When Olly became CEO of The Magnus Group in 2019, he knew he faced some challenges. He knew he was taking on his Dad’s legacy bringing the business back into the family. He knew the company was dying on its feet, and frequently describes the challenge as “turning the Titanic”. He knew he needed to instigate significant change and quickly. What he didn’t know was that his two-year business plan to start turning the company around would be accelerated in some areas, diversified in others, and partly thrown out the window, as covid-19 hit the global economy.People who know Olly would describe him as ballsy, an inherent gambler who tends to follow his gut feelings: two characteristics that have helped to drive him through his first year at The Magnus Group. His first post as CEO on LI noted that he was immensely proud and hoped his Dad would have been too. A message he has repeated over the year, noting that it is his Dad’s memory that drives him forward. He certainly hit the ground running by quickly doubling warehouse capacity to over 200,000 square feet and ordering an additional six trailers to add to the fleet. The rebranding, whilst remaining loyal to the original 1973 company image, makes it clear that The Magnus Group is moving forward, with a fresh and modern look. A strong brand that has made The Magnus Group recognisable on the road and socmed.
The company has always been customer service driven, continually striving to provide excellence over the past 47 years. Their reputation to support and help clients providing a transparent and high-quality service is well known. Olly is determined not only to build on that reputation but to follow the same ethos and approach as an employer. Whilst he is proud to have The Magnus Group back under family control, it is the wider definition of family that is allowing the company to strive during such challenging times. With the two-year recruitment plan accelerated to be completed within twelve months, there is now a formidable team leading the business under Olly’s steer, including Olly’s sister, Emma, heading up the HR function. His LI posts rarely miss the opportunity to thank and acknowledge the hard work everyone puts in which has allowed The Magnus Group to thrive during 2020. Their ethos is to value their team, encouraging loyalty by providing a fun place to work. The family-business approach is cascaded throughout the organisation: not many employers have taken the effort to put on a “car park party” to celebrate a member of the team hitting their 35-year work anniversary during 2020.
Their mission is to drive customer-focused supply chain solutions whilst ensuring they are the supplier of choice to companies requiring logistics excellence. Their state-of-the-art facilities, combined with their reliability and cost efficiency has attracted new clients and encouraged old clients to return. Based in Great Blakenham, just outside Ipswich, they are ideally placed to serve the Port of Felixstowe with direct road links to the Midlands, the North and London.Olly has integrity and a rare honesty. He is open about his aspirations, doubts and challenges. When the covid-challenges started to hit, Olly was clear that he was going to come out fighting and that his determination to make The Magnus Group the best was undeterred. His leadership style, leading from the top, has been rewarded with a dedicated and loyal team. It’s been a balancing act between transport and haulage, with warehousing services, as the economy has reacted to consumer demand and covid restrictions. With a 30% increase in turnover and another increase in the number of trailers in the fleet, the future is looking positive. After the restrictions of early 2020, the transport and haulage side of the business is starting to grow again alongside the warehousing. The ethos to look for opportunities in everything and being prepared to diversify has produced a positive, although challenging, year for Olly and his team.
2020 has no doubt been the start of an exciting and successful journey for The Magnus Group.
If you would like to know more about our warehousing, transport or global forwarding teams call us on +44 (0) 1473836600 or email on commercial@magnusgroup.com
Tags: Haulage, TransportationCategorised in: Newsletters
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