A NORTHLEW haulage company is to take on 30 new drivers after securing contracts with two major food retailers.

Bryan Logistics is actively looking for Class One drivers within a 10-mile radius of Okehampton to fill the full-time positions.

Managing director Peter John Bryan said the two years spent putting together a number of measures aimed at improving standards for customers had paid off.

'Over the last two years we have invested over £3-million in the business with the best part of a million spent on creating a drivers' training centre,' he said.

'This news confirms that we have been doing the right thing.'

Mr Bryan, who started the firm with his wife Angela 30 years ago and now employs over 150 staff, said this was the first really big move forward for the company.

'Before we have worked on a softly softly approach where retailers have tried us out and given us more business as we went along,' he said.

'But this one we have got lock, stock and barrel. We have done the tendering, been through the selection process and passed all the hurdles already.'

Bryan Logistics transports chilled and frozen food all over the country and has a number of depots throughout the UK. The firm was recently a finalist in the South West Business Challenge Awards.

Mr Bryan, who started off his business enterprise in an old van delivering logs to householders around Okehampton, now has 80 vehicles.

He said central to the firm's improvement measures was a quality service award scheme which was introduced in April.

All drivers take part in the scheme and the idea is that they are awarded points for carrying out their job to a high standard.

'There is nothing scientific about this,' said Mr Bryan. 'By encouraging staff to work at the highest standards, all our staff have benefited.

'This has helped us win these tenders which in turn has created jobs.

'With so many other sectors of the food industry being hammered at the moment for whatever reason such as farming, it is very necessary when there is some positive news that we work and build on that.'

Drivers are needed to carry out a number of functions including day trunks, night trunks, weekend driving and long distance driving.

The finals of the award scheme were held at the company's headquarters on Sunday with Roger Lane of Okehampton winning the £500 first prize, Ian Kiely from Okehampton was second winning £300 and £200 for third prize was won by Rodney Jewell of Copplestone.

Several other drivers won money prizes for achievements and others received bonuses from the fuel saving scheme.

It is hoped the competition will become a regular feature with the next one planned to start in Autumn.