Wishart International folds, but Palletline operations saved

One of Scotland's best-known hauliers, Wishart International, has been forced into liquidation by bad debts, but its Palletline operations have been transferred to Stirling-based Barbour European.

Fife-based Wishart International was wound up on 13 July with the appointment of Claire Middlebrook of Henderson Loggie as liquidator.

Middlebrook says the firm owes approximately £681,592, with HM Revenue & Customs accounting for £355,000 of that.

Kevin Huskie, joint owner of the collapsed company, tells Roadtransport.com: "Last year we were left with debts of £120,000 from some of our European customers going bust, and this year seemed to keep going the same way. The final straw came when one of our key clients Woods of Perth went under in June."

He says the business was offered the opportunity to go into pre-pack administration, but says "it is not the sort of thing we agree with".

Huskie and 10 of Wishart's 17 HGV drivers have transferred to Barbour European, to continue Palletline operations.

Palletline MD, Kevin Buchanan, says: "Barbour had wanted to increase its pallet delivery areas, and the inclusion of Wishart was appealing, because its pallet business was actually successful, handling around 100 pallets daily."

Barbour will now deliver to Dundee, Fife and Perth, in addition to its existing Palletline areas of Cumbernauld, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Stirling.

"Collectively our Palletline throughput will be very strong," concludes Huskie.