Covid and driver shortage force haulage firm out of business

A DERBYSHIRE haulage business has fallen into administration with the loss of 35 jobs after the impact of Covid and struggle to find HGV drivers.

Sprintdeliver’s assets have now been put up for sale and the business has stopped trading.

It had encountered significant financial challenges due both to the impact of the pandemic on trading and the availability HGV drivers heightened after Brexit.

Neil Morley and Howard Smith, of Interpath Advisory, were appointed joint administrators on Monday.

In a statement, they confirmed the 35-strong workforce had been made redundant and the business and assets have been put up for sale.

Across the UK amid Covid, Brexit and other factors have hit HGV driver recruitment. The Road Haulage Association says there is a shortage of 100,000 drivers. Before Covid the estimated figure was 60,000.

Mr Morley said: “Haulage companies up and down the country are currently facing significant challenges, not least an acute shortage of HGV drivers, which in turn is resulting in increased wage costs and higher staff turnover. Unfortunately, these challenges proved to be insurmountable for Sprintdeliver, prompting the director to take the difficult decision to place the company into administration.

“Our priority in the coming days is to assist the employees in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Office, while we also seek buyers for the company’s business and assets.”