TRUCKING INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE * IRU index: BRIC countries leading OCDE

Brussels,Belgium -Fleet Europe, by Michel Buckinx -4 Jan 2011: -- According to the IRU’s road transport index, which enables a comparison between GDP growth, road freight volumes and new vehicle registrations in 58 countries, the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) will continue to be the driving force for economic recovery. Growth rates will, by contrast, remain weak in the OCDE countries, including the EU. In terms of registrations, the BRIC countries recorded growth of 13.8 % between 2008 and 2010 while the OCDE and the EU recorded decreases of 36 and 40 % respectively...

* Denmark - European Freight Forwarding Index: road segment holding up

Copenhagen,Denmark -Truck Europe, by Michel Buckinx -2 Dec 2010: -- The European Freight Forwarding index published by Danske Bank shows a decrease for the month of December, down from 64 to 56. This drop is essentially due to the air and sea segments, with road holding up relatively well. Overall, the European freight market is set to end the year in negative mode. This demonstrates the uncertainty which currently reigns over the European market. The Euro crisis is believed to be behind this situation...

* UK - New year, new tax headache for transport operators

London,UK -Transport Engineer, by John Challen -5 Jan 2011: -- The FTA (Freight Transport Association) believes that the increase in fuel duty this month will leave the transport industry out of pocket to the tune of £95 million... The association's chief economist, Simon Chapman, points out that diesel – currently responsible for 35% of a truck's running costs – is not an optional extra... Chapman believes that the Chancellor is treating the transport sector as a "bottomless well from which cash to bolster the public finances can be drawn"... This month's increase of 0.76p per litre is the third rise since April 2010 and will push diesel prices to within four pence per litre of the all-time highs reached in July 2008...

* Europe / France - Norbert Dentressangle to buy TDG

Saint-Vallier,Drôme,France -Fleet Europe, by Claude Yvens -29 Nov 2010: -- French group Norbert Dentressangle announced its intention to purchase British group TDG. The letter of intent has been signed, and the takeover is only awaiting the approval of the European competition authorities...  According to ND CEO, François Bertreau, this takeover will speed up the international development of the Norbert Dentressangle group, for which the proportion accounted for by France in the turnover figure has decreased from 75% to 40% in barely five years. In the future, 53% of the group’s turnover will come from the transport division, which is to strengthen considerably in the transport of hazardous goods, large volumes (principally in the UK), and fuel transport (also mainly in the UK). This division now has a fleet of 8,000 tractor units and 11,000 semi-trailers...

* Belgium - Essers group merges three Dutch subsidiaries

Genk,Belgium -Truck Europe, by Claude Yvens -27 Dec 2010: -- Belgian transport and logistics group Essers has announced that it has merged its three Dutch subsidiaries into one entity. The three companies involved are Centrum Transport (Valkenswaard, taken over in 2004), Van der Wal (Tiel, taken over in 2004) and Furtrans Holland (Dordrecht, taken over in 2008). The new entity is called H. Essers Transport Company Nederland BV, in the same way as the Essers group has already done in Belgium with H. Essers Transport Company. The Essers group now employs 2,200 and turned over 295 million Euros in 2009...

* Netherlands - Bart Van de Pol: more work

Amsterdam Area,Netherlands -Truck & Business, by Jan Voet -16 Jan 2011: -- Bart Van de Pol has a fleet of 25 trucks mobilized in the general transportation, refrigeration and container. "We have weathered the crisis, but it was relatively difficult two years, he says. "The prospects are better now: the workload increases, but prices remain under pressure. "We also note that competition in long distance has increased. The companies are putting prices under pressure. Van de Pol is a family in which the third generation is active. "We have a strong local presence. About 80% of our staff lives in our town." ... The goal for this year: maintaining the current customer portfolio. The company also tries to arm themselves against the aging of the population said: "The threshold to become a truck driver has significantly increased because of expensive training. Add the image problem and we will have to be innovative absorb aging" ...