United Carriers speeds up
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• Parcels firm United Carriers is likely to need up to 170 more drivers over the next two years as it moves towards becoming a next-day carrier, turning its back on three-day traffic.
United Carriers' chief executive John Toyne says the company will have to expand its network by some 15-17 satellite depots with another 5-10 drivers needed at each site.
Next-day work is currently the fastest growing sector of the parcels market. Restructuring will mean turning depots which previously handled three-day traffic into next-day operations; the company's management is also talking to staff about possible changes to shift patterns.
Toyne spoke of the expansion as the company issued a profits warning. Before Christmas heavy demand for next-day services caught the company by surprise, causing costs to rise. The loss of a contract with computer giant Compaq also hit profits and revenue.
As a result, the recently floated United Carriers says profits will not meet previous estimates. Analysts had expected 1997 profits to reach about C3,5rn: Toyne believes they will only he slightly ahead of last year's figure of £2.1m.