TRUCKING INDUSTRY * UK - Stobart blames winter weather for profits dip

Carlisle,UK -FT, by Andrew Child -May 23 2011: -- Stobart, the UK logistics group famed for its distinctive Eddie Stobart trucks, cited extreme winter weather and difficult economic conditions as it reported an 11.4 per cent fall in full year pre-tax profits to £29.5m... Stobart also highlighted a new £90m 12-month contract with Iggesund, the Swedish board maker, to supply biomass for its Lillyhall plant, following the completion of a buy-out of Biomass, which supplies timber and low-grade softwood to the new generation of minimum-carbon power plants... The company, which operates a fleet of 1,850 lorries, announced earnings per share of 9p down from 11.7p in 2010 and a final dividend of 4p per ordinary share, bringing the total for the year to 6p... Revenue from continuing operations was £500.4m for the year, up 11.8 per cent... The group said the severe December weather had cost it £1.8m and had warned at the time of its interim statement of the likely detrimental effect of government austerity measures such as spending cuts and the rise in VAT to 20 per cent...  (Image from wikimedia.org/wikipedia:   Eddie Stobart lorries on the M6 Motorway, Rugby)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * UK - Small-medium hauliers most at risk of insolvency

London,EN,UK -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -13 May 2011: -- More than half of logistics firms had to cut costs during the first quarter after a sluggish start to the year, according to new research by Bibby Financial Services... Bibby, in its latest quarterly business index, said this placed SMEs within the sector at significant risk of bankruptcy, despite revenue growth in March... The Bibby index, which measures the average monthly turnover of 3,000 Bibby business customers from a range of industries, shows that the warehousing and distribution sector had an average score of 99.9 in the three months to 31 March (with a score of more than 100 regarded as strong). This was an improvement on the 90.3 reported in Q1 2010... Of the logistics firms tracked, 59% admitted they were having to cut costs to prepare for future economic challenges, while 45% confirmed they were doing worse than a year ago. The gloomy outlook comes despite 41% saying they had seen an increase in the number of new contract wins... (Photo from dehavillandfleet)

* UK - Dawson Rentals takes 100 MAN TGM rigids

Milton Keynes,Buckinghamshire,UK --Road Transport, by Christopher Walton -16 May 2011: -- Dawson Rentals has taken delivery of 100 MAN TGM rigids for its expanding fleet of refrigerated and ambient trucks... The Milton Keynes-based rental firm has acquired some 150 of rigid MANs in the past 12 months, on top of 250 MAN tractor units taken on over the same period. MAN now accounts for one fifth of the Dawson fleet...  (Photo from autoevolution: MAN TGL 10 Tonne Rigid)

* UK - Warburtons orders more dual-fuel Mercs

Bolton,UK -Road Transport, by Kevin Swallow -5 May 2011:  --  Bread maker Warburtons continues its commitment to alternative fuels with six dual-fuel Mercedes-Benz Axor 1840 tractor units joining the fleet...  The Hardstaff Group convert the engines to run on diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG). A fifth of the 100-strong tractor fleet is powered by CNG. The new trucks, part of a 800-strong national fleet, will haul between Warburtons' 14 bakeries and 13 satellite depots on double-shifts, seven days a week covering more than 160,000km a year. The group has also added five 13-tonne Atego 1318 rigids operating from Wednesbury, West Midlands, and two Sprinter 313CDI vans...  (image from trucklocator: MERCEDES-BENZ AXOR 1840 4X2 TRACTOR UNITS)

Freight Transport * UK - Study: Policy needs a rethink

LCP Consulting, the UK's freight transport policy needs a new vision based on solid evidence 

London,EN,UK -Eyefortransport -Mar 28, 2011:  ...  Since 2000, five attempts to define the UK's integrated transport policy have failed to produce a robust policy approach to freight and logistics... The LCP Consulting Paper, UK Freight Transport: setting a coherent strategy and direction for 2020 and beyond, highlights the importance of freight and logistics and the nature of the challenge going forward... The work also identifies some significant omissions in current freight data that should influence future decision making and the development of freight policy:

* The work of more than one million vans and foreign-registered HGVs (which account for around 6% of the total distance travelled by lorries on British roads) are going unrecorded.

* Off-shoring of UK manufacturing and growth in global sourcing has distorted national statistics.

* A previous commitment to define freight flows by sector is not yet fulfilled.

