Cardinal Global Logistics becomes the world’s biggest employee-owned logistics firm
The Manchester-born company is marking 25 years in business with a transition to the largest-of-its-kind employee-ownership model
Launched in Eccles in 1998 with a £15,000 business loan, Cardinal Global Logistics (Cardinal) has since blossomed into an international firm with over 40 offices, 6000 clients, and revenues exceeding £500 million.
It is now celebrating its quarter-century by creating an environment where every employee has the same opportunity to become a partner. The move represents Cardinal’s active effort to preserve the employee-first company culture it has worked so hard to establish over the last 25 years.
It joins the growing number of national employee-owned businesses, with around 1000 similar models currently operating in the UK today. Cardinal’s democratisation model means every member of staff now gets to share in the profits that the company generates each year.
Aside from financial benefits, employees will have input regarding the direction of the Cardinal Partnership, helping to shape its future with an increased sense of ownership.
The employee-owned nature of the business also means more open and transparent communication channels, as partners have a direct stake in the overall success of the firm. It’s also a powerful tool for creating a more engaged, motivated, and innovative workforce, while offering sustainability and viability benefits in the longer term.
Brian Hay, CEO of The Cardinal Partnership, said: “Our decision to become an employee-owned business will be transformational. We believe that excellence and dedication should be rewarded, and we have some of the most talented operators in our industry.
“During our first 25 years as a business, we have been able to take the company from a £15,000 investment to one of the UK’s most respected and sizable logistics businesses. Undoubtedly, this transition will allow us to take our business to the next level and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”