Newsflow grabs GN
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• Road transport has tightened its grip on the distribution of newspapers with the news that Mirror Group's national papers will be distributed by Newsflow from 1 July.
The decision to distribute the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and People by road comes four months after Newsflow was set up to distribute the London Daily News in London.
End to rail
Newsflow's latest contract, which ends 80 years of distribution of Mirror titles by the railways, is markedly different from the contract for the London Daily News. Under the agreement reached between NFC subsidiary Newsflow and Robert Maxwell — owner of both the London Daily News and the Mirror Group titles — Newsflow will collect papers from two printing plants & distribute them via seven break bulk depots to some 330 wholesalers around the country.
Doug Cartin, Newsflow's managing director, says the operation will expand on Saturday nights to deal with the heavier Sunday newspapers, which are delivered to between 800 and 900 direct agents around the country.
Approximately 150 new vehicles will be required for the contract, says Cartin, and these will include Volkswagen LT45Ds, 7.5-tonne Roadrunners, 16-tonne Freighters, and several 32tonne draw bar units, including ERFs and Leylands. Most of these vehicles will be bought on an operational lease basis, though Cartin says Newsflow "has already made a speculative investment in some vehicles." looking to build on the Mirror contract: "We originally set-up Newsflow's management and control with an eye for fast growth in the newspaper business," says Cartin, "and the remainder of the national titles will be looking closer at road distribution following the Mirror contract."