Gazetteer: Soil relocation solutions, or spade?

Published on Thursday 12 March 2009 20:28

JOB DESCRIPTION

FOR a company that's normally so good with names, Stobart Group could perhaps do with polishing the description of its own business.

Stobart is famous for giving women's names to its lorries, spawning fan clubs and websites, along with a train-spotting-like obsession among some road users.

But it's the group's description of its own business that has us perplexed. Stobart is currently styling itself as "the UK's leading provider of multi-modal transport and logistics solutions".

Laying aside the problem that every firm under the sun now wants to call itself a "solutions provider", what was wrong with simply calling Stobart a "haulier"?

Yes, the group has expanded dramatically since its early days as a road haulage business, now encompassing rail transport and engineering, an inland port on the River Mersey at Widnes and the airports at Carlisle and Southend.

But however you move goods, is it still not haulage?

The description may stem from the complex reverse takeover of Westbury Property Fund in 2007, after which Stobart joined the stock exchange.

FACT OF THE DAY

10,000

INTERNET business Design-a-Cushions has sold 10,000 cushion pads in the past 12 months from its base in Edinburgh. Set up in 2000 by fabric enthusiast Margaret Blanche, the company supplies finished cushions and cushion pads to retailers and individuals. Blanche expects her turnover to leap by 175 per cent in the year to April. Her complete cushions account for 25 per cent of sales.

KILLER QUOTE

"THERE are some agencies willing to exploit models and entertainers who think they've got the X-Factor but don't know their rights. Agencies that flout the law should get their final curtain call."

Pat McFadden, the employment relations minister, after the UK government issued warnings to nine London modelling agencies

GOOD DAY

RR Donnelley

FIRSTGROUP has chosen RR Donnelley to supply all of its customer forms, printed marketing materials and stationery. RR Donnelley had previously won three contracts with FirstGroup over the past eight years.

BAD DAY

PR consultants

THE end could be nigh for public relations consultants after the launch of a new toolkit – by Energy PR, ironically – to help businesses to "do their own publicity, without having to resort to the expense of a freelancer or PR agency".