largest fleet

[billyboy]

I know that in bygone years BRS was probably the largest fleet of trucks around. But who has the biggest fleet now.....TNT? Eddie Stobbart? :confused:

[Andy]

Salvesen were big...trouble is, you can't really tell on the road with big haulage companies, as a lot of their fleet appear under the name of their famous brand name clients.
cheers,
Andy

[Ian]

I'd guess that Stobart is the largest, within the last month or so they have taken over Inov8 using Fridge trailers, and James Elliot.

Ian

[G6 UXU]

I think you are right there Ian. I was at their head office today in Carlisle and they where preparing a large number of 58 reg trucks for the road. All the best.

[Mandator]

Stobart is a big one but I reckon DHL would take some beating.Wincanton is another contender.

Over to you.:)
Chris.

[G6 UXU]

I have just had a word with a mate of mine who is still driving and he confirms that DHL is the largest at the moment. He tells me they have been busy like Stobarts buying up logistic companies. I drove a Mandator for Crown Paints around 1972/3 and a good motor it was too. All the best.

[Mandator]

I have just had a word with a mate of mine who is still driving and he confirms that DHL is the largest at the moment. He tells me they have been busy like Stobarts buying up logistic companies. I drove a Mandator for Crown Paints around 1972/3 and a good motor it was too. All the best.

Crown paints at Darwen Chris? I used to go in regular when I worked for A.E.Evans Regent Transport tankers.AEC MK3s,MK5s,Mandators and eventually a Marathon - what a flyer that was!
Good drop Crown Paints.:)

[G6 UXU]

Crown Paints is still going strong, I only live down the road from them. When I was there they had two Mandators, two Mercuries, five F88s and they had two AEC 10t rigids and a load of TK rigids, but, alas they do not have their own fleet now. Small World.

[billyboy]

ha ha I can still remember "henry Cooper" advertisi9ng it on the telly ... "Its the paint the trade uses!

[G6 UXU]

Hello Billy, good old Sir Henry Cooper superstar of the boxing world, I also remember the advert. Crown Wallcoverings went bust a few years ago and they demolished the factory and built executive pads on the site, people are not using wallpaper much anymore in the UK. All the best.

P.S. Billy send some of that Phillipino sunshine over, we do not get summer here anymore.

[billyboy]

fells a bit like the uk here at the moment. cool and wet. Rained the whole night.

[Mr Scammell]

WH Malcolm have a fair size fleet, maybe not quite as big as Stobart but they are up with the big boys.

[Mandator]

WH Malcolm have a fair size fleet, maybe not quite as big as Stobart but they are up with the big boys.

W.H.Malcolm must have the biggest fleet in Scotland and he runs containers on trains from Daventry to Glasgow,just as ES does.
He would certainly be up there with the big boys as you say Mr Scammell.

[Mr Scammell]

Mandator, trains run to Malcolms own railyard at Grangemouth. They run a lot of containers for Asda's depot there.

[G-CPTN]

Years ago (as some here will remember) many factories had their own railheads for direct delivery of raw materials and components and subsequent 'export' of completed goods.
Most (if not all) of these lines have been ripped-up.
Were the railways SO inefficient or just incompetent?

[Mr Scammell]

British rail for their mostpart were inefficient and became very expensive. They could not even make profit from Red Star which in my experience was efficient, unless you needed a parcel in the far flung reaches of Scotland where the sleepers are still 2-3 hour late in arriving. Senoir BR management became complaceant and the unions ruled the roost (I am not knocking all unions) and wasted a good business with their not my job attitude. Rant over.:)

[Mandator]

Mandator, trains run to Malcolms own railyard at Grangemouth. They run a lot of containers for Asda's depot there.

Thanks for that Mr S,I didn't know they had there own railyard.Is it only Asda work they do by rail? I think ES does Tesco but don't Sainsburys and Morrisons(formerly Safeway) have rail connections too from Hams Hall?

[gazrad]

Hi Gents,
What about Royal Mail, when you take into account all the small delivery vans and the Post Office security vehicles, surely this has got to rate in the top three.
Cheers,
Gaz.

[G-CPTN]

What about Royal Mail

Are you including Porcel Farce?

