well,if you hav’nt heard,stobarts are now moving into the car transporter game,we wait with baited breath to see what happens,lets hope he wants to keep things as they are,but i’ve got a nasty feeling that film star,Mark Dixon might be chasing a train with cars on,and not tesco containers up to mossend rail head.
glenny54:
well,if you hav’nt heard,stobarts are now moving into the car transporter game,we wait with baited breath to see what happens,lets hope he wants to keep things as they are,but i’ve got a nasty feeling that film star,Mark Dixon might be chasing a train with cars on,and not tesco containers up to mossend rail head.
i think theyve got enough on there plate already 
glenny54:
well,if you hav’nt heard,stobarts are now moving into the car transporter game,we wait with baited breath to see what happens,lets hope he wants to keep things as they are,but i’ve got a nasty feeling that film star,Mark Dixon might be chasing a train with cars on,and not tesco containers up to mossend rail head.
Move over Ecm Eddie’s coming lol.
i dont think theyve got a lot to worry about if that picture at the top of the post is a lot to go by!
I agree with what you are saying, But dont under estimate ESL, They love debt, I think they are sailing very,very close to the wind as the old saying goes, Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I agree with what you are saying, But dont under estimate ESL, They love debt, I think they are sailing very,very close to the wind as the old saying goes, Regards Larry.
mr dunbar,i thought the same when i heard they were into southend airport…it aint exactly chicken feed !!! 
Well you’ve got to hand it to the “fast eddie” gang,they’ll focus onto any traffic that hasn’t been totally ■■■■■■ up(previously by them)!!Obviously they see Auto movement as “virgin territory” but just,maybe,they may have taken “that step too far” unless,of course,they make a takeover bid for ECM,and as Larry says they do have an vorocious appetite for debt ( Tell me about it WRM et al!!).I don’t believe that you can be into “everything” and succeed,Logisicts (hold the nose!) Wharehousing,Rail,Airports ( well little ones!) Fuel,Bulk bio wood chips,and now Car delivery!! You hum it Son and I’ll play it!! Look what happened to Hanson Industries and also Sir James Goldsmith !! However,the Chuckle brothers must think they can keep a “few metres” in fron’t of the financial avelanche that is following them,best of luck Lads !! Cheers Bewick.
The picture at the top was an idea of mine when the idea was first muted a couple of weeks ago. However I wish the drivers well too. 
Let us hope the wheels don’t come off 
Evening all, this whole lot reminds me so much of the rise, (and the ultimate fall), of my very dear friends at Transports ONATRA. I really hope that it does not happen, but if you look at the accounts the gearing is horrendous, (and dear friends , “real” transport people are not at the helm. Cheerio for now.
Lawrence Dunbar:
I agree with what you are saying, But dont under estimate ESL, They love debt, I think they are sailing very,very close to the wind as the old saying goes, Regards Larry.
I’ve no evidence but I have a gut feeling that ESL will eventually bite off more than they can chew and the whole thing will collapse like a house of cards.
Just a feeling, that’s all. 
grumpy old man:
Lawrence Dunbar:
I agree with what you are saying, But dont under estimate ESL, They love debt, I think they are sailing very,very close to the wind as the old saying goes, Regards Larry.I’ve no evidence but I have a gut feeling that ESL will eventually bite off more than they can chew and the whole thing will collapse like a house of cards.
Just a feeling, that’s all.
I hope that does not happen, just think of all those drivers who can’t Rope n Sheet looking for employment.
A nightmare for Driverhire Ltd. (Just kidding 
)
The quiker it does the sooner we can all get the rates up,but looks like Maritime wants to do the same now.
Gentlemen, the whole thing illustrates most clearly that “our” industry is “mature”. That Gentlemen means that there is gross oversupply of service providers, (hire and reward hauliers), the margins are controlled and restricted by (in our case EEC legislation), and the gross oversupply of service providers can only increase their revenue earning by, a, offering their service as an “add on”, to other more profitable areas, (warehousing, added value logistical services,point of sale activity, supply chain “management”, and anything else where once some persons business made a margin)!, or b, simply breaking the law, (working outside EEC legislation). The company in question would seem to be, (as so many have before),be working their way through option a, and all its permutations, and I surmise, when its “backers” become disenchanted with its lack of return on capital invested, (ROCE), they will retract their credit lines, the company in question will ,“reconfigure, reorganise, rationalise,”(please feel free to choose your own appropriate phrase), and the market will continue, but with even lower margins than before. Many of us have seen it before, it aint pretty, but it aint new!! Cheerio for now.
