Tanfield Group - guest blogger
Hi there, well can't take credit for this one as all info provided by 'john smith' not his real name, but asked to remain annonymous. Thanks for all the info 'john'...over to you!
http://finance.google.com/finance?q=SEA%3ATAN
Well, Tanfield? Tanfield group started out as an engineering company based on an industrial estate in a little town in Co Durham called Tanfield Lea. They got involved with another local company, Smith Electric Vehicle's, which produced mainly milk floats. Recently bought out an American company called Upright. Upright build electric lifts for work areas, cherry pickers and scisor lifts.
The Smith Electric is probably the main noise at the moment, with M&S and TNT trialing the 7.5 tonner they call the Newton. TNT are said to be buying 200 depending on the results of the trial. And I guess other city centre delivery firms will be loking at the results, since vitually no running costs, or congestion charges, thought the trucks do cost almost twice that of a diesel truck. Kevin Harkin of Smith Elecric is in the USA at a show, doing some sale pitch I guess. http://www.eyefortransport.com/fuel/agenda.shtml
Upright are starting to make a bit of noise too. Recently they relaunched in the USA at the so called prestigeous Rental Show.
http://www.tanfieldgroup.co.uk/Newsletter_Upright_Issue30.html
The factory they've just opened is currently on a day shift production, and they are looking to start another shift soon. I've applied for a job there, and got a letter stating this. Plus I know a few people working there.
Tanfield were recently at a rail show too, but I don't know in what capacity. They have a company that supplies fork lifts and things like that so it could have been that.
http://www.railtex.co.uk/
http://www.sev.co.uk/ or maybe http://www.jumbotugs.co.uk/
Press bit, Observer, there's no link now
The future is green for UK's white van menTerry SlavinSunday February 18, 2007
The Observer
A small Tyneside company that has manufactured milk floats for 80 years is aiming to turn 'white van man' green by producing what it claims are the world's largest zero-emissions commercial vehicles.
The first battery-powered delivery vans off the Smith Electric Vehicles production line in December were snapped up by logistics operator TNT, Starbucks, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer, but many other major retailers are in talks to buy the vans, the company says.
They have a top speed of 50mph and a range of 130 miles between battery recharges. On top of their green credentials, the vehicles are exempt from the London congestion charge and road tax.M&S said the vans could replace its urban diesel fleet and potentially play a large role in helping it become carbon-neutral.
It is a stunning turnaround for Washington-based Smith Electric Vehicles, which has seen its milk-float business curdle over the last few years. Dan Jenkins, a spokesman for Aim-listed The Tanfield Group plc, which bought Smith's in 2005, described the electric vans as 'the supercharged son of the milk float'. Later this month Smith's is to launch a nine-tonne version for Europe, followed by a 12-tonne model for the global market in March. In April it will launch an electric version of the 3.5 tonne Transit van.
There's been a fair bit in the press lately, especially up here (Durham) with it being a local company. It seems to be a gold mine for investing, IF they can match their expansion aims.
The web site is worth a trawl around, and the investec report on there is worth a read too. http://www.tanfieldgroup.co.uk/ Oh they seem to have taken the investec report off, so I'll attach it :)
*****UGL - back to me...sorry couldnt attach the report here as PDF and it wouldnt copy over. Don't think you're allowed to reproduce those things anyway.....not sure.****
Back to 'john'
oh forgot about this site http://www.trustnet.co.uk/?rtype=1 don't know if you've come accross it before, but it lists all the trusts and istitutions that hold shares. Type for example Tanfield in the search and open the links it finds. Seems these fund mangers have a lot of Tanfield. http://www.trustnet.co.uk/general/search.asp?txts=tanfield&gobutton=Go
Thanks 'john' if you come up with any more info I'll be glad to add it. :o)
