Started work this morning and was told that Ramage Distribution (who i work for) had went into administration 
The 3 drivers from Glenrothes on day shift have to report to work tomorrow for a meeting as Pollocks have taken over the Tullis Russell Papermill work, so not sure what’s going to happen to me yet.
Unfortunately a lot of drivers have been paid off today from Glespin, Wigan depots, etc.
Will post more as i find out.
■■■■ thats bad news, espec considering the area there isnt many other large truck employers close by. I know a lot of guys from East Ayrshire work out there, ive worked outta Ramages before in the past.
http://www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2008/04/09/130322/ramage-group-goes-into-administration.html
Good managment there then!!!
Bloody hell…
Yep, the Aberdeen depot is no more now as well, so im back on the job market, best wishes to all involved tho, im lucky in that I have no real ties but my heart went out to all the guys with mortgages kids etc. I hope those guys are ok.
bristol closed as well. so i got to start looking for a job
bit funny how there was new units coming in monday/Tuesday
FFS , speak with a lot of the drivers at the glen catrine vodka bond !
every time you spoke to them they was busy , lots of new(ish) motors to keep up with new contracts etc !
SORRY to that . lots of good guys working for them hope they manage to get new work fast !
its a shame that, i used to go to glespin quite a bit.
good luck to all you guys at ramage
I used to work for Ramage when at the Haydock depot (before they moved it to what is now the Wigan depot).
I left about 6 years ago due to moving house and getting a better job offer nearer home.
The job was OK and we were always busy. The main man ‘Jack Ramage’ died before I left and I believe his sons and other family kept it in the family until a buyout 4-5 years ago. Looks like it started to go wrong from then, taking on more than they could. I think the MD was brought in with no transport experience but plenty of ‘city knowledge’ from London.
They always bought brand new DAFs with the odd Iveco and kept them till they died. So recently when I started seeing loads of their trucks and trailers in the classifieds I thought something might be wrong. Also there seemed to be more plain white units (hired) driving about with Ramage stickers on the doors.
Good Luck to the drivers in finding new jobs unless one of the bigger boys step in and keep them all on ■■?
'What ever happened to ‘Seth’ ■■?
Im sure i seen one of their trailers yesterday with a “Drivers wanted” sticker on the back door
I’m sure we have got a Ramage unit in at our place, well maybe its an old one which was sold off.
Usually have a Ramages trailer sitting in the yard as well, think it gets cardboard put on it.
Are we talking about the same Ramage who are based in Newcastle?
If i remember right, they run grey units and trailers out of Shiremoor. In fact, i think my dad trained most of their mechanics a few years back.
i feel sorry for the fellas and girls that worked for the firm and i hope the work something out or find other jobs.
but is it any wonder when they say this
"In January this year, Ramage said its turnover had almost tripled to £35m, following the UFD acquisition. However it added that the combined trailer fleet of the two companies had been reduced by 49%, the joint tractor fleet scaled back by 47%, the combined rigid vehicle fleet lowered by 31% and the total workforce cut by 20% to 430. "
take over a company with new contracts and then basically hack away at your fleet with a big axe and half it. i might not know a lot about the background of the company but to me that doesn’t really make much sense. what did they expect to happen, use cars maybe?
jybson:
Are we talking about the same Ramage who are based in Newcastle?If i remember right, they run grey units and trailers out of Shiremoor. In fact, i think my dad trained most of their mechanics a few years back.
no they are the chipliners this ramage we are on about are yellow and black.
XRT, i’d be giving Craig a phone at Pollock’s asap and see if you can get something. I did a few months for him on nights down to carnforth and back, he’s based up at TR’s and is quite approachable.
Well it looks like i’ve been really lucky. Pollocks have taken over the running of all the Tullis Russell paper and reels. Basically the Ramage yard at Glenrothes was actually the Tullis Russell yard so when Pollocks came in and took it over they’ve wanted to keep the 2 guys in the office and all the drivers on (3 days and 2 nightshift). So from Thursday i’ve officially started with Pollocks. From what we’ve seen they are ok so far. They’ve gotten rid of the old crap trailers we’ve had and brought in their own ones plus a few from Hill Hire. Also got 3 diff units in too to replace the ones we had from Gullivers. An 08 plate Strlis, a 55 plate Stralis and an 04 plate Daf CF.
Usually on a Friday night we would be lucky to finish for 7, half 7ish with an Asda or Tesco run but yesterday a 5 o clock finish. Not had that in ages.
Really sorry for all the guys that lost their jobs but you’ve got to look after number one and i’m just glad i’ve fallen lucky for a change.
Good news for you then and looking after number one is nothing to be ashamed of, it’s human nature.
Not so good for the others as whenever I have seen firms like KPMG involved there is nothing left to pay wages after they have sold anything worth having to their friends/family/son-in-law etc for absolute peanuts. Bigger bunch of thieves than the Great Train robbers!
There is a Scot lives down here called Ray Ramage who runs trucks, any relation?
It’s a shame for the people involved, but at the end of the day their clients will still need to get their goods moved and so the jobs have not “disappeared” but will simply move elsewhere.