The move is part of a wider management restructuring which sees Gofor founder and MD Graham Lesslie take on the new role as chief executive officer, with responsibility for the company’s ongoing success, strategic business vision, and funder and partner relationships.

Bennett will be responsible for day-to-day operations including digital transformation and operational effectiveness, sales growth and supporting customers.

He will bring his expertise in the technology space, as well as a track record in accelerating business growth. His background includes senior roles for technology businesses - including almost a decade in senior roles at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Gofor said Bennett’s appointment is in line with its focus on digital transformation which includes recent investment in a driver portal platform for salary sacrifice to ensure optimal customer experience.

His appointment comes as the company continues its growth plans which began with a rebrand in February. This saw it remove “Finance” from its name to better reflect its full end-to-end fleet management provision.

Bennett is one of several recent appointments at the company and follows Gofor winning a series of new fleet management and salary sacrifice accounts.

“Iain's appointment is incredibly exciting and sets Gofor up for the next stage in our growth,” said Leslie.

“Iain struck me as a real people-first leader who recognises the importance of delivering excellent customer experiences, which aligns with our Gofor proactive values and culture.

“I'm pleased to be able to bring in someone of his calibre who can give us a fresh perspective on achieving our strategic aims. I'm excited to see the contribution he can make to our team and our customers.”

Speaking about his new role, Bennet added; “It's an exciting time to join Gofor, and it's come at the perfect stage of my career.

“I want to thank Graham for trusting me with the operational responsibilities which will allow him to transition to a more visionary and strategic role within the business.

“I look forward to supporting him, our customers and the whole Gofor team, in this next phase of our growth.”

The post Gofor appoints Iain Bennett as new MD appeared first on Motor Transport.

In the letter, chief executive David Wells expresses the industry’s disappointment at the extended deadline for the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, and highlights the “vital” role government plays in not only shaping the public conversation, but also in the delivery.

The letter also identifies the specific government policies that the industry is urging Sunak to deliver on.

Wells states: “Industry requires urgent progress on the roll out of public chargepoints that are suitable for commercial vehicles, as well as the publication of government’s long-delayed low carbon fuels strategy which is now over nine months late.

“If the logistics industry is expected to move to net zero technologies within the timeframes set, government must also deliver on its deadlines. Urgent progress of the Zero Emission Road Freight Demonstrator for battery, hydrogen and catenary solutions for HGV decarbonisation is also needed. Without clarity, the logistics sector cannot invest at scale.

“Logistics is a highly interconnected system and electrification of the rail network must not be overlooked, nor should the delivery of the promised clean maritime plan.

Pointing to the findings of a recent Oxford Economics report, Wells said logistics is key to the UK’s economic growth.

He added: “Net zero is just one of many areas where the logistics industry wants to work in closer collaboration with government as, by putting logistics first, with the right partnerships, regulations and investment, government can supercharge UK GDP by £3.9 billion to £7.9bn per year by 2030.”

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The County Limerick-based business runs an almost exclusively Volvo fleet and has returned
to the marque again for its latest addition.

O’Carroll Haulage & Crane Hire is a family-owned business that has been in operation for
more than 20 years.

The company provides transport solutions for a wide range of customers and industries throughout Ireland, including the building and construction sector, private sector, Irish Rail, energy company ESB and Gardai.

The new Volvo FH, which is supplied by McCarthy Commercials, is powered by Volvo’s D13K engine, delivering up to 420 hp and 2,100 Nm of torque, and boasts an automated 12-speed I-Shift gearbox.

Maurice O’Carroll, MD at O’Carroll Haulage & Crane Hire, said: “Volvo is a brand that we know and trust. We’ve never had any reason to look elsewhere. The FH is as reliable as they come, and the fuel figures are also strong.

“The team at McCarthys look after us well, the support we get from them is always what
we’d expect. Overall, it’s just a great package – an unrivalled one, in our opinion.”

The tag-axle FH rigid is equipped with a flatbed body and a PM Crane, supplied by Bennett
Crane & Truck. It is fitted with an electro-hydraulic steered rear axle which helps to maximise manoeuvrability when delivering to sites with limited access. The vehicle will be used for crane haulage work across the whole of Ireland.

Built on a 6,000m wheelbase, the new FH replaces an older Volvo in the family-owned
business’ fleet. The vehicle also features rear air suspension and is painted in the company’s Delhi red livery.

Inside the sleeper cab, the truck has been specified with a Drive+ package including fully
electronic air conditioning with sun, mist, and air quality sensors and a carbon filter, two
armrests on the driver’s seat, plus adjustable steering wheel with neck tilt.

