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Yodel wants to build a northern ‘super hub’ in response to a dramatic increase in parcel volumes.

It said the long-term strategic investment would involve a transition from its existing hub in Shaw over five years, but the parcel carrier also said it would protect all existing jobs, as well as creating new ones in the region.

A consultation will now be launched with employees, colleagues, union representatives and local stakeholders to identify a new site.

Yodel said new contract wins had prompted the move, but that consumer demand for online retail had recently been ‘turbo charged’ by the Covid-19 virus.

Read more

• Yodel renews Scotland delivery deal with Menzies Distribution
• Yodel signs Leicester Tigers e-commerce deal
• Yodel in food box delivery deal with Nova Blooms after trial period sees surge in demand

Mike Hancox, Yodel chief executive, said: “As we look to Yodel’s long-term future, it is necessary to take strategic decisions which benefit the business, our people, clients and customers.

“That is why we are announcing plans for a new super hub in the north of England to take Yodel to the next phase of its growth journey. This represents an important upgrade to our current operations – creating more opportunities across the regions, whilst cementing Yodel’s position as the leading independent parcel carrier in the UK.”

Hancox added: “We’re announcing this now to give our colleagues the best possible opportunity to prepare for the change.

“Over the next five years our priority will be to provide a fair outcome for our team and we’ll do everything we can to support colleagues through this transition.”

The post Yodel reveals plans for northern super hub amid “turbo-charged” demand appeared first on Motor Transport.

Yodel wants to build a northern ‘super hub’ in response to a dramatic increase in parcel volumes. It said the long-term strategic investment would involve a transition from its existing hub in Shaw over five years, but the parcel carrier also said it would protect all existing jobs, as well as creating new ones in the region. A consultation will now be launched with employees, colleagues, union representatives and local stakeholders to identify a new site. Yodel said new contract […]
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Fraikin has appointed Prometeon as its tyre supplier for its fleet of 3,100 rigids, tractors and trailers.

Under the three-year contract it will supply and manage Pirelli and Formula tyres, with servicing provided by Prometeon’s nationwide network.

As part of the agreement, Fraikin will also benefit from Prometeon’s centralised billing and management reporting system.

The move marks a return for the tyre company, which was previously in partnership with Fraikin between 2006 and 2017.

Eric Baley, Fraikin engineering & procurement director, said: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with Prometeon once more.

“Our Fraikin workshops, as well as our mobile technicians, are involved in the tyre husbandry, and the training support provided by Prometeon is crucial to enhance our expertise.”

The post Fraikin signs three-year tyre deal with Prometeon appeared first on Motor Transport.

Fraikin has appointed Prometeon as its tyre supplier for its fleet of 3,100 rigids, tractors and trailers. Under the three-year contract it will supply and manage Pirelli and Formula tyres, with servicing provided by Prometeon’s nationwide network. As part of the agreement, Fraikin will also benefit from Prometeon’s centralised billing and management reporting system. The move marks a return for the tyre company, which was previously in partnership with Fraikin between 2006 and 2017. Eric Baley, Fraikin engineering & procurement […]
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Motor Transport understands Cheshire-based trailer manufacturer Cartwright Group has filed a notice to appoint an administrator.

Calls to the Altrincham family business went unanswered but it is understood that the company has filed a notice to appoint Deloitte to handle its affairs.

Cartwright Group can trace its history back to 1952 and it has grown into one of the UK’s leading trailer and commercial vehicle body and conversion manufacturers.

In June, the group hailed its employees for their work in keeping the company operating through what it described as an “unprecedented period”.

It added: “As we move into July and our production facility is returning to normal operations, we are looking forward to getting back to ‘business as usual’.”

In 2016 Cartwright Group won a Motor Transport award for its apprenticeship scheme.

Two years earlier, former Cartwright Group joint MDs John and Steven Cartwright set up trailer manufacturer Tiger Trailers in Winsford, Cheshire.

