Latest news – Page 561

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Woodside Haulage reports soaring profit

2016-01-28T13:00:00Z

Consolidated results for the Woodside Haulage group of companies show that the County Antrim operator saw pre-tax profit soar 42% last year. The substantial increase to £1.4m, compared with £999,000 in 2014, was on the back of a healthy 6.3% increase in turnover to £54.6m in the year ending 31 ...

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Abbey Logistics targets £70m turnover as it kickstarts expansion strategy

2016-01-27T16:55:00Z

Abbey Logistics Group is to reboot its expansion strategy following a “self-imposed” pause on growth during 2015.It is back on the acquisition trail looking to expand in mainland Europe, or enter the UK chemical transportation market, having secured £13.5m of funding from HSBC.Two-time MT Haulier of the Year winner has ...

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Iveco: 'make urban emission standards consistent'

2016-01-27T13:53:00Z

Martin Flach, product director at Iveco - manufacturer of the Eurocargo – has called on legislators across Europe to standardise urban emission and safety standards and incentivise OEMs to improve their offerings.“In legislative terms the next major thing to hit the truck industry will be when we have to start ...

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TfL launches LoCITY scheme to help freight sector adopt low-emission vehicles

2016-01-27T13:47:00Z

TfL has launched LoCITY, an industry-led programme to help the freight sector make better use of low-emission vans and lorries.The five-year scheme aims to increase availability and uptake of cleaner goods vehicles and will bring together freight and fleet operators, vehicle manufacturers, fuel providers and the public sector.It will create ...

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RHA warns over-reliance on overseas drivers is harming road transport

2016-01-26T16:58:00Z

The RHA has warned that heavy reliance on overseas HGV drivers poses a risk to the long-term resilience of the UK road transport sector, and takes money out of the UK economy.Speaking at a Transport Committee workforce skills inquiry, RHA director of policy Jack Semple (pictured) said there were approximately ...

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New members boost BVRLA fleet to all-time high

2016-01-26T16:53:00Z

The BVRLA welcomed more than 100 new members in 2015, taking its total to 780. The latest additions mean its members’ combined fleet stands at a record 4.5 million vehicles.According to the association, this means that BVRLA members now account for one in every five vans and trucks on the ...

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United Biscuits on lookout for new subcontractors

2016-01-26T16:44:00Z

United Biscuits is on the hunt for subcontractors to carry its products, according to head of distribution Rob Wright.Wright told Motortransport.co.uk the company looks for new subcontractors to join its team of approximately 70 small to medium-sized businesses every year. “What tends to happen with small to medium-sized family businesses ...

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No vans involved in Renault vehicle recall

2016-01-26T14:43:00Z

No vans are involved in a recall of 15,000 Renault vehicles the French manufacturer has announced as a result of recent concerns over their emission levels, a spokesman for the company has told Motortransport.com.The recall, which applies to vehicles fitted with the dCi 110 engine, “seeks to address an error ...

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Knights of Old bags new Povoas Packaging contract

2016-01-26T12:37:00Z

Knights of Old has won a two year distribution contract with packaging provider Povoas Packaging. The deal will see Knights of Old deliver products from Midlands-based Povoas to businesses across the whole of the UK, spanning “from Scotland to Cornwall”.Povoas said it chose the operator because it is Midlands based, ...

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Yodel names Mike Cooper as CEO

2016-01-26T12:34:00Z

Yodel has appointed Mike Cooper as its CEO, after his predecessor Neil Lloyd stepped down last July. The parcels firm brought “turnaround specialist” Lloyd in to improve the company’s public image and customer service in February 2013, and Yodel executive chairman Dick Stead said he is confident Cooper (pictured right) ...

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Liberal Democrat London mayor hopeful Pidgeon backs rush-hour HGV ban

2016-01-26T11:33:00Z

Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon has called for a peak-time ban on HGVs in central London as part of a package of measures to reduce road freight movements in the capital.If elected, Pidgeon wants to launch a new freight strategy for London that includes incentives for switching commercial deliveries ...

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Fred Sherwood and Sons (Transport) sees profit soar

2016-01-26T11:24:00Z

Profit at Fred Sherwood and Sons (Transport) saw a resurgence in the year to 31 March 2015, climbing almost 70%.The rise marked a significant recovery in the firm’s fortunes since 2014, when it saw pre-tax profit fall by a third.The haulier’s annual accounts showed pre-tax profit up from £944,077 in ...

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Gefco extends Caterpillar packaging contract

2016-01-26T10:58:00Z

Gefco UK has extended its sustainable packaging contract with plant manufacturer Caterpillar BCP. The deal, which began with a trial towards the end of 2014, will see Gefco continue to deliver its plastic ‘GefBox’ containers to Caterpillar suppliers and collect them again from production sites.Gefco said the plastic packaging increases ...

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20,000 UK lorry drivers now trained for safer driving around town

2016-01-26T10:46:00Z

Some 20,000 UK lorry drivers have now completed a Safe Urban Driving course, which teaches them how to share the road safely with vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians.The course was designed and launched by TfL in 2011 and was the first accredited course in the UK to ...

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Calling all fleet van operators

2016-01-26T10:11:00Z

Fleet Van Operator of the Year, sponsored by Renault Trucks, has been added to the line up of 2016 Motor Transport Awards, reflecting the growing importance of vans in the UK transport industry.Over 370,000 new vans were registered in 2015, up 15% on the year before, according to the SMMT.Fleet ...

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Freight in the City goes north for spring summit

2016-01-25T16:15:00Z

Is a trans-Pennine tunnel really a viable option? How can capacity challenges across major freight routes such as the M62 corridor be tackled? What will make large plcs pick cities in northern England to base their warehousing and logistics operations?These topics and more will be debated at the Freight in ...

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Rico buys Circle Express

2016-01-25T13:30:00Z

Rico has bought a majority shareholding in air freight distribution carrier Circle Express as part of a “strategic acquisition” plan. Circle Express, which has been trading through a CVA since May 2012, had an annual turnover of £29m in 2014, and runs more than 300 vehicles across eight airport-based depots.The ...

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Ferguson Transport sees turnover climb as profit takes a dip

2016-01-25T11:11:00Z

Ferguson Transport (Spean Bridge) increased turnover by almost 11% last year, despite downturns in some of the sectors it operates in.The Highlands haulier said sales had increased to £16.4m in the year ending 30 April 2015, up from £14.7m in 2014.However, pre-tax profit fell to £120,000, compared with £881,000 the ...

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Palletforce plans 'super hub' for 2017

2016-01-25T10:43:00Z

Palletforce will begin work on a £20m “super hub” next to its existing Burton upon Trent site this year.Signalling a year of investment following EmergeVest’s £30m purchase of the pallet network in 2015, the new hub will stand on land next to its home at Callister Way. The purpose-built facility ...

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Pryor Group weighing up administration route

2016-01-22T18:06:00Z

Civil engineering and earth moving group Pryor is understood to have issued an intention to appoint administrators.The company is understood to still be trading and exploring a number of options including a sale.Although Motortransport.co.uk had received reports that the firm's tipper fleet at its Harlow headquarters was parked up, a ...