News

Bosses at network Palletforce have been left red-faced after a temporary member with links to its collapsed predecessor itself went bust after just five months.

Purple Transport of Whetstone, Leicester, ceased trading last week with the loss of 14 jobs. Andy Bonner from Purple confirms this week that the company was in the process of going into liquidation. "Liquidators are being appointed as we speak," he says.

The company had a temporary contract with Palletforce, after being  set up by Bonner and Pete Astbury in their wives' names - Sally Astbury and Wendy Bonner - on September 13, 2006. This was just two weeks before Venture Distribution, run by Bonner and Astbury, went into administration. Venture Distribution had been a Palletforce member for just under six years at the time of the collapse.

Palletforce chief executive Mick Scarlett says: "Palletforce terminated its shareholder membership agreement with Venture Distribution and told Bonner that Palletforce could not give Purple Transport shareholder membership as it did not meet the network's criteria."

The network subsequently gave Purple Transport a six-month temporary contract to cover parts of the LE postcode while Palletforce sourced a new permanent depot.

Palletforce has replaced Venture Distribution with three new permanent members: Woodall Transport, John Jempson & Son, and S&J European Haulage.

Motor Transport has learned that Bonner is now working as a traffic planner at Route1 Euro.com - run by his brother Mike Bonner. In a further twist, Route 1 Euro.com, a member of United Pallet Network has served notice and plans to join rival network, The Pallet Network.