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Fish carrier to close

5th December 1991
Page 14
Page 14, 5th December 1991 — Fish carrier to close
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• The Transport Development Group is shutting the only lossmaking part of its storage subsidiary, Charles Alexander & Partners (Transport).

The subsidiary lost nearly Lim in 1990 and continued to lose money, but at a lower rate, this year.

It distributed fish across the UK through a hub network of 10 depots and a 150-strong fleet. The fleet contained vehi des from one tonne to 38 tonnes which distributed to customers from fish and chip shops to fish wholesalers. There will be 275 job losses from the closure, 125 in Scotland and the rest from the depots.

Losses were incurred because of "dramatically falling volumes", says storage division managing director Paul Byrne. This is partly due to fishing quotas and loss of the market from fishmongers to large supermark e t chains, which often handle their own distribution, he says.

The closure was partly influenced by problems with a contract delivering to London fish wholesalers, who were considering retendering.

Other Charles Alexander activities, including ice production, two cold stores in Aberdeen and 18 refrigerated vehicles which distribute fish to Billingsgate, Birmingham, Humberside, Fleetwood and Boulogne in France are not affected by the closure.

The two cold stores offer 24,000m of frozen and chilled storage for fish, meat, butter and poultry. Byrne says the remaining vehicles could be used to offer a new distribution service to these customers as well as fish producers.

Byrne says any offers to buy the company as a going concern will be considered.

TDG's storage subsidiary is the second largest of TDG's seven divisions after its distribution division.

Tags

People: Paul Byrne
Locations: Aberdeen, London, Birmingham

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