A Deloitte spokesman confirmed it had not yet been appointed administrator but declined to comment further.

The post Cartwright Group files for administration appeared first on Motor Transport.

Motor Transport understands Cheshire-based trailer manufacturer Cartwright Group has filed a notice to appoint an administrator. Calls to the Altrincham family business went unanswered but it is understood that the company has filed a notice to appoint Deloitte to handle its affairs. Cartwright Group can trace its history back to 1952 and it has grown into one of the UK’s leading trailer and commercial vehicle body and conversion manufacturers. In June, the group hailed its employees for their work in […]
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Royal Mail has admitted it expects to make a loss in this financial year and won’t return to profit unless the business is overhauled to reflect a decline in letter volumes and a boom in parcel deliveries.

In its latest trading update covering the five months ending 30 August, it confirmed there had been a substantial shift in the business from letters to parcels and that the growth was being driven by B2C and e-commerce.

This led to better than expected revenues, but it said its “legacy in letters has held back operational changes needed to adapt our business to a market that has fewer letters and more parcels.”

In addition, Covid-related costs during the five-month period were £75m.

Read more

• Royal Mail sheds jobs after slow reaction to parcels growth
• Royal Mail sees “strong growth” in parcels business as costs rise and letter volumes continue to fall
• Royal Mail pins future on ‘winning at parcels’ and international expansion

Both GLS – Royal Mail’s international parcels business – and Royal Mail saw parcel revenues significantly ahead of expectations pre-Covid, but the group said that while this increased GLS’ profits, it had not halted the long-term decline in Royal Mail profitability.

It added that there is an opportunity to benefit from customers for parcel deliveries, if it adapted quickly, but that currently too many parcels were being sorted by hand and it was not shedding outdated working practices.

It cited a failure to reach agreement with trade unions as one reason for the inertia.

For the annual trading period ending 29 March 2020, the group made a pre-tax loss of £11m on revenues of £7.7bn.

The post Royal Mail admits “legacy in letters” has hampered transition to parcels appeared first on Motor Transport.

Royal Mail has admitted it expects to make a loss in this financial year and won’t return to profit unless the business is overhauled to reflect a decline in letter volumes and a boom in parcel deliveries. In its latest trading update covering the five months ending 30 August, it confirmed there had been a substantial shift in the business from letters to parcels and that the growth was being driven by B2C and e-commerce. This led to better than […]
The post Royal Mail admits “legacy in letters” has hampered transition to parcels appeared first on Motor Transport.Read More

Teletrac Navman has launched a campaign to celebrate the “hidden heroes” of haulage and give a voice to commercial vehicle drivers who have kept Britain moving through Covid-19.

‘Who is a Commercial Driver?’ sees 15 fleet drivers join forces and share their stories about the challenges they have faced, delivered through an inspiring video campaign.

The initiative, in partnership with road safety charity Brake, aims to raise awareness of the extra pressure the pandemic placed on lorry drivers as they delivered essential goods, services and healthcare.

Richard Lilwall, Teletrac Navman MD said: “It’s these workers, on the front line of logistics, who not only have an important role to play generally, but who have kept this country going over the past six months.

“What’s more, extended working hours, more vehicles on the road, an increase in shifts, and more deliveries per shift have all become the norm in recent months for those drivers bearing the load, in partnership with their colleagues in logistics.”

The post Campaign launched to find pandemic’s “hidden heroes” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Teletrac Navman has launched a campaign to celebrate the “hidden heroes” of haulage and give a voice to commercial vehicle drivers who have kept Britain moving through Covid-19. ‘Who is a Commercial Driver?’ sees 15 fleet drivers join forces and share their stories about the challenges they have faced, delivered through an inspiring video campaign. The initiative, in partnership with road safety charity Brake, aims to raise awareness of the extra pressure the pandemic placed on lorry drivers as they […]
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Amazon UK saw revenues rise by more than 26% to £13.73bn last year as increasing numbers of people shopped online.