A one bed living package offers additional rear cab storage space, nd comes with a 40mm mattress topper, and a luxury sleeper control panel.

The working environment is completed with a Media package, including navigation, which provides a complete infotainment experience, with DAB radio and a dynamic 12-inch highresolution instrument cluster, plus an accompanying secondary colour information display.

“The driver absolutely loves his new truck,” O’Carrol added. “He’s been with us for a couple of years now. He used to be a big fan of a rival manufacturer, but as soon as he got into a Volvo he vowed to never go back! Keeping our drivers happy is very important to us, so that was great to hear.”

The FHis expected to clock-up in the region of 120,000 km per year and is backed up by a three-year Volvo Blue Contract, covering all preventative maintenance.

The post O’Carroll Haulage & Crane Hire delivers the goods with new Volvo FH 8×2 rigid appeared first on Motor Transport.

The move will enable Kilnbridge to monitor its fleet’s journeys and help the company reduce fuel consumption, cut carbon emissions, improve driver behaviour and minimise insurance costs.

Mick Kemp, Kilnbridge fleet manager, said: “As partners of the Supply Chain Sustainability School, we are committed to minimising environmental damage – so our focus on reducing fuel usage is sharper than ever.

“With Webfleet’s automated CO2 reporting, we can now analyse all vehicle trips to find out how environmentally friendly they were.

“By feeding accurate fuel and CO2 data for our whole fleet, and individual vehicles, into our sustainability reviews, we are able to measure progress towards carbon neutrality and help maintain our FORS Gold operator accreditation.”

Kilnbridge is also using Webfleet Video to capture road and driver-facing events, Kemp said: “The in-cab AI cameras highlight unsafe driving behaviour, such as not wearing a seatbelt or mobile phone use to both protect engineers and keep us compliant by delivering on our duty of care.”

The video evidence the kit provides is also helping Kilnbridge to counter false claims and keep a lid on insurance costs.

”A rear end collision claim which would have cost us £48,000 was neatly debunked using high quality video which captured all the accident details and proved third party liability,” Kemp explained.

The company is also currently trialling the Webfleet Vehicle Check mobile app to digitise day-to-day vehicle inspections. The app minimises paperwork and streamlines the compliance process, allowing Kilnbridge to act quickly to resolve vehicle defects for safer operating conditions.

“Having the driver app, cameras and telematics all integrated on the same platform makes life so much easier for us,” Kemp said.

Beverley Wise, Webfleet regional director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, commented: “This is an excellent example of how Webfleet delivers on the green agenda and clients’ pressing sustainability demands, in line with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment.”

The post Kilnbridge Construction adds Webfleet Video to fleet to help cut CO2 emissions and fuel costs appeared first on Motor Transport.

The research used data from Companies House to analyse the average age of 2,000 founders, chief executives and MDs in the UK’s biggest businesses across 20 different sectors.

Warehousing and distribution was revealed to have an average age of 52 years, just behind the travel and tourism sector where the average age for leadership roles is 50 years.

However the automotive and transport and logistics sectors had the oldest profile of all the sectors bar architectural practices, with an average director age of 58 years. In addition the research found that, across the top 100 companies in each sector, none had an average age below 50 years old.

The analysis suggests that the age profile in this sector could be linked to the fact that over 250,000 transport businesses listed are family enterprises.

The research also suggests that a combination of age ranges in a business could boost productivity and innovation, with older employees picking up newer skills and, in return, younger employees benefitting from the experience of senior executives.

Rory Dunn, Approved Business Finance founder said: “Bridging the gap between older and younger generations could be the key to creating a successful business. In today’s competitive market, organisations need to be innovative to stay ahead of the competition and even within our own team, this has proved beneficial.

He added: “Having a mixture of ages creates a well-rounded team; everyone can bounce off each other and it produces a tenacious and resilient environment which is great for the growth of a company.

“Many young CEOs are demonstrating that there are ways for under-30s to enter what was once considered the domain of their elders and become effective business leaders. By working together, both can learn from each other and build a company that is rewarding for those within the business.”

The post Younger directors leading the way in the warehousing sector, new research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Family firm Prigmore Haulage, which was launched by Patricia Prigmore in 2000, has an operating licence for 16 trucks and 20 trailers, and has a fleet which ranges from 7.5-tonne vehicles up to 44-tonne artics. The company specialises in general haulage, as well as the transport of hazardous waste and ambient bulk foods.

