Scots' new package
Page 5
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THE FIRST major attempt to merge Roadline UK and National Carriers activities has taken place following the establishment of Scottish Parcels Ltd, a new company under the wing of the three-weekold Scottish Freight Company.
To be headed by former National Carriers Scottish regional managing director Bill Glenroy, SP will gain an identity of its own by the end of this year, but will continue to trade under the two national brand names meantime.
One of the biggest hurdles yet to be overcome will be union representation. NC's staff are represented by railway unions, while the Transport and General Workers Union negotiates on behalf of most at Roadline.
The frictions which the impending merger could cause are already a matter of concern to both management and unions, and will occupy much of the initial workload of SFC's group personnel manager, Roadline Northern regional personnel manager Victor Ross who joins on February 15.
Scottish Freight managing director John Copland, who is also chairman of SP and Scottish Road Services, hinted this week that jobs will disappear when the new management structure takes effect.
Already, Roadline's Scottish regional director Ian McNab has left NFC.
Mr Copland said that early changes are inevitable, in view of the economic climate, but added: "We are committed to establishing a profitable business in Scotland which is founded on the provision of top quality service to our customers.
"We shall seek the most costeffective methods of achieving this, and though there will be difficulties, we look forward to the co-operation of the many skilled transport professionals in our staff and to the continuing support of our many customer friends in trade and industry."
SFC added that the new parcels company will continue to be linked with the national activities of NFC's parcels companies, collecting and delivering their traffic in Scotland.
Day-to-day management of SRS is now in the hands of Len Small, formerly its marketing director. Along with Mr Glenroy and SFC finance director Douglas Leithead,.he will serve on the SFC board.
SFC says that SRS will continue to operate its present ser vices and will continue to offer such national BRS product lines as Truck Rental and BRS Rescue.
It will maintain close contact with BRS group companies, and is expected to take over the contract services, and other nonparcels activities of SP in due course.
As part of the move towards a centralised management structure, NC's Scottish contracts manager, Bill Clark, becomes SFC group marketing manager later this month.