Fears have emerged over significant job losses and a detrimental impact on Island businesses amid reports the parent company of Isle of Wight haulage firm Steve Porter Transport has filed for administration today (Friday)
Drivers turned up to work this morning to be confronted with the news and were apparently told that they were unlikely to get paid. They were also told that, after midnight, all vehicles will be parked up for the foreseeable future.
Hire companies have been seen at the Cowes depot today collecting items such as forklifts, as news has spread across the Island.
Steve Porter Transport, which was founded on the Isle of Wight in 1981, is thought to employ dozens of Islanders and holds many key contracts, including with Red Funnel and the waste company Thalia. As previously reported by Island Echo, the firm was the Island’s largest transporter of commercial goods.
The company, which supplies many large Island business including supermarkets such as Lidl and Aldi and building material companies, was merged with Knights of Old and Nelson Distribution in 2019 before becoming KNP Logistics Group in 2021.
According to their website, KNP delivered 2.7million pallets nationwide in 2022 – or more than 7,000 daily.
KNP Logistics Group was approached for a statement earlier today, with a spokesperson within the company saying they were awaiting an announcement themselves.
No notice of the appointment of administrators has been issued. However, employees and partners have indicated that the company has indeed gone into administration.
Freightways has been approached to cover postcodes current served by KNP – resulting in an urgent call for drivers.
Island Echo is told there is a meeting between staff and administrators arranged for Monday.
So sorry to hear the news. Gutted for all involved, especially those losing their jobs.
So sorry to hear this is a good company that has worked with many Island companies. Always great service, exemplary staff. We hope that they can come out of this ok. It’s been so tough for everyone, SP has helped so many Island businesses.
I wonder if there is a chance of a management buy-out of the Steve Porter side of KNP?
a great island business for many years with great staff from top to bottom, all the best everyone for the future, thank you Steve Porter you’ll be missed by many
How can he be missed ? His moral and ethics are horrific. Not paying all those families but paying all managers and admin is just inhumane, when they’ve earned and worked 5 weeks for that pay
That’s not Steve Porter personally. Steve sold the business over 2 years ago. This is entirely down to the greed of KNP and its board of Directors. Steve will be gutted about this turn of events.
You need to get your facts right. The original owner of the company whose name it bears retired and sold the business some time ago.. I cannot comment on your remarks because I don’t know but Steve Porter the individual is totally honest and a very caring individual and doesn’t not deserve such allegations.
Tends to happen when ‘big business’ gets involved, hopefully something smaller can be salvaged under its original format, without the ‘big boys’.
It’s also a 5 week pay cycle for the drivers so a week extra than normal. They have worked so hard and extreme hours and stress over these 5 weeks. The directors, admin and managers all got paid Friday who told the drivers this information and that they werent going to be paid- how is that fair ?? My husbands wages pay our mortgage and our food in the table and pay bills. If we don’t get this along with all his expenses for what he’s EARNED and worked for, but the managers all got paid how is this just???? we will accept finding another jobs, but not paying them at all is disgusting and ruined our finances. We have no savings we both work so hard just to get by! They drivers were all FORCED to work Friday for Free to move trucks!!!!
I have friends who work for the haulage company Knights of Old, part of KNP. When attending for work yesterday, they were also told that they had all been made redundant. Management didn’t inform them, but a lad who was doing their administration in the office. The lad found it too emotional having to announce everyone was out of a job.
Let’s hope there is money to pay staff for last month’s work.