About Us
From our small beginnings in 1928 we’ve evolved to become the specialist multi-modal operator you see today! Contact Us
The Collett Story
The Collett history begins back in 1928 and we would have never imagined it would lead us here.
From one farm in Halifax we’ve cultivated and developed our business to become industry-leading Experts in Motion. But don’t just take our word for it; our accreditation portfolio showcases our successful audits, local and national awards.
From his farm in Sutton near Keighley, Richard Collett (1) begins transporting his and other farmers’ milk to the dairy by horse and cart.
Richard buys his first wagon and is employed by the milk marketing board to collect milk, then in cans, from farms to be delivered to the dairies.
Over the years, the company expands it’s fleet and by 1939 running seven wagons.
We acquire Bulgers Transport of Todmorden, adding a further three vehicles to the fleet.
Richard Collett (2) moves to a farm near Wainstalls, Halifax.
The partnership between Richard Collett (1) and his son Richard (2) is formed, creating the firm R. Collett & Son. Over the following years, the milk transport fleet increases to 14 wagons.
The firm expands into general haulage and heavy transport of abnormal loads.
As the milk marketing board introduced tankers, Collett abandoned the milk transportation business to focus more on specialist transport.
R. Collett & Sons (Transport) Ltd. Over the coming years the five sons of Richard (2): Richard (3), David, Lincoln, Mark and Michael, join the company to fill various roles.
Due to growth, the company obtains a two-acre site in Keighley, meaning the company now operates from two sites, allowing for the expansion of the heavy transport side of the business.
Both depots are consolidated on a five-acre site at Victoria Terminal in Halifax, which sees the introduction of heavy lift and warehousing facilities. business in the wind turbine transport sector increases and we launch the consultancy side of the business.
Collett’s company management systems are accredited against the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard.
Another strategically placed five-acre depot is obtained at Goole, which subsequently is increased to a ten-acre site and becomes the birthplace of the marine department. our projects department also expands, including obtaining a mobile 110-tonne straddle carrier and extensive external storage.
Our purpose-built DVSA Authorised Testing Facility (ATF) is opened at our Halifax head office, allowing us to maintain our fleet whilst also offering a test facility for others in the Yorkshire area.
Halifax becomes home to Training4Transport, an approved training centre for specialist haulage training courses and JAUPT-approved driver CPC periodical training.
We’re awarded with the transport job of the year under 120 tonnes at the ESTA awards for excellence and the Halifax Business Awards innovator of the year. Our Grangemouth depot is opened, providing a strategic dokside location equipped with a 110-tonne straddle carrier, whilst our Goole depot becomes home to our newly acquired 550-tonne capacity girder bridge.
We also introduce Europe’s largest crane vehicle Effer 205 tonne/metre to our fleet and our SPMT power booster system.
Our award collection continues to grow as we collect the Goole and Howdenshire business excellence award for innovative business of the Year. Our team also collect the job of they year, the most significant safety initiative and the operator of the year at the inaugural heavies awards.
The company is restructured due to growth. Collett Holdings Ltd is created with subsidiary companies for operational purposes. Collett is named the large business of the year at the Goole & Howdenshire Business excellence awards and as the Innovator of the Year at the Haliafax Business Awards.
Our new subsidiary company Collett (Ireland) Ltd is launched. The Collett management systems become UKAS accredited for ISO 9001:2015, ISo 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007. For the third time we’re awarded with the Innovator of the Year at the Halifax Business Awards and, for a second time, named as the Heavies Awards Operator of the Year.
We become the first in our sector to be awarded with the ISO 45001:2018 accreditation for our management systems.
Our team are awarded the Team of the Year at the prestigious Motor Transport Awards and collect the Road Freight Operator of the Year award at the Freight Transport Awards
We become the first transport operator in the UK to utilise blade lifter technology as we deliver 55 metre blades to Windy Rig Wind Farm.
Our warehousing & storage capacity increases to 55,000 sqm with the addition of Bradford Carr Lane, Elland’s Perseverance Works and Halifax’s Mile Thorn Works facilities. Our team also collect the overland transport provider of the year at the Heavy Lift Awards.
We increase our wind energy carrying capacity with the acquisition of Plant Speed’s entire wind turbine fleet. Including the addition of Nooteboom super wing carriers, quadruple extendable blade trailers and lift adapters, alongside several specialist adapters including gyrostat tables, loading beds and tower hooks.
After serving nine years at the helm, Managing Director David Collett completes his tenure as the president of ESTA, the umbrella organisation for the Heavy/Abnormal Transport and Mobile Crane trade associations across Europe.
Collett now employs over 150 people across six depots in Halifax, Bradford, Goole, Grangemouth and Ireland with our fleet featuring over 120 specialist trailers and 100+ axle lines of Scheuerle intercombi complete with wafer beds, vessel beams and the UK’s largest girder bridge trailer with a capacity of 550 tonnes.
Our specialist equipment ranges from 9 tonne/metre to 205 tonne/metre crane vehicles, hydraulic heavy lifting equipment including jacking & skidding systems, heavy haulage tractor units, modular SPMTs and a whole host of specialist trailer units.