Shiply motors to success

Ben Rooth

16th June 2009

AN ONLINE freight delivery service established by a young entrepreneur just one year ago is on track to expand into both Australia and Europe.

Shiply was founded by Rob Matthams, 24, in Wythenshawe last June to match hauliers with potential clients, after he realised that many lorries and vans were travelling long distances with empty or half-full loads.

The company broke even soon after Christmas and is now on course to be profitable in its first full year of trading.

But Mr Matthams, who settled in the city of Manchester after studying business at Manchester University, believes that Shiply will achieve revenues of £500,000 by this time next year.

Mr Matthams said: "Our increase in turnover will be achieved by further growth in this country, but also by our expansion abroad.

"I've already visited Australia once and will be returning over the next couple of months to help establish Shiply there.

"The company will also soon be expanding in Germany and Italy, and these websites will be administered from our offices in Wythenshawe.

"I'm delighted with the success that Shiply has enjoyed so far - in its first year alone, it has saved around 1.7m miles of wasted journeys.

"We've also calculated that we've generated around £2m in business for our clients over the past year."

Shiply makes money by charging hauliers a percentage of their fee for transporting goods.

Mr Matthams said: "One of the reasons why some of the country's largest haulage companies have recorded record results over the past year is because they have maximised the potential of using their vehicles only when they are full.

"We've helped prevent more than 420,000kg of carbon dioxide being pumped into the atmosphere unnecessarily.

"And, from a business perspective, I also find it incredibly satisfying to receive letters from some small family-run hauliers who tell me that if it hadn't been for Shiply they could have gone out of business."

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