…placing 2,300 jobs at risk
Hundreds of businesses face chaos and up to 2,300 jobs are at risk after a leading British delivery company crashed into administration.
Tuffnells has brought in insolvency experts from professional services company Interpath to handle its bankruptcy.
One employee said he found out about the firm’s collapse from the news, having only been hired just days beforehand.
Meanwhile, the closure of all Tuffnells transport hubs and depots has left shipments stranded in warehouses and small firms in limbo.
Jamie Kasanczuk, 33, was made redundant on his third day working for Tuffnells after being hired as a warehouse operative in Sheffield just last week.
He said he “found out through the news” that he was losing his job on Monday and on Tuesday had still not been told anything by the company.
He said: “I was taken on on the Wednesday and I was made redundant on the Monday.
“Why would they employ people if they were coming close to administration? They must have known.
“I feel frustrated, I feel annoyed. I feel like I’ve shot myself in the foot a bit. I accepted this job because it was close to my home, I could have accepted other jobs.”
Mr Kasanczuk, who has a stepdaughter, said he and his partner had been planning to get married but would now have to delay their wedding.
He said colleagues had mentioned “things going wrong with pay,” such as not getting paid for overtime, but had no idea the company had been about to collapse.
“There’s guys in there, very experienced, who have worked there for years,” Mr Kasanczuk said. “Every single one of them have families.
“I feel for every single person in this situation. Not everybody can get a job the next day.”
The company was forced into administration after failing to find new owners.
Rick Harrison, managing director at Interpath Advisory and joint administrator, said: “Today’s news will be particularly devastating for Tuffnells’ 2,200 dedicated employees.
“Regrettably, with deliveries suspended and with no prospect of them resuming in the immediate term, we have had to make the majority of staff redundant.
“Our utmost priority will be to provide all those impacted with every support they need in making claims to the Redundancy Payments Office and minimising disruption to customers.”
He added: “Tuffnells is one of the UK’s most recognisable logistics companies, providing delivery services to over 4,000 businesses across the UK under its ‘The Big Green Parcel Machine’ brand.
“Unfortunately, the highly competitive nature of the UK parcel delivery market, coupled with significant inflation across the company’s fixed cost base in recent times, has resulted in it experiencing intense pressure on cashflow.”
A pre-pack administration which would see the company put into solvency ahead of an immediate sale is not on the cards, The Telegraph has reported.
The Sheffield-based delivery company was founded when Harold Tuffnell bought a horse and cart for just £100 and began delivering goods in 1914.
Drivers at Tuffnells were called back to depots on Friday.
Staff were also informed about the company’s bankruptcy at lunchtime today.
Around 4,000 businesses are customers at Tuffnells, including Evans Cycles and Black Circles.
The delivery giant, which operated across 167 countries, also prided itself on handling large, heavy and bulky items.
Customers have been told that transport hubs and depots have been closed until further notice.
Parcel collection will be arranged over the coming days, Interpath’s Howard Smith has revealed.
