A LOGISTICS firm from Liverpool has chosen Swindon to expand its operations further south, potentially bringing 75 jobs to the area.

Sovereign Transport Services, which currently has a fleet of 38 vehicles and transports goods throughout the UK and Europe, has set up its first office down south on the Groundwell Industrial Estate.

The firm has already relocated 25 employees, including those from the former depot, and plans to triple that number over the next three years, undeterred by the current uncertainty over Brexit and a looming logistical nightmare.

Swindon’s ideal location for logistics firms, being sandwiched between two motorway junctions and within reach of London, helped the company choose Swindon, as well as advice from close friend Martin Tedham, the chief executive of Wasdell, a pharmaceutical packaging manufacturer based in Blagrove.

CEO of Sovereign Steve Radcliffe explained: “The South of England has a lot of opportunities for Sovereign Transport and we were looking for a location to make the most of this.

“Swindon’s proximity to the M4 makes it a good area for deliveries to Southampton, Bristol, Oxford, Reading and beyond.

“I’ve also known Martin Tedham for a number of years before he took over Wasdell and have followed with interest the rapid growth of Wasdell since he moved the business to Swindon. Martin has also always said that there are good staff available in the town too, so it seemed a good choice for our southern expansion.”

Martin Tedham, chief executive of Wasdell, added: “When Steve told me he wanted to expand into the South, I knew that Swindon would be an obvious choice for him thanks to its location on the M4 corridor as well as the wealth of great staff and support that can be found in the town.

" I’m very pleased that Sovereign Transport Services will soon be operating in the town as I’m sure they will bring a lot of growth and opportunities with their success.”

Steve started Sovereign Transport Services in Kirkby, Liverpool in 1999 with just one vehicle. Over the last 20 years he has grown the business into one with a fleet of vehicles delivering goods through the UK and Europe.

The business currently employs 80 people in Liverpool and is intending to expand the new Swindon site to a similar size.

The company officially opened for business on February 1, having taken over the Swindon Palletways operation, formerly based in Royal Wootton Bassett.