Its not a done deal yet is it? i thought we wouldn’t know until June 21. Conspiricy theory is by getting Stobart to show an interest the shares have gone up by about 30%, which is a small amount of good news for the board.
Saviem:
Gentlemen, the whole thing illustrates most clearly that “our” industry is “mature”. That Gentlemen means that there is gross oversupply of service providers, (hire and reward hauliers), the margins are controlled and restricted by (in our case EEC legislation), and the gross oversupply of service providers can only increase their revenue earning by, a, offering their service as an “add on”, to other more profitable areas, (warehousing, added value logistical services,point of sale activity, supply chain “management”, and anything else where once some persons business made a margin)!, or b, simply breaking the law, (working outside EEC legislation). The company in question would seem to be, (as so many have before),be working their way through option a, and all its permutations, and I surmise, when its “backers” become disenchanted with its lack of return on capital invested, (ROCE), they will retract their credit lines, the company in question will ,“reconfigure, reorganise, rationalise,”(please feel free to choose your own appropriate phrase), and the market will continue, but with even lower margins than before. Many of us have seen it before, it aint pretty, but it aint new!! Cheerio for now.
Hi all,
Saviem the words hit, nail and head spring to mind after reading another of your very accurate and well informed postings 
.
Regards Andrew.
Tesco’s have dipped their toe into the pre owned vehicle market,however,its been a major loss maker,I wonder if Tesco’s decision to sell second hand cars has anything to do with Stobarts moving them around the country?
iangam:
Its not a done deal yet is it? i thought we wouldn’t know until June 21. Conspiricy theory is by getting Stobart to show an interest the shares have gone up by about 30%, which is a small amount of good news for the board.
Not quite a done deal but Stobart Holdings Ltd have shown their hand by offering £12.4m
Wheel Nut:
iangam:
Its not a done deal yet is it? i thought we wouldn’t know until June 21. Conspiricy theory is by getting Stobart to show an interest the shares have gone up by about 30%, which is a small amount of good news for the board.Not quite a done deal but Stobart Holdings Ltd have shown their hand by offering £12.4m
You know Gentlemen, (and any ladies), this “old man” fresh in from the fields, reads the corporate speak, contained in these statements, and boy, oh boy, does it make me feel old!! 20p per share!, my “cross compliance” is worth more. I would think that there are many of us who just shudder at the “synergies”, whatever happened to our industry, (and the forgotten word, …profitability… bon nuuit!!
I always believed by what I read in the transport press over the years that moving large numbers of new cars was a graveyard for those that entered the sector.However,the “chuckle brothers” ( and their financiers!)must still think there is still someway yet to go in lowering the unit cost for delivery still further !! I should think that one firm (■■■■■■■■ based) who have appeared to be the exception to the rule,ECM,will be a little concerned if “fast eddie” starts carving the job up,if that is possible,even more.I understand that BAA (Airports) are ■■■■■■■■ themselves and are terrified that Southend Airport will be turned into the main Hub for Western Europe in the next year or so !!! Bewick.
Bewick:
I always believed by what I read in the transport press over the years that moving large numbers of new cars was a graveyard for those that entered the sector.However,the “chuckle brothers” ( and their financiers!)must still think there is still someway yet to go in lowering the unit cost for delivery still further !! I should think that one firm (■■■■■■■■ based) who have appeared to be the exception to the rule,ECM,will be a little concerned if “fast eddie” starts carving the job up,if that is possible,even more.I understand that BAA (Airports) are ■■■■■■■■ themselves and are terrified that Southend Airport will be turned into the main Hub for Western Europe in the next year or so !!! Bewick.
High Bewick, firstley i must say i do like your slightly sarcastic conotations towards the " chuckle brothers " it brings a smile to my face, i wonder some times how these huge companys work out there strategies. I started as an OD in the mid '70s and have seen lots of change, im’e out of the day to day running of our company now,ive handed that job to my two sons, but is it not always the way when you have a good working relationship with a customer at fare rates and along comes mr big and cuts the job up, the problem being with this is he doesent last long as in truth as ime sure is the case with the cb’s they dont really know there true costs and unless you have spread your risk your the one who goes out of buisness.We do mostly international work and when i started the traffic going out of this country was about 50/50 i suspect today no more than 15% is now on British trucks, the rest being carried by foreign hauliers who pay didley squat to use our roads, they must be laughing at us cos our government does not want to upset our EU partners by setting a charge for them to use our roads,when entering europe you pay all the way.Going back to the cb’s id’e like to know if Tesco have supported them with any financial package cos from what i see on the telly i cant see them making any money out of that job and at the end of the day who’s in control, tail wagging the dog springs to mind.To late for me to worry about such things as i assume it is for you but at least we can voice our point of view.