The firm, which recently said it would be boosting its UK workforce by a third to 40,000 in order to meet growing demand due to lockdown restrictions, also said it paid direct taxes of £293m during 2019, with a total tax contribution of £1.1bn during the period.

It said the UK had become one of its largest global hubs and that its business had provided opportunities for “tens of thousands” of UK-based SMEs, who sell their products through Amazon.

Read more

• Amazon to create 7,000 new jobs
• Amazon adds 800 Mercedes-Benz eSprinters to UK fleet
• Amazon ramps up drive into food sector with launch of free deliveries

It said 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic had demonstrated the importance of Amazon to its customers and that it was able to rely on its scale to “innovate quickly”.

In a statement, Amazon said: “To help serve our customers, we have opened thousands of new full and part-time positions and delivery driver opportunities across our UK logistics and fulfilment centre network since the beginning of the crisis.

“For many who have had to put their business or work on hold due to the outbreak, a role at Amazon has provided a welcome opportunity.”

At the end of 2019 it directly employed more than 30,000 staff in the UK, including at around 20 fulfilment and distribution centres across the country.

The post Online shopping trend sees Amazon revenues surge appeared first on Motor Transport.

Amazon UK saw revenues rise by more than 26% to £13.73bn last year as increasing numbers of people shopped online. The firm, which recently said it would be boosting its UK workforce by a third to 40,000 in order to meet growing demand due to lockdown restrictions, also said it paid direct taxes of £293m during 2019, with a total tax contribution of £1.1bn during the period. It said the UK had become one of its largest global hubs and […]
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Hunt’s Foodservice has continued its relationship with Carrier Transicold by investing in 31 new vans and trucks all fitted with refrigeration equipment.

They include 20 3.5-tonne MAN vans and three 7.5-tonne, two 12-tonne and six 18-tonne MAN rigids, fitted with Transicold’s Pulsor 400 MT multi-temperature units and Supra 550, 850 and 1250 MT units, forming a mixture of replacements and additions to the customer’s 120-strong fleet.

Hunt’s Foodservice’s first Carrier Transicold system was a 1250 MT unit in 2015 and the company has consistently selected Supra units for new trucks ordered since.

“Our priority is maintaining the integrity of the cold chain when the doors are constantly being opened on demanding multi-drop routes, where customers are often in close proximity to each other,” said Philip Hopkins, group transport manager.

“Carrier’s systems effortlessly meet that challenge.”

Based out of depots in Sherbourne, Fareham and Bridgwater, the vehicles will be on the road up to six days a week, making deliveries of frozen and chilled goods to customers across southern England.

The post Hunt’s Foodservice takes delivery of 31 Carrier Transicold refrigeration vehicles appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hunt’s Foodservice has continued its relationship with Carrier Transicold by investing in 31 new vans and trucks all fitted with refrigeration equipment. They include 20 3.5-tonne MAN vans and three 7.5-tonne, two 12-tonne and six 18-tonne MAN rigids, fitted with Transicold’s Pulsor 400 MT multi-temperature units and Supra 550, 850 and 1250 MT units, forming a mixture of replacements and additions to the customer’s 120-strong fleet. Hunt’s Foodservice’s first Carrier Transicold system was a 1250 MT unit in 2015 and […]
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Advances in ‘smart detection’ technology, could sound the death-knoll for ‘dumb’ ultra-sonic sensors, which can not differentiate between moving and static objects.

With the advent of the DVS/HGV Safety Permits and the desire for operators to utilise equipment that “Should not activate in relation to roadside furniture”, many are now questioning whether ultra-sonic/’side-scan’ systems should still be employed, especially when new ‘smart’ technology can be as cost effective and significantly more effective.

It’s widely accepted that the high False Alarm rates of ultra-sonic/’side-scan’ sensors mean that many drivers ignore alarms, or even disable systems/speakers.

