An Inverness haulage company has bolstered its fleet and workforce by more than one-third after acquiring two rival businesses.
Seafield Park Transport has taken over haulage contractor R&F Campbell, which is also based in the Highland capital.
And in an expansion a bit further afield it has taken over the haulage side of Mearns haulage business John H. Roberts, headquartered in Auchenblae, near Laurencekirk.
John H Roberts continues to operate as a coal merchant.
Established in 1961, R & F Campbell was family-owned, and run by Murray and John Campbell.
The double assets and goodwill deal cut by Seafield for an undisclosed fee means its total fleet now exceeds 50 lorries.
Its workforce – primarily drivers and administrative staff – has also gone beyond the half century mark for the first time.
A spokesman for the company said headcount was up by about 20 people.
Move will give business more opportunity
Seafield managing director Steven Barclay said: “We have been really busy, and this will give us much more scope.
“Both companies are a good fit, and it has been a seamless changeover.”
Seafield has been established for almost 20 years and provides a range of specialist haulage services throughout the UK.
Its activities include waste transfer, potable water, a daily trunk service, round timber haulage, earthworks and plant shifting.
The firm deals with companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized enterprises to Scottish Water and timber firm Euroforest.
Mr Barclay’s two daughters both play their part in keep the wheels of business turning at Seafield.
Lucy Barclay is the company’s general manager, while her sister, Libby, is a business management apprentice.
The firm’s MD came to prominence during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, when he organised a drive-by through the streets near Raigmore Hospital in Inverness as a way of saluting heroic health workers for their efforts.
About 15 heavy good vehicles took part.
Mr Barclay, who boasts more than 25 years, in the road haulage industry said at the time of the event he had arranged it to give healthcare workers “a wee thank you”.
Seafield’s expansion follows a challenging spell for UK haulage companies, with high fuel prices now adding to their troubles.
A pay rise and relocation packages were among the steps taken by one firm serving the north and north-east last year as the industry struggled to keep vital goods on the move, due to a shortage of lorry drivers.
Shetland-based Northwards raised basic wages, saying it had become increasingly difficult to recruit staff to replace experienced truckers lost to rivals and other sectors.