[gazrad]

No, I forgot all about those guy's. Sorry.
Gaz.

[les turnbull]

I seem to remember volvo taking over BRS i think it was part of exel logistics.

The post office or was it parcel force was taken over by deutsche post.

Deutsche Post World Net, is the world's largest logistics group. With its headquarters in Bonn, the corporation has 520,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide and generated revenue of € 63.5 billion ($ 97.8 billion) in 2007. Deutsche Post is the successor to the former German state-owned mail monopoly, but has significantly expanded its business area through acquisitions since its privatisation in 1995.

DHL Express (originally standing for Dalsey, Hillblom and Lynn), is a division of Deutsche Post World Net providing international express mail.

A salvesen driver from scotland recently told me that Norbert Dentresangle were in negotiations to aquire Salvesens.

[Mr Scammell]

Norbert Desentrangle have aquired Salvesen, a site I visit regularly all the Salvesen guys have Norbert uniforms.

[les turnbull]

norbert dentiststrangler must be some size now.

[Western SMT]

norbert dentiststrangler must be some size now.

Info is recent but perhaps not right up to date - Norbert employs 29,000 people and has a turnover of 1.8 billion euros.

[robertdavey6]

Bibby Distribution, whom I worked for for nearly 12 years, must be in the top ten. The usual problem, they have a lot of motors running in thier customers colours. EG Kellogs & Nisa to name but two.
As an aside, they bought out Alexander Molyneaux Haulage many years ago.

Best wishes to all, Robert

[Western SMT]

Group Revenues for Bibby in 2007 increased to £619 million, they employ 3,000 staff members, of which 700 are drivers.

[les turnbull]

What ever happened to all those GEEST trailers that used to be everywhere.

[John Tgood]

I'm not sure who is biggest as per fleet in Australia, but there would be a few contenders that readily come to mind.
Toll is probably Oz's biggest logistics player now, operating not only a massive and fast growing truck fleet, but also the nations largest rail freight company Pacific National ( my bread and butter), and a big share of the wharves after annexing Patricks Corp.
But solely on the roads, Linfox, Bunker, Booth, McColls and Scotts certainly have their hats in the ring.
Its an interesting subject, something I will have to find time to research.
Cheers John

[Western SMT]

This pdf file gives the 'Top 100' truck companies for 2007 - you will need to zoom in to read this one -

http://www.roadtransport.com/Assets/GetAsset.aspx?ItemID=13100709

[robertdavey6]

That'll make for an interesting comparison when the next one is released. Macfarlanes gone and Irlam's taken over by Stobart. It was surprising to see that Bibby's are higher up the (current) list than Sobart.

Robert

[coastie]

What ever happened to all those GEEST trailers that used to be everywhere.

Oh yeah, I had forgotten them! They were almost as prevelant as Gwynedd Shipping are now!!!:D

[les turnbull]

Norbert Dentressangle is in for a big jump up the table after taking over christian salvesen

[les turnbull]

Geest -
Parent Company

Bakkavör

Geest is the leading fresh prepared foods and produce company in the UK. Its products include ready meals, prepared leaf and side salads, pizza, convenience salads, dips, pasta, bread, soups, prepared fruit, sauces and stir fry. It also operates in the French and Dutch markets.

Geest, which employs over 11,000 people, comprises around 30 business units and over 30 manufacturing facilities. The majority of sites are in the UK with overseas sites in Belgium, France, Spain and South Africa.

In 2004, group sales amounted to £830.6m and group operating profit (before goodwill and exceptional costs) £36.4m.

On 13 May 2005, Geest was acquired by Iceland’s Bakkavör.

[G-CPTN]

I read a forum of (ex)employees of a nationwide chain (not 'logistics' - vehicle spares) that recently went into receivership. Some said that many had been on the fiddle and selling 'stolen' parts direct to customers for cash.
Large firms probably make such behaviour easier.
Any stories? Perhaps a new thread?

