DoE investigates
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• Up to 80 local authorities face investigation by the Department of the Environment following allegations by private contractors that they are being prevented from winning council contracts. The Public and Local Service Efficiency Campaign (PULSE) alleges that some councils are asking for large "performance bonds", and are placing unreasonable time limits and documentation conditions on private contractors.
Bottomley sues
• Transport minister Peter Bottomley has issued writs for libel over articles which appeared in the News of the World and the Mail on Sunday on 21 May.
Tiphook bids
• Container specialist Tiphook is joining with Swedish ferry group Stem to bid £512m for Sea Containers, the Sealink ferries and container group.
Eadie expands
III Transport equipment specialist Eadie Holdings plans to acquire truck wheel distributor Cambria (Wheels Division), for a maximum of 26 million.
UFO in Morley
• Dewsbury-based Universal Freight Organisation has bought Hargreaves, the Morley-based distribution company, which has been renamed UFO Distribution and will be based at UFO's Woodkirk headquarters.
MCW in doubt
• The future of bus, coach and taxi builder MetroCanimell Weymann is still in doubt following Laird Group's £44.5 million sale of MCW's sister company Metro-Cammell, which builds trains, to GEC.
Aussie trailers
• York Group has acquired Australian trailer suspension manufacturer Sinclair, giving it the capacity to produce suspensions for square-beamed axles. York claims leadership of the Australian trailer axle and suspension market in Australia, four years after entering it.