Clearly this is not acceptable behaviour and compromises road safety potentially resulting in accidents and incidents (many of which are fatal / life changing).

Historically, ‘smart’ alternatives to ultra-sonic sensors have been prohibitively expensive. However, this is no longer the case and optical detection is now both cost effective and reliable.

Cycle-Safe is an example of this new technology, which differentiates between static and moving objects. The system only ‘alarms’ if a Vulnerable Road User (all types) becomes a hazard to the driver, significantly reducing driver workload.

Another benefit of combined detection and vision, is much quicker and neater installation, without the need for multiple holes/sensors down the side of the vehicle.

With the advent of affordable ‘smart’ detection systems, like Cycle-Safe, UK roads are set to become safer for all.

The post Sponsored: Trailer Vision asks ‘are ultra-sonic sensor systems’ days numbered?’ appeared first on Motor Transport.

Advances in ‘smart detection’ technology, could sound the death-knoll for ‘dumb’ ultra-sonic sensors, which can not differentiate between moving and static objects. With the advent of the DVS/HGV Safety Permits and the desire for operators to utilise equipment that “Should not activate in relation to roadside furniture”, many are now questioning whether ultra-sonic/’side-scan’ systems should still be employed, especially when new ‘smart’ technology can be as cost effective and significantly more effective. It’s widely accepted that the high False Alarm […]
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Salvage and vehicle recycling company Synetiq has increased its IT team as it commits to investment and innovation.

Sean Maller joins the .Net team and will focus on software improvement, while Robert Ralston is the latest addition to its AWS development team.

Read more

• Synetiq future-proofs its fleet with the addition of ten DVS compliant transporters

The third new recruit, Navya Areti, joins as Amazon web services developments engineer and she will help move projects into the Cloud and reduce cost.

Dave Harcourt, Synetiq IT director, said: “Investment in our team will help us offer the best possible experience to our clients and customers.”

The post Synetiq invests in IT resource appeared first on Motor Transport.

Salvage and vehicle recycling company Synetiq has increased its IT team as it commits to investment and innovation. Sean Maller joins the .Net team and will focus on software improvement, while Robert Ralston is the latest addition to its AWS development team. Read more Synetiq future-proofs its fleet with the addition of ten DVS compliant transporters The third new recruit, Navya Areti, joins as Amazon web services developments engineer and she will help move projects into the Cloud and reduce […]
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Whistl said new customer wins amid an e-commerce boom were driving growth in its UK and international parcels business.

They include Monster Books, Goldstone Books and secondhand book e-tailer Alex the Fat Dawg.

Whistl added that long-term customers including Cotton Traders and Yorkshire Building Society have also renewed contracts for its downstream access mail services.

Read more

• Whistl names new Parcelhub MD
• Whistl predicts impact of COVID-19 on international e-commerce
• Whistl launches low-volume parcel delivery service for e-tailers

It said the growth in parcel customers was being driven by an increase in home delivery as a result of Covid-19 and that it was experiencing a “dramatic growth” in its international business too.

Chief executive Nick Wells said: “We are pleased with the strong growth we are experiencing in our international operations.

“Our unique custom clearance product alongside real-time tracking is proving an increasingly attractive and cost-effective product for international e-commerce customers.”

The post Whistl joins list of parcel carriers enjoying e-commerce boom appeared first on Motor Transport.

Whistl said new customer wins amid an e-commerce boom were driving growth in its UK and international parcels business. They include Monster Books, Goldstone Books and secondhand book e-tailer Alex the Fat Dawg. Whistl added that long-term customers including Cotton Traders and Yorkshire Building Society have also renewed contracts for its downstream access mail services. Read more Whistl names new Parcelhub MD Whistl predicts impact of COVID-19 on international e-commerce Whistl launches low-volume parcel delivery service for e-tailers It said […]
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