The report's author, LCP Consulting's chairman Professor Alan Braithwaite, said: "Freight transport policy needs to clearly define the strategic priorities and provide guidance on future operating practices, but the data and modelling used to develop and determine policy will need to be significantly upgraded to inform public debate on the difficult policy choices ahead" ...(Photo from img3.photographersdirect: M25 " London orbital motorway " long queue of trucks gridlocked in traffic jam)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE

* Germany - Profits shoot up 50% at Deutsche Post DHL

Bonn,Germany -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -17 March 2011: -- Deutsche Post DHL's profit soared 50% last year following sales of €51.5bn (£44.7bn)... For the year ending 31 December 2010, underlying EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) of €2.2bn (£1.9bn) was 50% higher than the previous year. The company says an upturn in global economic activity led to increased transport volumes as well as higher freight rates...  DHL Express saw a 12% hike in turnover to €11.1bn (£9.6bn) from €9.9bn (£8.6bn)...  The firm says the revenue rise was achieved after a sharp rise in cross-border shipments...  Revenue from DHL Supply Chain rose 9% to €13.3bn (£11.5bn) from €12.2bn (£10.6bn). Sales were bolstered by new contract wins and expansions to a number of existing deals...

* USA - UPS thanks UK for profit and revenue boost

Sandy Springs,GA,USA -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -2 February 2011: -- UPS has praised the performance of its UK business in helping the parcels giant achieve 8.4% revenue growth and a surge in profit in the final quarter of 2010... UPS does not normally break down its results to reveal UK performance... On a global level, UPS posted a group turnover of $13.4bn (£8.27bn) for the period, 8.4% up on the $12.4bn (£7.6bn) reported in Q4 2009... During the period, the firm delivered 1.1 billion packages globally; a 3.9% increase on Q4 2009. Operating profit jumped 43% to $1.8bn (£1.1bn)... For the full year 2010, the company increased sales 9.4% to $49.5bn (£30.5bn), while on a reported basis, operating profit of $5.9bn (£3.6bn) was up 55% on 2009...

* UK - Reed Boardall Transport returns to profit

Bar Lane,York,UK -Road Transport, by Laura Hailstone -18 March 2011: -- Reed Boardall Transport has returned to profit after several years of losses, posting a pre-tax profit of £768,001 for the year ending 31 March 2010, compared to a pre-tax loss of £652,262 in 2009. Turnover for the period dipped slightly to £30.2m from £30.3m...  A number of new initiatives introduced in 2009 to improve efficiency, including the roll-out of a bespoke vehicle tracking system, contributed to the turnaround of the group's transport arm...

* Lenham more than doubles pre-tax profit

Lenham,Maidstone,Kent,UK -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -17 March 2011: -- Despite the Lenham group of companies more than doubling pre-tax profit last year, its MD insists hauliers could be more competitive if the sector's margins were on a par with other UK industry standards...  Lenham, comprises Lenham Storage and Andover-based Lenham Storage (Southern), revealed a pre-tax profit of £562,174 for the 12 months ended 31 August 2010, compared to £289,425 a year ago...

* New Zealand - K+N Acquires NZ Reefer Operator. Global forwarder buys 75 percent of Cooltainer

Christchurch,NZ -The Journal of Commerce Online, by Peter T. Leach  -Mar 22, 2011: -- Kuehne + Nagel is acquiring 75 percent of New Zealand-based Cooltainer, an operator of refrigerated container services in the South Pacific... Cooltainer operates a dedicated branch network throughout Australia and New Zealand. It provides door-to-door service for temperature sensitive cargo, including fruits, meat, frozen vegetables and meals, in the South Pacific region. It covers niche markets such as the Trans-Tasman and Pacific Islands trades... Peter Ulber, executive vice president of Sea & Air Logistics at Kuehne + Nagel International said the acquisition will strengthen the company's market position by complementing its operations in Australia and New Zealand...

HAULAGE Cos. NEWS * UK - Quantum Automotive merges with Sensible Transport

Dorset,Bristol,UK -Road Transport, by Christopher Walton -24 February 2011: -- Quantum Automotive Services has merged with West Country rival Sensible Transport in a move it says will result in a company capable of 160,000 vehicle movements a year...  The new business will retain the Quantum brand (it was formed in 2009) and has the capacity to carry out pre-delivery inspection and refurbishment of more than 30,000 vehicles through its technical services site in Dorset... Both firms each have an O-licence for 10 vehicles and 10 trailers... In September 2010, Autologic bought a large proportion of the business of insolvent rival Autocarriers, trading as MCD, for £500,000, merging the first and third largest carriers in the UK...

