Rotala/Diamond to buy Hansons?

[winston]

Well I hope it is true to be honest as Hansons seem to have gone downhill rapidly fairly recently which is such a shame. It will give diamond more presence in the area-making my suggestion of an area guide all the more sensible-routes can transfer to tividale and stuff like the 004 improved again and the 226 could keep hansons newer buses on there. It would give tividale a few more routes and I hope they take the chance to improve things like when ludlows was acquired with the 002 relaunch. Cant see oft investigation being a problem-what can they do when NX have over 80% of the market-moan at rotala for having nearer 10? If anything, they would be more in favour, suggesting that a bigger operator stands more of a chance against NXWM. I hope its true-it gives diamond more of a network and it gives them even more buses to repaint into the right livery!!

Don't forget though, when Diamond absorbed Ludlows eventually the 004, 006, 007 & 230 were all withdrawn due to them not being commercially viable to continue operating, marginal routes that Hanson's & Ludlow's  may make money on may not necessarily be the same under Diamond ownership, as overheads will be much higher at Diamond compare to the current Hanson's setup out of Lye depot

[PM]

Well I hope it is true to be honest as Hansons seem to have gone downhill rapidly fairly recently which is such a shame. It will give diamond more presence in the area-making my suggestion of an area guide all the more sensible-routes can transfer to tividale and stuff like the 004 improved again and the 226 could keep hansons newer buses on there. It would give tividale a few more routes and I hope they take the chance to improve things like when ludlows was acquired with the 002 relaunch. Cant see oft investigation being a problem-what can they do when NX have over 80% of the market-moan at rotala for having nearer 10? If anything, they would be more in favour, suggesting that a bigger operator stands more of a chance against NXWM. I hope its true-it gives diamond more of a network and it gives them even more buses to repaint into the right livery!!

Don't forget though, when Diamond absorbed Ludlows eventually the 004, 006, 007 & 230 were all withdrawn due to them not being commercially viable to continue operating, marginal routes that Hanson's & Ludlow's  may make money on may not necessarily be the same under Diamond ownership, as overheads will be much higher at Diamond compare to the current Hanson's setup out of Lye depot

Will they? A bigger operation should if anything with more buses have smaller overheads per bus as certain functions can be combined and rotala are able to hedge-fund stuff like diesel which hansons probably couldnt. Where out of interest did the 006 and 230 go? I know the 231 is blackheath and the 004 is harborne, 007 bromsgrove but not sure about the rest

[4747]

the 006 was a Halesowen circular through the squirrel est and the 230 went Halesowen to Cradley Heath by via everywhere inbetween

[PM]

the 006 was a Halesowen circular through the squirrel est and the 230 went Halesowen to Cradley Heath by via everywhere inbetween

Thanks 4747 and welcome to a new member!  :)

[winston]

Well I hope it is true to be honest as Hansons seem to have gone downhill rapidly fairly recently which is such a shame. It will give diamond more presence in the area-making my suggestion of an area guide all the more sensible-routes can transfer to tividale and stuff like the 004 improved again and the 226 could keep hansons newer buses on there. It would give tividale a few more routes and I hope they take the chance to improve things like when ludlows was acquired with the 002 relaunch. Cant see oft investigation being a problem-what can they do when NX have over 80% of the market-moan at rotala for having nearer 10? If anything, they would be more in favour, suggesting that a bigger operator stands more of a chance against NXWM. I hope its true-it gives diamond more of a network and it gives them even more buses to repaint into the right livery!!

