Mainfreight will focus on containing costs to help lift freight margins as demand for goods shows signs of picking up pace.
The company made a profit of $16.5 million for the six months to September, an increase of 52% on the same period a year earlier. Sales rose 20% to $645 million.
Managing director Don Braid says it's a satisfactory result, though international freight margins suffered, while Australia's federal election briefly dented activity across the Tasman.
The company had focused on building market share during the recession, but with two-thirds of revenue generated overseas, Mr Braid says Mainfreight is turning to improving the profitability of its sales.
