A Basildon warehousing firm left teetering on the brink of disaster is celebrating after fighting its way back to success.

Fighting back to success - Alan Huett in front of the rebuilt warehouse. Picture: ANDREW BELFORD 82DFB1

Family-run ESS Logistics on the Nevendon Industrial Estate was decimated when fire started by arsonists at an adjacent property ripped through its warehouses over the Easter weekend of 2000, destroying all of their plant and cargo valued at millions of pounds and requiring the attendance of up to 30 fire engines to bring the blaze under control.

As directors Steve and Alan Huett surveyed the devastation the following morning, they could have been forgiven for throwing in the towel and walking away.

But they did not, and now, after nearly two years of rebuilding and restructuring, the brothers are proudly taking their business on to new heights.

They have completely rebuilt the destroyed warehouse to the latest standards, offering what they claim is now one of the most modern facilities in the area, and have just secured ERTS status from HM Customs and Excise, allowing them to set aside up to 20,000 sq ft of warehouse space for uncleared goods.

Looking back, Alan Huett said: "It was a terrible day. We had to just stand there and watch everything we had worked for for five years just burning - we were just helpless.

"It's not an experience I would ever wish on anyone, but it did force us to review what we did and the direction we wanted to go in as managers, and now we are able to offer one of the most modern facilities in the area."

Published Tuesday, March 12, 2002