Sisson & French founder speaks of regret of not saving firm after sale
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By Chris Tindall ONE OF THE FOUNDERS of Ilkeston, Derbyshire-based haulier Sisson & French has told of his sadness that the 17-year-old business has had its licence revoked and is the subject of a winding-up petition.
Robert Sisson, who along with Martin French sold the company last year to businessman William Ferguson, says the drivers and staff were like family to him.
CM revealed last week (4 August) that Sisson & French is beset with problems after a proposal to strike it off was lodged at Companies House, its licence for nine vehicles and 21 trailers was revoked by the Trafic Commissioner and a creditor presented a petition in Derby County Court to wind it up.
Sisson says he agreed with Ferguson to sell the company to a irm called Crest Associates in a deal inanced by Boston Commercial Finance and similar to the sales of failed irms Eric Short Haulage and John Mack (Haulage).
Companies House documents show that Ferguson, as well as Joseph Crane and Thomas Armstrong, all held directorships at Crest Associates before it was struck off and dissolved on 21 June. Crane and Armstrong became directors of Sisson & French when Ferguson resigned three months after buying the haulier. Crane resigned in February, but Armstrong remains sole director. Sisson says he is still being paid in instalments for the company and that the payments are up to date. “We tried to sell the business as it was, mainly to protect the jobs. Some of the guys had been there for years,” he says.
“We could have made redundancies, broken the company up and sold the equipment, but we thought the best thing to do was sell.” Armstrong says Sisson & French “hasn’t failed” and that it still trades.