Explore Transport and Plant Hire, which is based in Worksop, Notts, has a fleet of 150 trucks and 6,000 plant hire assets. It operates from seven depots around England, most of which are in the Midlands, and specialises in construction logistics and plant hire.

Patricia and husband Kenneth Prigmore will retire from the business following the partial share-sale to Explore Transport and Plant Hire, which gives Explore control of more than 50% of the company’s shares.

Katherine Prigmore, daughter-in-law of the founders, who joined the business in 2015, is staying on with her husband, Richard, following the transaction. They also have shares in the business.

She praised the part played by Adam Nelson, KBS Corporate deal executive, in helping bring the two companies together and sealing the deal. KBS Corporate advises on mid-market mergers and acquisitions.

She said: “The partial sale of Prigmore Haulage has allowed my in-laws to retire and my husband and myself to continue running the company.

“We have partnered up with a larger company with aspirations to continue to grow on a larger scale than we could have imagined.

“KBS have been honest throughout and there when we needed them. When the offer came through, Adam talked us through the whole process and ensured he had our best interests at heart. This allowed for a quick and easy sale which has taken two months from offer date to completion.

“We are very happy with their service in general from marketing through to sale, enabling Prigmore Haulage to go on and flourish and allow my in-laws to retire in the knowledge their legacy will continue.”

Nelson added: “Prigmore Haulage stood out as it has a strong 20-years-plus history which has helped it to develop a great reputation.

“Through achieving a deal, Patricia and Kenneth Prigmore are now able to step back and retire, while Katherine and Richard can accelerate the business forward with the partial share-sale. I believe this has allowed the family to meet their expectations and move on to their next chapter.

“Explore Transport’s interest was discovered through KBS and we have achieved a very timely deal due to great efforts from all involved.

“I’m happy we have achieved the deal the Prigmore family were looking for and I’m excited to see how the business develops. I wish all parties the best of luck moving forward.”

Nelson also praised the “excellent job” done in providing support and expertise on the deal by Adam Gilbert, Deni Slaveva and Harriet Woolley of AG Corporate Law.

The post Explore Transport buys majority shareholding in Prigmore Haulage appeared first on Motor Transport.

In its latest financial results, for the year to 31 December 2022, Whistl revealed pre-tax losses of £2.1m, compared to a pre-tax profit of £4.2m in the previous year. Group revenue plunged 48.4% overall, to £732.9m, down from £781.3m in 2021.

Revenue from its business mail - Whistl’s core division - tumbled 13.7% in the period to £488.2m (2021: £501.9m) whilst parcels revenue plummeted 29.7% in 2022 to £137.7m (2021: £167.4m).

Whistl’s international parcels business also saw revenue fall 3.6% to 28.1m (2021: £31.7m), whilst fulfilment revenue dropped slightly by 1.4% to £78.9m, from £80.3m in the previous year.

Whistl said the drop in its UK parcel volumes in 2022 reflected the fall in Covid-driven online deliveries but the company did not reveal the exact fall in its parcel volumes, pointing instead to Ofcom research which showed that overall total parcel volumes decreased by 5.7% to 3.8 billion items in 2021/22 compared with the 47% growth recorded in 2020/21.

Ofcom’s research also revealed a fall in domestic parcel volumes of 0.8% year-on-year to 3.4 billion items, compared to a 53% rise in the prior year, whilst next-day delivery items made up 65% of measured domestic parcel volumes in the period compared with nearly 60% in the previous year.

Ofcom also found that total parcel volumes across all UK postal operators decreased by around 6% to 3.82 billion items, with domestic volumes declining slightly by around 1%.

In its strategic report to the results Whistl said that against this background of falling overall parcel volumes it had continued to invest in the division, appointing former Whistl’s sales director for the North, Andy Underwood, as its first MD of parcels, with a brief to focus on large organisations and core strategic customers.

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Whistl also improved the mix and quality of parcels processed, offset lower parcel volumes through additional pricing and landed “significant contracts” in the horticulture sector.

In addition the company become the first parcel and delivery consolidator to become integrated as an Amazon delivery carrier and and also began offering customers Yodel’s new Xpect Mini and Medium two-hour delivery window services in 2022.

Turning to its international parcels business, Whistl said the division also saw a challenging year, thanks to the impact of the pandemic, Brexit, and the Ukraine War and related economic pressures, which had made it difficult for customers to forecast volume and obtain stock.

Parcel imports and exports declined by over 30% in 2022, which the report attributed to global supply chain disruption and the introduction of complex post-Brexit customs duties and import/export tariffs. International inbound volumes decreased by 32%, having risen 31% in 2021.

