customer and fails
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• A Lancashire haulage firm has ceased trading, leaving 56 drivers out of work after the loss of a major distribution contract.
The closure of Rawtenstallbased B Barnes & Sons came after a "major customer", rumoured to be discount retailer Makro, "decided to switch its business to other haulage firms".
The contract is said to have accounted for 30-40% of Barnes' activity, which involved the nationwide distribution of goods such as household textiles and footwear.
Despite efforts by the company to come up with a rescue plan, trading ceased on 2 January and the company will be wound up in the next few months. The firm's fleet, which comprises around 100 curtainsided and boxvan rigids, trac
tive units and trailers, wil auctioned by Malcolm Harr at the end of the month.
Barnes began trading family business in 1910 but I became part of the CheE based IPT Group. Kevin IPT's human resources r ager, was unavailable for c ment. but in a statemen. concludes there was no "c fix" and that some opt
would involve signifi investment by IPT".
He adds: "Everyone made a tremendous e: over the past couple of WI to look at all the possibili but we must now direct energies towards helping employees find new jobs w ever possible."
B Barnes & Sons' rnam David Barnes declined comment. The company no debt.