delivering the flagship store's daily intake of toys and games.
Welch’s acquired MJA Movement with its 25 years' industry experience of moving specialist loads, forming Welch’s Specialist Movements. In the following year Welch’s Transport’s Henlow Depot wins its biggest distribution and storage contract for Hanmere Polythene, a relationship still going strong today.
Welch’s becomes a member of the Hazchem Network, a UK-wide Dangerous Goods Network and starts working with key customers such as AutoGlym.
Welch’s contract division grows with Welch’s Transport taking on the majority of Paperchase UK Stores. Today, Welch’s vehicles service its 130 stores day and night.
Welch’s Transport joins the Palletline Network, becoming a member, a shareholder and winning a board seat. In 2011 the Contract Distribution division wins a contract with Ardex UK who today is its biggest contract customer, moving approximately 45,000 tonnes of product a year!
The fourth generation of the Welch Family joins the group in the form of Chris Welch, Jim Welch’s eldest son.
Stapleford depot and the ‘Top Garage’ close after 75 years of faithful service and, in January of 2015, move 5 miles down the road to Welch’s brand new, multi-million pound, custom-built transport and commercial Duxford site. A great facility designed to see the group through the next 81 years.
After a two-year long tour of The Group in order to understand every aspect of every business, Chris Welch is made Commercial Director and begins to bring positive changes to help Welch's continuous improvement and evolution.
Andrew Welch begins his two-year "apprenticeship" of The Group and, just like his brother before him, will be rolling up his sleeves across all businesses.
Jim Welch is made Chairman of Palletline