Don't forget though, when Diamond absorbed Ludlows eventually the 004, 006, 007 & 230 were all withdrawn due to them not being commercially viable to continue operating, marginal routes that Hanson's & Ludlow's  may make money on may not necessarily be the same under Diamond ownership, as overheads will be much higher at Diamond compare to the current Hanson's setup out of Lye depot

Will they? A bigger operation should if anything with more buses have smaller overheads per bus as certain functions can be combined and rotala are able to hedge-fund stuff like diesel which hansons probably couldnt. Where out of interest did the 006 and 230 go? I know the 231 is blackheath and the 004 is harborne, 007 bromsgrove but not sure about the rest

It largely depends on how Diamond is setup accounts wise, the costs of running Tividale depot would far exceed that of Lye due to all the extra staff / departments. Smaller firms is generally setup such that one of two directors & partners look after everything & are a jack of all trades. I'm not so sure Rotala do hedge their fuel prices as per the big bus groups, they may buy it in in bulk at more attractive prices than Hanson's due to their higher requirements, maybe one for Simon

The other question to ask, is what Hanson's deem as worth their while in running i.e. at breakeven or marginally profitable may not fall in to the same category as how Diamond saw the route, resulting in it's eventual withdrawal or curtailment

[PM]

Well I hope it is true to be honest as Hansons seem to have gone downhill rapidly fairly recently which is such a shame. It will give diamond more presence in the area-making my suggestion of an area guide all the more sensible-routes can transfer to tividale and stuff like the 004 improved again and the 226 could keep hansons newer buses on there. It would give tividale a few more routes and I hope they take the chance to improve things like when ludlows was acquired with the 002 relaunch. Cant see oft investigation being a problem-what can they do when NX have over 80% of the market-moan at rotala for having nearer 10? If anything, they would be more in favour, suggesting that a bigger operator stands more of a chance against NXWM. I hope its true-it gives diamond more of a network and it gives them even more buses to repaint into the right livery!!

Don't forget though, when Diamond absorbed Ludlows eventually the 004, 006, 007 & 230 were all withdrawn due to them not being commercially viable to continue operating, marginal routes that Hanson's & Ludlow's  may make money on may not necessarily be the same under Diamond ownership, as overheads will be much higher at Diamond compare to the current Hanson's setup out of Lye depot

Will they? A bigger operation should if anything with more buses have smaller overheads per bus as certain functions can be combined and rotala are able to hedge-fund stuff like diesel which hansons probably couldnt. Where out of interest did the 006 and 230 go? I know the 231 is blackheath and the 004 is harborne, 007 bromsgrove but not sure about the rest

It largely depends on how Diamond is setup accounts wise, the costs of running Tividale depot would far exceed that of Lye due to all the extra staff / departments. Smaller firms is generally setup such that one of two directors & partners look after everything & are a jack of all trades. I'm not so sure Rotala do hedge their fuel prices as per the big bus groups, they may buy it in in bulk at more attractive prices than Hanson's due to their higher requirements, maybe one for Simon

It does but when rotala bought diamond in 2008 they said that significant money could be saved by integrating functions and indeed that and other things bought diamond back into black as opposed to the red which was great news. They do and I think this is how hansons were run whereas bigger operators tend to have more managers and directors and maybe they dont hedge them but I reckon they must buy at better prices than smaller companies are able to. What are people's thoughts on the fleet diamond might acquire? If it was me in charge, the decent stuff would go straight onto diamonds existing successful routes then put red diamond MPDs on anything tendered. Would it be worth diamond retaining the hansons identity on buses or not? Hansons is a name people respect but maybe diamond would mean buses could be swapped around and people knew about the network

[winston]

Well I hope it is true to be honest as Hansons seem to have gone downhill rapidly fairly recently which is such a shame. It will give diamond more presence in the area-making my suggestion of an area guide all the more sensible-routes can transfer to tividale and stuff like the 004 improved again and the 226 could keep hansons newer buses on there. It would give tividale a few more routes and I hope they take the chance to improve things like when ludlows was acquired with the 002 relaunch. Cant see oft investigation being a problem-what can they do when NX have over 80% of the market-moan at rotala for having nearer 10? If anything, they would be more in favour, suggesting that a bigger operator stands more of a chance against NXWM. I hope its true-it gives diamond more of a network and it gives them even more buses to repaint into the right livery!!

