Sad that another long standing haulier has decided to call it a day 
Sad, but not surprising.
Seen a few of Their wagons this week and some rather glum looking drivers.
Been going a long while these so very sad,lost Richard reed from the same area not so long ago too.
Funny how one Gloucester haulier seemed to grow massively while these 2 have gone,
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.
Harry Monk:
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.
So how come S&K are still running?
Maybe it was a failure of management to adapt to changing market place?
In Bristol Post it said the family members were not actively involved in running the company and the transport manager was 66. The family members just simply did the usual sweat the assets and sell them off to get the money now. As to the old transport manager there are many disadvantages to having a person in the office for. such a long time one of them being lack of vision for the future of the business.
Its tough out there, but which industry isn’t these days?
i read somwhere very few business carry on into a thrid generation, around only half make it through 2 generations, for what ever reasons. ever increasing risks and costs with ever decreasing returns is a problem. a worthwhile return via a sustainable furture must be visable for people to be willing to put the graft and risk in.
I hurd once that reads did well at one time cause they were a ERF dealer aswell. this ment thay could buy trucks at trade price and run then for x amount of years and then sell them off for same price thay paid for them. great advantage to have. course ERF went along time ago now. then i hurd wincanton came along years ago and undercut them, and ran contracts that were unsustainable. didnt stobarts nearly go under recently too…?
so much industry is run on unsustainable margins now. its not about long term stability or the pride of a company name and keeping locals in jobs anymore. those days are long passed. look at that food delivery company, almost never declared a profit. one of its top people paid himself 59 million recently or so i hurd. think thay care about keeping hard working lads in work or weather the company will still be around in years to come…? no there making good for themselfs while the goings good.
Wouldn’t be closing, due to the land being worth enough to retire on,and have no worrys in life…■■
Riho:
Harry Monk:
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.So how come S&K are still running?
Maybe it was a failure of management to adapt to changing market place?
In Bristol Post it said the family members were not actively involved in running the company and the transport manager was 66. The family members just simply did the usual sweat the assets and sell them off to get the money now. As to the old transport manager there are many disadvantages to having a person in the office for. such a long time one of them being lack of vision for the future of the business.
Its tough out there, but which industry isn’t these days?
Have to agree with this.
Harry, I understand your point of view, but as Riho says that the owners are no longer busy with the day to day running of the company then that for me says enough about their lack of commitment to keep the company running.
Yes it’s tough out there, but you have to adjust to the times to keep any business successful.
Riho:
Harry Monk:
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.So how come S&K are still running?
Maybe it was a failure of management to adapt to changing market place?
In Bristol Post it said the family members were not actively involved in running the company and the transport manager was 66. The family members just simply did the usual sweat the assets and sell them off to get the money now. As to the old transport manager there are many disadvantages to having a person in the office for. such a long time one of them being lack of vision for the future of the business.
Its tough out there, but which industry isn’t these days?
S@K it is company with one big chemical contract.
Riho:
Harry Monk:
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.So how come S&K are still running?
Maybe it was a failure of management to adapt to changing market place?
In Bristol Post it said the family members were not actively involved in running the company and the transport manager was 66. The family members just simply did the usual sweat the assets and sell them off to get the money now. As to the old transport manager there are many disadvantages to having a person in the office for. such a long time one of them being lack of vision for the future of the business.
Its tough out there, but which industry isn’t these days?
Have you worked for Skinned and Knackered?
One reason why international work has been taken over by East European companies, or Western companies flagged out to Eastern Europe, is that British, and West European, drivers, wont work away for weeks, and not work for peanuts anymore.
Mentions a shortage of drivers as one of the elements in the equation…?
Open a depot in Suffolk you’d have a que to drive em considering yet another has firm round here’s folded recently.
Truly sad to see another going, I really do think we will simply soon see 3 big corporates doing everything in haulage and that will be that.
Wanna know how the world’s heading…
watch Disney’s WALL-E, it’ll all just be one big corporate running the show an whilst we float around space vegetating [emoji849]
Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
biggriffin:
Wouldn’t be closing, due to the land being worth enough to retire on,and have no worrys in life…■■
Doubt their land will be worth a lot , it’s relatively small and in the middle of a run down estate next to A38 …not really prime house building land , although you would be able to see downtons empire from your bedroom window 
But very sad news indeed , hopefully all the drivers find decent work quickly
spike78:
biggriffin:
Wouldn’t be closing, due to the land being worth enough to retire on,and have no worrys in life…■■Doubt their land will be worth a lot , it’s relatively small and in the middle of a run down estate next to A38 …not really prime house building land , although you would be able to see downtons empire from your bedroom window
But very sad news indeed , hopefully all the drivers find decent work quickly
Downtons are usually looking for drivers.
jrt:
i hurd wincanton came along years ago and undercut them, and ran contracts that were unsustainable. didnt stobarts nearly go under recently too…?
so much industry is run on unsustainable margins now.
It’s because of ■■■■ s like that the job is as crap as it is now… 
They put those rates in knowing they can sustain them by paying their drivers ■■■■ money.
the nodding donkey:
Riho:
Harry Monk:
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.So how come S&K are still running?
Maybe it was a failure of management to adapt to changing market place?
In Bristol Post it said the family members were not actively involved in running the company and the transport manager was 66. The family members just simply did the usual sweat the assets and sell them off to get the money now. As to the old transport manager there are many disadvantages to having a person in the office for. such a long time one of them being lack of vision for the future of the business.
Its tough out there, but which industry isn’t these days?
Have you worked for Skinned and Knackered?
One reason why international work has been taken over by East European companies, or Western companies flagged out to Eastern Europe, is that British, and West European, drivers, wont work away for weeks, and not work for peanuts anymore.
At S@K most drivers can easy work Monday-Friday/Saturday.Most delivery go from Barry to Belgium(Wilrijk and one more place).One trip about 2-3 day.And just no so many truck go to Italy,Spain or…
Some interesting nostalgic pictures on their Facebook page , standby for the inevitable story’s of the good ol days sleeping on a plank across the seats if you were lucky and driving 26hrs a day lol…
spike78:
But very sad news indeed , hopefully all the drivers find decent work quickly
They were all old boys so hopefully only days from retirement.
Harry Monk:
Like many a British international transport company, their business model just couldn’t withstand the far lower cost base of eastern European companies competing for their work. They weren’t the first and they won’t be the last.
It’s not even that. When where I’m at decide to play at haulage company from time to time they leave the sheet on with what they’re getting paid to do the run along with the collection notes. I’m not going to mention rates but if that’s what general haulage pays it comes as no surprise companies are going under as it barely meets the running costs assuming that you’re not waiting hours to load/unload nor have to take a 20 mile diversion for whatever reason.
mrginge:
spike78:
But very sad news indeed , hopefully all the drivers find decent work quicklyThey were all old boys so hopefully only days from retirement.
And ladies… well, one and she doesn’t look that old.
biggriffin:
Wouldn’t be closing, due to the land being worth enough to retire on,and have no worrys in life…■■
The yard is down a single track lane behind what’s left of the old Quedgely RAF site. It’s called stank lane, which I can’t imagine many developers would want to take on for marketing. It’s also surprisingly small.