Whistl’s fulfilment division saw the least losses in 2022, the results revealed, down just 1.4% to £78.9m (2021: £80.3m). The report noted that, despite fluctuating customer volume, which was partly driven by supply chain disruptions, the division “performed well during a busy peak”.

However the ongoing skills shortage in the sector hit the division’s performance, with Whistl experiencing a lack of “quality expert staffing” during the year.

Commenting on the results, Nick Wells, Whistl executive chairman, said they largely reflect “the impact of these economic headwinds, plus the fact that 2021 comparatives are challenging, given that it was an exceptional trading year”.

He added: “In 2022 we remained resilient in the face of the economic challenges and in 2023 we remain confident we will grow and improve the operational efficiency and overall profitability of the group.”

The post <strong>Whistl delivers profit loss in 2022 after battling political and economic headwinds</strong> appeared first on Motor Transport.

Announcing the agreement the two companies said the merged enterprise would initially focus on the UK market, followed by Europe and the US, with the aim of becoming “the market leader” in zero emission commercial vehicles.

The deal will see Tevva’s existing 110,000sq ft EV manufacturing facility in Tilbury, complemented by ElectraMeccanica's recently-commissioned 235,000sq ft facility in Mesa, Arizona, enabling the merged company to scale its production to serve the UK, European and US markets.

The merger, which is expected to close in Q4 2023, will also accelerate Tevva’s entrance into the US market and deliver approximately $5m of annual cost savings by the year-end of 2024.

Tevva will also receive a $6m credit facility from ElectraMeccanica as part of the agreement to Tevva to help accelerate delivery of Tevva commercial vehicles to fleet customers.

The merged company, which will operate as Tevva Inc, is expected to be domiciled in Delaware in the US, trading on Nasdaq.

Once the transaction is completed, ElectraMeccanica shareholders will own 23.5% and Tevva shareholders will own 76.5% of the merged company, which is expected to have a cash balance of approximately $70m – $80m , with debt of around $26m.

David Roberts, current director of Tevva, who is expected to become the executive chairman of the merged company, said: “Since Tevva's founding more than ten years ago, we have focused our engineering and product development capabilities on developing a portfolio of zero-emission commercial vehicles that have generated significant customer interest.

“Our vehicles have undertaken more than 300,000 miles of testing and operating experience in real-world conditions by demanding fleet operators.

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“We are excited to merge with ElectraMeccanica and accelerate the growth of the combined company.

“Throughout the process, we have been impressed with ElectraMeccanica's management team and strongly believe that ElectraMeccanica’s complementary assets, skills and capital will further enhance our advantages in this large and rapidly growing market.”

Susan Docherty, chief executive officer of ElectraMeccanica, who is to become chief executive of the merged entity, added: “We are incredibly excited to partner with Tevva given their unique engineering expertise in an essential segment of a large and growing market.

“We believe this is the right time and Tevva is the right partner with which to pivot from consumer vehicles to commercial vehicles and respond to commercial fleet customer demand for superior, reliable and cost-efficient trucks.

“The complementary operations of the two companies and our similar values and mission give me complete confidence we can jointly create significant shareholder value.

“Tevva is extremely well positioned in the UK and European market and our world-class manufacturing facilities, combined experienced senior executive team and balance sheet will help take our combined company to the next level.”

Steven Sanders, chairman of the ElectraMeccanica board of directors, added: “By partnering with Tevva, we are providing our shareholders with a unique opportunity to participate in the accelerated and technology-driven growth prospects of the combined company in ways that also logically extend and leverage ElectraMeccanica’s existing assets and strengths.”

The merged company will consist of nine directors - five from Tevva and four from ElectraMeccanica, with Docherty becoming chief executive.

Docherty joined ElectraMeccanica in December 2022 as chief executive and has over 40 years of senior leadership experience, including 30 years of international automotive experience at General Motors where she held a number of senior roles including president and MD of Chevrolet/Cadillac Europe.

David Roberts, board director at Tevva for three years, will become executive chairman. He has previously held executive positions with Chrysler and Aston Martin Lagonda.

For more stories tracking the industry journey to decarbonisation see our new Freight Carbon Zero website.

The post Tevva to merge with US EV designer ElectraMeccanica as it moves to scale up production and target US market appeared first on Motor Transport.

The study, by financial guidance specialists Claro Wellbeing, found that 15% of employees in the sector have experienced burnout - a state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by work stress.