* UK - The boss of  Boyle Transport admitted getting his drivers to falsify their tachograph records

County Down,Northern Irish,UK -RoadTransport, by Roger Brown -24 February 2011: ... Patrick Boyle, MD of the Northern Irish haulier, had previously denied any wrongdoing and said he did not know his drivers were creating false readings... However, at a hearing at Carlisle Crown Court on 18 February, he changed his plea to guilty and admitted conspiring with drivers to make the false tacho readings. Boyle's plea of not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice was accepted by the prosecution... His son Mark, also a director, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. No evidence was offered against his other son Neil and he was released by the court... A total of five of the firm's trucks were seized by police in Penrith, Cumbria, in October 2008... The subsequent joint VOSA and Cumbria police investigation - dubbed Operation Cadillac - led to a search warrant being executed on the Boyle Transport offices in Camlough, Newry... All the charges relate to alleged tachograph offences between November 2007 and October 2008.

* Middlesex - Two hauliers collapse under £1m debts

Ashford,Middlesex,UK -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -24 Feb 2011: -- Two waste disposal haulage firms have gone under within days of each other, with their debts mounting to almost £1m... All Transport Haulage Services appointed Daniel and Simon Plant of insolvency practitioner SFP as joint administrators of the business on 14 February, after struggling with soaring diesel costs. The company had managed to run up debts of over £500,000 on annual sales of £2m, according to SFP... Only three days before, the Plant brothers were also appointed joint administrators to Newton Abbott-based Antrac, which had an O-licence for 16 vehicles and three trailers and annual revenue of £2m. All 28 staff were made redundant ahead of the administration... A number of vehicles and skips have already been sold to a local haulier...

* West Middlands - All Seasons Contracting will not apply for new licence

Stourbridge,West Midlands,UK -Road Transport, by Roger Brown -23 Feb 2011: -- All Seasons Contracting Co, which failed to declare the troubled financial position of related firm Masterdek in its original O-licence application, says it will not apply for a new licence... In a written decision following a public inquiry (PI) in January, West Midlands Deputy Traffic Commissioner (DTC) Fiona Harrington said she would revoke the Stourbridge firm's authorisation for three vehicles from 28 February, unless the firm lodged a "complete and fully compliant application" for a licence before this date... However, All Seasons has confirmed to CM that although the firm will continue to trade, it will not apply for a new O-licence...

* Stoke-on-Trent - Assets of Fashion Fast Logistics up for sale

Fenton,Stoke-on-Trent,UK -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -23 Feb 2011: -- The administrators of Fashion Fast Logistics LLP, which prided itself on providing distribution for big retailers, have instructed the sale of the collapsed firm's assets to recuperate funds for creditors... A number of Iveco, Mercedes-Benz and Renault rigid lorries, as well as MAN tractors, will be auctioned off on 24 February at Fashion Fast Logistics' yard in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent... The company, which described itself as one of the largest privately owned fashion processing and logistics companies in England, had an O-licence for 25 vehicles and six trailers. Its customers include BHS, Debenhams, John Lewis and Topshop... It is not yet known how much creditors are owed following the firm's collapse. However, turnaround firm KSA Group tells Roadtransport.com that because the company is a limited liability partnership (LLP), under normal circumstances, directors will not be held personally financially responsible if creditors are not paid back in full... (Picture from pacificlogistics.co.uk: Main warehouse)

TRUCKING INDUSTRY * UK - Fleets re-examine funding methods

London,UK -Fleet News -24 Jan 2011: -- A number of fleets have already changed or are looking to change the way they fund their vehicles to ensure they’re still getting the best value for money... The increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20%, a reduction in capital allowances and proposed new accountancy rules are all having an impact... Doubts have already been raised over the future for employee car ownership (ECO) schemes, with mileages, fuel costs and the administrative burden eroding potential savings... However, whether a fleet’s employing an ECO scheme, outright purchase or leasing its vehicles, the continuing backdrop is one of cost reduction...

