Tuffnells in adminstration

[skotl]

Just got this email from FH Brundle - sad news that Tuffnells have gone into administration (although it seems that other companies are buying up chunks of the business so hopefully some people will be looked after).

 

[Robotstar5]

We had them deliver some PVC roofing sheets last year, they managed to lose a 3m x 1m bundle.

 

[Richiew]

Tuffnells happily carried long items like 6m lengths of steel. Not sure how many other carriers do that.

 

[mrsbruce]

I’ve never had a problem with the Tuffnells drivers. There again, most times it’s the same chap, and we’ve got to the “Hi Mo, do you want this stuff round the back and put in the hut?” stage.

Hope he’s got something else organised for himself.

 

[xmetal]

That's a shame. They delivered a motorcycle lift to me a few years ago. The driver even helped me put the long box on to my dollies so I could easily move it.

 

[Pond frog]

I hate to see any company go under but in my experience Tufnell we’re amazingly incompetent

 

[Trevorleach]

2200 jobs lost, on the plus side their is work everywhere for everyone.

 

[premmington]

I struggle to see how carriers fail in this internet/everything delivered world we live in. But they do...

It seems to be the "next size up" from small parcel carriers - that struggle and fail thou!

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I read in a motortrade paper - Parcelforce has just ordered 1000 new Merc Sprinters for people who sub into them for delivery - and they all white and not gonna be sign written up. 1000 vans in a "oner".

 

[8ob]

2200 jobs lost, on the plus side their is work everywhere for everyone.

True of the drivers and warehouse staff, they will get snapped up by the competition. Might not be so easy for the admin staff.

Bob

 

[Trevorleach]

I struggle to see how carriers fail in this internet/everything delivered world we live in. But they do...

It seems to be the "next size up" from small parcel carriers - that struggle and fail thou!

----------

I read in a motortrade paper - Parcelforce has just ordered 1000 new Merc Sprinters for people who sub into them for delivery - and they all white and not gonna be sign written up. 1000 vans in a "oner".

Good luck with that, getting Merc parts is a real lottery at the minute, all the merc truck delaers were full of trucks awaiting parts, some had been there for months.
Fwd one are poo.

 

[mechman]

I struggle to see how carriers fail in this internet/everything delivered world we live in. But they do...

It seems to be the "next size up" from small parcel carriers - that struggle and fail thou!

----------

I read in a motortrade paper - Parcelforce has just ordered 1000 new Merc Sprinters for people who sub into them for delivery - and they all white and not gonna be sign written up. 1000 vans in a "oner".

White Sprinters, The rust will be noticeable earlier.

 

[4String.]

I struggle to see how carriers fail in this internet/everything delivered world we live in. But they do...

One of the main reasons is the UK road haulage industry is so staggeringly cutthroat.

When I was unfortunate enough to live in Hull some years ago I drove an artic for a company who were part of Pallex and a regular job was loading 26 pallets of bagged aggregates from a yard near Snaith which we delivered straight to the main Pallex hub near Coalville. We lost the work after being undercut by £1 per pallet, which doesn't sound much but when you multiply £26 by 4 loads each day, 5 days a week, it adds up. I can remember my old boss telling me that he wasn't overly worried because the job wasn't hugely profitable to him so he refused to enter into a bidding war, and the guy who undercut him would no doubt suffer the same fate. Unsurprisingly, we later learnt the he'd been undercut by 50p per pallet...

I'm still amazed that haulage operators will spend in excess of £100K on a lorry and trailer only to to argue for £10 to get a load, which is why I'm incredibly relieved that I'm no longer working in the "hire and reward" sector.

 

[Johnnybravo]

Tuffnells service went for a Burton about two years ago, so not surprised. DX is my go to courier now for 3m and longer deliveries

 

[Domdom]

One of the main reasons is the UK road haulage industry is so staggeringly cutthroat.

When I was unfortunate enough to live in Hull some years ago I drove an artic for a company who were part of Pallex and a regular job was loading 26 pallets of bagged aggregates from a yard near Snaith which we delivered straight to the main Pallex hub near Coalville. We lost the work after being undercut by £1 per pallet, which doesn't sound much but when you multiply £26 by 4 loads each day, 5 days a week, it adds up. I can remember my old boss telling me that he wasn't overly worried because the job wasn't hugely profitable to him so he refused to enter into a bidding war, and the guy who undercut him would no doubt suffer the same fate. Unsurprisingly, we later learnt the he'd been undercut by 50p per pallet...

I'm still amazed that haulage operators will spend in excess of £100K on a lorry and trailer only to to argue for £10 to get a load, which is why I'm incredibly relieved that I'm no longer working in the "hire and reward" sector.

It’s not just haulage, it’s all delivery networks. One of our delivery chaps moved from Amazon to Evri for £10 a day. And the price squeezing is largely down to “free delivery”, which we all know is not free, just buried in the price of the goods. Example, Stanley knife in Wickes is 5.80, Amazon with free delivery is 8 Quid. Not so free then.

But riddle me this, ordinary folks want free delivery to the point of paying for Amazon Prime, yet in the same day they happily fill up at motorway services for 15p a litre more than a supermarket. Makes no sense to me.

 

[My Old Landy]

They may have been bought out:

Tuffnells' Plymouth parcel depot saved from closure

Plymouth's fast growing logistics tech firm Shift set to open network of 25 depots including one at Lee Mill

www.plymouthherald.co.uk

 

[Blobber]

My memories of Tuffnells were a big grumpy driver moaning about a 6 foot tall plant in a big pot rolling around in the back of his truck, cursing and swearing about it he was but didnt have the brains to stand it up and put a strap around it to the side of the truck, at one point I ordered 10 lengths of 100mm soil pipe as it must have been cheap, only 9 turned up as they had broken 1 !!!

 

[gav0994]

Just got this email from FH Brundle - sad news that Tuffnells have gone into administration (although it seems that other companies are buying up chunks of the business so hopefully some people will be looked after).

View attachment 406865

I had a short section of round tube ordered from a seller on eBay beginning of June coming, unknown to me at the time, via Tufnells - It never arrived as they went into administration the day after collecting my parcel from the seller.

After a week of waiting for the parcel, I contacted the seller, who advised it had been sent via Tufnells, and that they were attempting to recover all their parcels but couldn't say when or if they would manage to get them. Refund offered and accepted.

Shame, as a decade ago, Tufnells were definitely one of the best couriers for larger parcels/pallets.