Container slump hits Macintyre

Macintyre Transport, which is part of the Turners (Soham) Group, has been forced to make 15 HGV drivers redundant at its Knowsley depot due to a fall in the volume of container work with client MSC Shipping.

upgrade to ePOD scanning devices, commencing this month, enabling Tuffnells to take full advantage of the latest in scanning technology.

A large portion of the investment funds will also be used to upgrade the material-handling equipment in Tuffnells’ depots to ensure greater care and safety during the collection and delivery process.

These new financial commitments are in addition to ongoing investments in health and safety and network security, as well as continued improvements to customer services.

Turners (Soham) MD Paul Day told MT: “MSC has its own fleet and this fleet is utilised first, followed by the various subcontractors MSC uses.

“Unfortunately there isn’t a sufficient volume of containers to utilise the 15 drivers – Macintyre hasn’t lost any contracts, it’s [a result of] the reduction in overall volume.”

Ports across the UK have been reporting a fall in container volumes for some time. The Port of Liverpool, which Macintyre’s Knowsley depot serves, has reported a marked decline in 2022, pointing to rising interest rates, higher energy costs and weakening consumer demand for manufactured and imported goods.