* Wales - Welsh haulier says market conditions are 'uneconomic'

Chepstow,Wales,UK -Road Transport, by Simon Jack -24 January 2011: ...  Haulier Stroat Transport says that market conditions are close to making the business uneconomic...  The company, which works in the construction and agricultural sectors, has seen fuel costs rise by £1,000 per month for each of its three vehicles...  Dave Bollen, a partner of the firm, says: "It's almost getting to the stage where we'll say we're not going to work for no money. We'll park the lorries up if necessary" ...   At the same time there has been no corresponding rise in rates - the company says it is talking with its customers to try to address the situation...  As well as the haulage business, the partners of Stroat Transport run a farm growing wheat and oilseed rape...

Road Haulage * UK - Costs rise

Road haulage costs rose by 4.9% in the 12 months...

London,UK -HGV UK -December 14, 2010: ... to October 1, according to the Road Haulage Association’s annual cost movement survey... The survey also found that, even discounting fuel, costs rose by 1.7% and rising diesel commodity prices and duty increased costs by a further 3.2 percentage points... “Diesel is around 32% of operating costs. With fuel prices rising and becoming increasingly volatile, we strongly recommend those companies that have not already done so, to implement a mechanism that links diesel prices to rates,” said RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple. “Customers can be reluctant to agree to such terms but we would urge them to recognise the importance such mechanisms can have for the sustainability of their haulage suppliers” ... “Operating costs are not simply about diesel. It is clear from our survey that other costs have also risen and this should be acknowledged. Overhead costs can be a particularly important area for customers to recognise. In looking ahead to the coming year, it seems that the only way haulage costs are going to move is upwards, with fuel, truck, driver and insurance costs all under pressure,” Semple said...

* UK - Operators continue to report difficult weather conditions

Scotland,UK -Road Transport, by Christopher Walton -6 December 2010: -- Hauliers and operators put in place bad weather contingency plans to ensure minimum disruption to supply chain during inclement weather...  Last week saw heavy snowfalls paralyse much of the country, with hauliers in Scotland, the east and south-east of England hit the hardest during the height of the Christmas delivery peak...  Operators across the country reported difficult conditions in which to keep normal routes running and the government relaxed the Working Time Directive for all hauliers for four days...  David McCutcheon, MD of Bullet Express, says: "On [Monday] we still had more than 500 pallets backlogged to cover over subsequent days. We made plans for subbies to help and drivers made some home deliveries over the weekend... It was not a good situation at this important time of the year and was very costly" ...   Martin Lowrey, national operations manager at TNT Express Services, says the company had well-rehearsed contingencies to deal with severe weather conditions...  Royal Mail took on additional trucks and rail services to move mail to distribution centres as close as possible to delivery areas...

* UK - Royal Mail spends £20m recruiting more drivers to cope with snow

London,UK -Road Transport, by Joanna Bourke -13 December 2010: -- Royal Mail Group has recruited an extra 500 lorry drivers and 250 HGVs to lessen delivery problems caused by severe weather conditions...  The company announced today that it has invested £20m to form a comprehensive action plan to tackle the impact of snowy conditions...  Actions that have been taken include: 3,000 extra staff being employed, including 500 HGV drivers; 250 more lorries being used; seven extra operational centres opening temporarily on top of the 24 already in use...  These actions are on top of Royal Mail's Christmas programme, which had already recruited some 20,000 people and seen extended opening hours at depots...  The additional investments comes in time for 13 December, which Royal Mail says is expected to be its busiest day over the festive period, with around 130 million parcel and post movements...

* UK - Parcel firms look to reduce two-week backlog before Xmas peak

London,UK -Road Transport, by Christopher Walton -15 December 2010: -- Parcel carriers say they are working to overcome a two-week backlog in the supply chain, caused by bad weather and delivery demand, ahead of the sector's busiest fortnight of the year... Operators are recruiting additional staff, taking on new vehicles and offering alternative delivery slots in a bid to return to normal operating conditions as bad weather kept vehicles off the road while volumes ramped up for Christmas... Simon Duggan, director at Crawley-based parcel and pallet specialist Eezehaul, says its operations were finally returning to normal following delays to its regular services... In addition to Royal Mail's normal expansion programme at Christmas, which sees it recruit at total of 20,000 additional staff and extend opening hours at depots, 3,000 more staff are currently being recruited and seven extra operational centres are opening temporarily on top of the 24 already in use.