COTTON TRANSPORT & SONS LIMITED

What COTTON TRANSPORT & SONS LIMITED does

Cotton Transport & Sons Limited is a family-run, third-generation UK haulage and logistics company established around 1965, headquartered on a 5-acre operational base in Church Gresley, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, with strategic proximity to the M1 and M42 motorways. The company provides 24/7 nationwide general haulage services, including same-day and multi-drop deliveries, alongside specialist capabilities in abnormal load transport (using semi-low loaders and escort vehicles), ADR Category 2 dangerous goods carriage, and HIAB crane-assisted lifting (up to 26 tonnes). Its modern Euro 6 fleet spans 3.5-tonne vans through 44-tonne articulated vehicles, with selected units fitted with PSS 360-degree camera safety systems compliant with Transport for London's Direct Vision Standards, plus full GPS-based live load monitoring for customers. In-house IRTEC-certified garage services, NPORS-trained drivers, and FORS Silver, DVS, and RHA accreditations underpin operational reliability.

The business operates a sales-led, direct-engagement GTM relying on reputation, word-of-mouth, and long-term customer relationships, with no online booking system and quote-based B2B pricing. Customers are enterprise and contract-based across construction (steel, cladding, concrete blocks, trailer exchanges), hospitality (e.g. Dorchester Hotel London), events (Notting Hill Carnival), film/TV (Peaky Blinders), and agriculture, with vehicles available in customer livery. Wholly-owned subsidiary MMP Tyres and sister company Cotton Van Conversions extend the operating footprint into adjacent tyre and vehicle-conversion services, but no external funding, institutional investors, or public listing exist. Revenue is unstated; the company remains privately held under individual/founder ownership.

Name

COTTON TRANSPORT & SONS LIMITED

Legal name

Cotton Transport & Sons Limited

Website

https://cottontransport.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cotton Transport & Sons Limited is a family-run, third-generation UK haulage company providing 24/7 nationwide general haulage, same-day and multi-drop deliveries, abnormal load transport, ADR Category 2 hazardous goods carriage, and HIAB crane services to enterprise customers from a Derbyshire base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Road Haulage and Logistics Services

NAICS

General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (484121), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Services-Auto Rental & Leasing (No Drivers) (7510)

akta.pro primary industry

Dry Van (General Freight) TL Carriers (TLADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Heavy-Duty Truck & Tractor Rentals (THADAJAC), Heavy-Duty Truck & Bus Mobile Repair & Roadside (TLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• General haulage services
• Abnormal load transport
• ADR dangerous goods
• HIAB crane hire
• Commercial vehicle fleet

Headquarters

HQ city

SWADLINCOTE

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Haulage Services: Primary revenue from providing haulage and logistics services including same-day, multi-drop, and abnormal load transport. Services general haulage items and goods subject to ADR regulations up to category 2. Fleet includes various vehicle types from 3.5 tonne vans to 44 tonne articulated vehicles.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cotton Transport & Sons Limited provides general haulage, same-day and multi-drop delivery services across the UK, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The fleet ranges from 3.5-tonne vans to 44-tonne articulated vehicles, with specialist capabilities including ADR Category 2 dangerous goods transport, abnormal load movement with own escort services, and HIAB crane-assisted lifting of up to 60 tonnes.

