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Alert sounded on firm 'with history'

19th November 1998
Page 6
Page 6, 19th November 1998 — Alert sounded on firm 'with history'
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

INVESTIGATION by Charles Young • Hauliers are warning against accepting work from two directors who have run no fewer than four freight forwarding firms since 1993 and have had at least 20 County Court Judgments awarded against them.

The directors, Jeff Lewis and his son Michael Lewis, are now running North London-based freight forwarders Federation Freight. But CM has learnt that the two have been involved with four previous logistics companies in the past five years (see panel).

One haulier, who was offered a back load from France at a rate which seemed too good to be true, checked its records only to discover the firm "had a history".

Despite telling the haulier that this was their first company, Jeff Lewis has admitted to CM that he had run Bellfreight Transport and Great Freight and that he had some involvement with EU Freight. He denies any knowledge of another firm, Meridian Logistics.

Lewis says he isn't sure what all the CC.Is were awarded for but admits that some of them were for "non-payment".

He also says that the two firms (Bellfreight and Great Freight) were hit by bad debts and "weren't able to meet their commitments".

To the best of his knowledge Lewis thinks Great Freight has not been liquidated but has ceased trading as "he was no longer able to meet their liabilities". EU Freight, which started up exactly a year after Great Freight, also "hadn't been wound up", Lewis believes.

He denies leaving one company to start another, saying it wasn't as simple as that. He adds that Federation Freight is a legitimate business and that it is paying its subcontractors. He declines to name any subhies who are happy with his payment record. He is not prepared to comment further, saying he needs time to establish what happened with the previous firms. Jeff and Michael Lewis's company history • October 1993: Meridian Logistics formed—M Lewis listed as director.

• July 1994: Great Freight formed—both listed as directors; 13 CM totalling H3,572.

• July 1995: EU Freight formed—both listed as directors; four CCls totaffing £6,818.

• October 1996: Bellfreight formed--hoth listed as directors; seven Geis totalling £10,424.

• 1997: Federation Freight formed—both directors.

Tags

Organisations: European Union
Locations: London

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