The poll of 1,000 UK-based employees was published in the company’s Wellbeing Washing – The True Cost report, which seeks to uncover the disparity between organisations’ public displays of support for mental health initiatives and actual support for mental wellbeing.

The report points to the current skills shortage in the sector as largely responsible for the amount of unpaid overtime being worked by employees. The logistics sector is expected to have worker shortages totalling 400,000 people by 2026.

Over one in five (21%) employees said they work between one and five hours extra, in overtime, each week. Almost a quarter (24%) of employees said they work beyond their contracted hours due to increased workloads, the study found.

Previous Claro Wellbeing research found that 15% of employees in the sector have experienced burnout.

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Stacey Lowman, head of employee wellbeing at Claro Wellbeing, said: “The number of employees in the transport and logistics sector working unpaid overtime each week is concerning due to the impact it can have on their personal wellbeing.

“While companies are facing tough trading conditions as they continue to feel instability following the pandemic and Brexit, the cost of neglecting staff wellbeing could be significant.

“Continued overworking is likely to lead to poor wellbeing, burnout, an increased chance of mental health issues and staff taking sickness absence.

She added: “Employers are also likely to see a higher staff turnover rate as employees leave for a better working environment. This is an issue already facing the sector with many companies experiencing difficulties in recruitment.

“A comprehensive benefits offering can aid wellbeing and help employees deal with workplace stresses. Employers are beginning to recognise the need for better mental health support, as this was the most introduced employee benefit in the last year.

“Similarly, sabbaticals and paid time off are also increasingly popular benefits, as work-life balance continues to climb up the list of priorities for employees. Despite this, it’s clear that there’s much more to be done to prevent burnout.”

The post Burnt-out Britain: A third of transport and logistics staff work unpaid overtime appeared first on Motor Transport.

However the trial also found that the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is 36% more expensive to run than its diesel equivalent and almost twice as expensive to operate as a comparative battery electric -powered vehicle (BEV).

Fuel costs per mile for First Hydrogen’s FCEV amounted to 31p per mile, compared to 22p per mile for the diesel equivalent and 18p for a similar sized battery electric vehicle (BEV).

However the report acknowledges that those costs are set to fall below the cost of diesel by 2030, pointing to an analysis by the Hydrogen UK Transport Working Group, which predicts fuel costs are expected to decrease to £7.47 per kg by 2025 and as low as £4.09/kg by the end of the decade, which in the case of First Hydrogen’s vehicle equates to a cost of 13.7p per mile.

The report on the trial added: “This reduction, in combination with an increase in diesel prices due to associated CO2 emissions and the shrinking number of diesel vehicles on the road, will lead to cost parity with hydrogen at some point.”

The four-week trial of First Hydrogen’s FCEV saw Rivus engineers cover over 700 miles of testing, totalling over 47 hours of driving.

Tests were completed on diverse routes involving urban city centre driving, navigating extra urban routes, and driving combined routes, including a mix of low-speed city centre roads, higher speed roads and motorways.

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Rivus also tested the van both empty and loaded to 90% of its maximum weight capacity, to reflect the way vans are used in the real world and to give a more realistic indication of performance.

Trial analysis reveals that the van achieved 500km (311 miles) on a 10.3kg tank of hydrogen, which the report concluded makes hydrogen power a viable option for fleet operators that cover a high mileage and may not have the opportunity to re-charge a battery.

The report said: “It’s impressive to see a zero-emission vehicle with such robust performance, and therefore a wider range of use cases.”

Gemma Horne, Rivus warranty controller, took part in the trials and best described the overall experience as “brilliant”. She added: “The main benefit I see is that it takes less than five minutes to refuel, meaning the refuelling times are quicker than BEV charging times.

“Of course, unlike internal combustion engines, hydrogen vehicles produce zero emissions. The vehicle was very comfortable to drive. If this was my daily work vehicle, I would be happy with that.”

However, she noted that there were some issues with refuelling which need to be tackled. She explained: “First Hydrogen’s LCV tanks are much larger than those in a car. The refuelling station often cuts off as it is not used to delivering a large volume of hydrogen. We will feedback to the refuelling stations with this critical piece of feedback.”

Steve Gill, First Hydrogen’s automotive chief executive, said: “We are delighted that Rivus has managed to prove that this technology can be a viable option for many fleets.

“The trial also showed that the vehicle ran with excellent efficiency, comfortably achieving more than a 500km range on a single tank of fuel, exceeding the early performance expectations we set for real world driving.

“We have always been confident that our vehicle will offer benefits to fleets, and this first trial is evidence of just that.”

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