Don't forget though, when Diamond absorbed Ludlows eventually the 004, 006, 007 & 230 were all withdrawn due to them not being commercially viable to continue operating, marginal routes that Hanson's & Ludlow's  may make money on may not necessarily be the same under Diamond ownership, as overheads will be much higher at Diamond compare to the current Hanson's setup out of Lye depot

Will they? A bigger operation should if anything with more buses have smaller overheads per bus as certain functions can be combined and rotala are able to hedge-fund stuff like diesel which hansons probably couldnt. Where out of interest did the 006 and 230 go? I know the 231 is blackheath and the 004 is harborne, 007 bromsgrove but not sure about the rest

It largely depends on how Diamond is setup accounts wise, the costs of running Tividale depot would far exceed that of Lye due to all the extra staff / departments. Smaller firms is generally setup such that one of two directors & partners look after everything & are a jack of all trades. I'm not so sure Rotala do hedge their fuel prices as per the big bus groups, they may buy it in in bulk at more attractive prices than Hanson's due to their higher requirements, maybe one for Simon

It does but when rotala bought diamond in 2008 they said that significant money could be saved by integrating functions and indeed that and other things bought diamond back into black as opposed to the red which was great news. They do and I think this is how hansons were run whereas bigger operators tend to have more managers and directors and maybe they dont hedge them but I reckon they must buy at better prices than smaller companies are able to. What are people's thoughts on the fleet diamond might acquire? If it was me in charge, the decent stuff would go straight onto diamonds existing successful routes then put red diamond MPDs on anything tendered. Would it be worth diamond retaining the hansons identity on buses or not? Hansons is a name people respect but maybe diamond would mean buses could be swapped around and people knew about the network

Yes they did, but Rotala only acquired Ludlows in 2008 and since that date a number of former marginal Ludlows routes have been withdrawn or curtailed then eventually withdrawn i.e. the 004. We have also been in recession, with high unemployment & reduced passenger journey's made.......

[Jay]

For non members a post has appeared on the WMBus Yahoo group suggesting that Rotala Plc have agreed to acquire Hansons and the transaction is due to take place at the end of October, don't know whether there is any truth in it?

If true it would certainly boost Rotala's presence in the Dudley/Merry Hill & Stourbridge areas, re-instates the Diamond 004, no doubt would result in consolidation/a frequency reduction on the 226 though, the 318 links in well with the KR & RH operation and all boosts the number of Centro tenders,

All in all, a good fit!

Not ture maggie hanson will not sell to diamond

[Cedric]

a lot of the routes where at one  run by MRWest  from Kidderminster when they ran in the black country   before firsts days

[PM]

a lot of the routes where at one  run by MRWest  from Kidderminster when they ran in the black country   before firsts days

Like a lot of the tendered stuff?

And dont quite know what you mean Jon?

[hartshill busman 724210]

Listen carefully i will say this only once.TOTALLY UNTRUE FULL STOP EXCLAMATION POINT.NOT HAPPENING.ASK SIMON!

[Cedric]

a lot of the routes where at one time  run by MRWest  from Kidderminster when they ran in the black country   before firsts days

Like a lot of the tendered stuff?

And dont quite know what you mean Jon?

should have read as I have amened the text    think it was maybe have been  tendered .

[PM]

Listen carefully i will say this only once.TOTALLY UNTRUE FULL STOP EXCLAMATION POINT.NOT HAPPENING.ASK SIMON!

Simon wont be able to comment until it is announced officially on the stock market

[Jay]

Listen carefully i will say this only once.TOTALLY UNTRUE FULL STOP EXCLAMATION POINT.NOT HAPPENING.ASK SIMON!

Simon wont be able to comment until it is announced officially on the stock market

ITS NOT HAPPENING FULL STOP

Both simon and hansons will tell you this

[hartshill busman 724210]

Listen carefully i will say this only once.TOTALLY UNTRUE FULL STOP EXCLAMATION POINT.NOT HAPPENING.ASK SIMON.

MARGARET HANSON HAS AUTHORISED THIS SO BOYS CALM DOWN.