[hawkey01]

Well this is my first post on this site - truthfully I had forgotten all about it. :( I see a lot of my colleagues from SN are here and Billyboy is active here as well. How do you find time Bill!:confused:

The reason for the post is with regard to Norbert Dentressangle - I first came across them on my journeyings through France to Spain. Truck spotting is a favourite pastime during the journey and NB were the first ones, the cry of a Norbert. This became so regular that they have been banished from the spotting now - just so many of them. They employ some 29,000 people - probably more now, 8,500 vehicles, 4 million sq metres of warehousing and 370 sites across 14 European countries. They are very common around my neck of the woods in Somerset.

One thing that I am amazed about is the lack of UK registered wagons in Europe - maybe all the continental trucking companies have registered their wagons in Slovenia or such places. I could count the number of UK wagons on two hands on a 1300 mile drive.

Bye the way greetings to you all. I will have to see if I can find some photos for the site as well.

Hawkey01:cool:

[G-CPTN]

Why would you choose to register your trucks in the UK if you were operating from mainland Europe?

[hawkey01]

I think you misunderstand my comment. I am not suggesting that operators in mainland Europe would register their waggons in UK. I am talking of operators who work from the UK into Mainland Europe of which I am sure there must still be some.

Hawkey01

[Ian]

A warm welcome to the forum Hawkey01 we look forward to your photos and comments

from the Staff at Truck and Bus Forum

Cheers

Ian

[G-CPTN]

I think you misunderstand my comment. I am not suggesting that operators in mainland Europe would register their waggons in UK. I am talking of operators who work from the UK into Mainland Europe of which I am sure there must still be some.
Hawkey01
Some of the operators based in Kent 'moved' some of their vehicles to the European Mainland as they found the overheads to be cheaper I believe.

Anybody know of examples?

[Ian]

I think Stobart have some vehicles registered in Belgium.

Ian

[Western SMT]

Stobart is at Lokeren

http://www.eddiestobart.co.uk/Services/Europe/Lokeren.php

[les turnbull]

safeway by rail 7.aug.2000 Mossend to Invernes to georgemas + 28 may 2000 at georgmas junction

[G-CPTN]

Are they still using rail?

[les turnbull]

Supermarket giant Morrison have decided not to use rail to Inverness, having acquired Safeway last year. (26.09.05)

[Western SMT]

Tesco uses rail to Inverness

http://www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2009/01/20/132787/stobart-opens-extended-tesco-rail-freight-service.html

[les turnbull]

The Scottish Executive have awarded £200k to Eddie Stobart to move 26 Tesco containers per day from Daventry to Coatbridge. The DfT are also contributing £235k. Haulage will be provided by DRS. (26.04.06)

heavy susidised .

With ASDA proposing to open in Thurso, and Tesco committed to Wick, hopes rise for a return to rail for retail goods. (03.02.06)


http://www.highlandrail.org/news-freight.htm

[Western SMT]

Tesco sends one train per day from Daventry to Grange-mouth, five days a week, Tesco freight is loaded on the northbound journey and then a mix of Tesco and other customers' products for the return leg.

From a newspaper regarding rail freight

http://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/5547/Tesco_offered_cash_to_make_switch_to_rail.html

[G-CPTN]

Round and round . . .
First almost everything was sent by rail (1950s) then again in the 1990s then it stopped and now they're trying to get it back onto rail.

[dmackay]

Tesco's Wick and Thurso loads are picked up at Livingston near Edinburgh

[Western SMT]

Written a few years ago

http://www.freightonrail.org.uk/CaseStudySupermarkets.htm

From 2008

http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/business-sector-reports/business-innovation-north-east/winter-2008/2008/12/10/keeping-north-s-supermarket-shelves-stocked-51140-22447172/

[Western SMT]

New Tesco distribution centre in Middlesbrough will take more than 12,000 lorry journeys off the road each year.

http://www.retail-week.com/News/2009/04/tesco_to_create_800_jobs_at_middlesbrough_dc.html

[les turnbull]

I seem to remember the news saying that supermarket trucks do the equivelent mileage each day as two trips to the moon and back each day.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3545245.stm

[G-CPTN]

Bring back the Arkwright (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkwright_(Open_All_Hours))s of this World (though I suppose they would be Patels nowadays . . . )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkwright_(Open_All_Hours)