 His decision to found the company in Gibraltar was in part driven by its location, it being the first guaranteed friendly port for British shipping after leaving the British homelands.The business's initial activities was as a shipping agency, but it soon branched out into other related services.Ownership of the company was transferred to Marcus' grandsons, Marcus Horatio Bland and John Bland; four generations of the Bland family were involved in the Bland Group's management and ownership.