Modernise for good times
Page 26
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THE Laing Group's diversification (CM last week) into road haulage must arouse mixed feelings, particularly in the Southern counties — the first base is now operating at Andover.
At a time when haulage rates are depressed, the advent of a further 20 32-tonners by the end of 1976, with as many more to be added in 1977, may be bad for the morale of struggling operators.
In reality, the Laingfreight venture can be seen as a harbinger of good times to come for road hauliers astute enough to modernise their fleets.
Laing's Plant and Transport Services, which fathered this foray into the fierce jungle of road haulage, has long experience of road transport operation and maintenance. The Group as a whole operate nearly 3,000 vehicles so they are unlikely to be short of managerial and operating types who can survive in a market no less competitive than construction.
A comprehensive market survey of the future prospects for road haulage in this country encouraged the highly professional board of directors to commit up to a million pounds for the Andover project alone; another depot is projected at Heywood. Lancs, ideally situated off M62.
I send my good wishes for the success of this venture to Charles Bowles, John Gingell and Peter Townsend, of Laing's Plant and Transport services division. As directors of Laingfreight, under chairman John Charnley, these men can make a unique contribution to an industry that thrives on new blood and new thinking.