Time and tide in the affairs of Suttons

May 10 2008 by Peter Elson, Liverpool Daily Post

This is certainly true, for example, of what the author calls the company’s “annus horribilis” in 1999.

“Not only had Suttons started to lose money, but a fire caused the near loss of its beautiful old Lloyd’s Committee Room, in Widnes, which epitomised the situation in which the Suttons Group and the family found itself,” says Philip.

“The family dusted itself down and got up to face the challenge. The result saw a reversal in fortunes and the Suttons Group moving forward again at a pace.

“The group has a clear vision while adapting to the competitive commercial world. However, Suttons still has the essence of a family company and has not forgotten its roots.

“It remains dedicated to matters Alf would have approved of, such as maximising pay-loads and innovation.

“Sitting in on the family for a year researching this book showed Alf started with literally nothing in Lea Green and he built it up on his own sweat by himself for the first 10 years.

“When he got his riches nobody objected because they realised how hard he worked. It’s a parable that says if you really want to do it you can. They remain a very loving family and we can all learn from that.”

But even an ambitious, driven businessman like Alf could not have imagined that the firm’s future engine-room would be its International Division and extend to the Far East.

Suttons is the first western logistics company to be a wholly-owned foreign enterprise in China, with Michael’s nephew, Tim Broadhurst, permanently based in Shanghai.

Doubtless Alf would have wholeheartedly approved.

TIME & Tide, the History of the Suttons Group, by Philip R Jordan, Troubador Publishing, £14.99

peter.elson@dailypost.co.uk