Product overview

Cotton Transport & Sons Limited is a family-run, third-generation transport and logistics company with over 60 years of experience. The core offering is general haulage services operating 24/7 across the UK. The company maintains a modern Euro 6 fleet equipped with camera safety systems (PSS camera systems providing 360-degree views) and full live tracking. Related services include an in-house garage providing MOT preparation, brake testing, and HGV maintenance; MMP Tyres for tyre solutions; and Van Conversions. The fleet includes specialist vehicles such as HIAB crane units (up to 26 tonne capacity), semi-low loaders (up to 50 tonne capacity for abnormal loads), escort vehicles, and vehicles compliant with Transport for London's Direct Vision Standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Haulage and Multi-Drop Delivery 24/7 nationwide haulage including same-day and multi-drop deliveries across the UK for general goods, with vehicles from 3.5-tonne vans to 44-tonne articulated vehicles and optional customer branding. Targeted at businesses needing flexible, time-sensitive transport and distribution.
• ADR Category 2 Dangerous Goods Transport Licensed transport of dangerous goods up to ADR Category 2 with ADR-trained drivers for hazardous materials movement compliant with current legislation. Serves businesses handling regulated hazardous materials requiring specialist transport.
• Abnormal Load Transport Specialist oversized and heavy load transport using semi-low loader trailers with up to 50-tonne weight capacity, extendable flat trailers, and own escort services for police escorts and movement orders. NPORS-trained low-loader drivers are provided for plant, equipment, quarry machinery, and dump truck transport.
• HIAB Crane Lifting Operations In-house crane capabilities using a 60-tonne loader crane-based unit with up to 26-tonne lifting capacity and 5.4-metre reach for HIAB deliveries, container moves, and steel transport requiring lifting and precise positioning. Targeted at sites without forklift access and customers needing precision placement.
• Garage Services In-house 2-lane, 2-pit HGV garage facility providing HGV maintenance, MOT preparation and testing, and full brake testing with IRTEC-certified mechanics. Serves fleet operators and haulage companies needing compliant heavy vehicle maintenance.
• MMP Tyres Sister company providing tyre solutions for cars, vans, trucks, and agricultural vehicles, operated separately at swadlincotetyres.co.uk. Serves individual motorists, fleet operators, and agricultural vehicle owners in the Derbyshire area.
• Van Conversions Sister company operated separately at cottonvanconversions.co.uk providing van conversion services. Serves businesses and individuals needing bespoke van fit-outs and conversions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ years trading as family-run business
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MMP TyrescoreOthersSister company owned by Cotton Transport providing tyre solutions for cars, vans, trucks, and agricultural vehicles. Referenced in customer work and fleet events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maritime Transport: UK-based intermodal and road haulage operator running a large own-account fleet with warehousing. Directly comparable to Cotton as a mid-sized, fleet-owning UK road freight specialist serving general and containerised loads.
• Palletways: UK and European palletised freight network operator collecting and distributing palletised loads through member hauliers. Comparable to Cotton's multi-drop general haulage offering but delivered through a shared network model rather than fully owned fleet.

Broad incumbents

• Yusen Logistics UK: Global contract logistics provider with UK road haulage, dedicated fleet, and shared-user distribution services. Overlaps with Cotton on UK multi-drop and dedicated vehicle work for large enterprise customers.
• XPO Logistics UK: Major UK and European road haulage and logistics operator with own fleet and contract distribution. Competes with Cotton on UK general haulage and multi-drop work, but at substantially larger scale.
• DHL Supply Chain UK: Global logistics giant with a large UK road freight, contract logistics, and warehousing footprint. Overlaps with Cotton on general haulage and same-day work but operates at much greater scale and with a broader service portfolio.
• Culina Group (Eddie Stobart): One of the UK's largest road haulage and contract logistics operators with a national tractor and trailer fleet. Broader incumbent competing against Cotton for the same general haulage and multi-drop tenders at much greater scale.
• Wincanton: UK contract logistics provider offering road haulage, distribution, and specialist transport services. Comparable in serving large B2B shippers with multi-drop and dedicated vehicle work; significantly larger and publicly listed.
• Kuehne+Nagel UK: International freight forwarder with significant UK road transport and contract logistics operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in UK general and specialised road freight, particularly for large enterprise customers.

Regional players

• Euro Haul (and similar UK family-run hauliers): Mid-sized UK family-owned road haulage operator focused on same-day, multi-drop, and specialist transport across the UK. Closely comparable to Cotton in size, ownership profile, fleet diversity, and customer mix (construction, events, industrial).

Others

• Tip Trailer Services UK: Pan-European trailer rental, leasing, and maintenance operator with UK operations. Comparable not as a direct haulage competitor but as a relevant peer in fleet asset provisioning, trailer leasing, and workshop services that surround Cotton's core business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cottontransport
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cottontransportsons
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/category/Cargo---Freight-Company/Cotton-Transport-134594300014332
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cotton-transport-&-sons-limited

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about COTTON TRANSPORT & SONS LIMITED