Darwen Share Discussion Threads

[m.t.glass] 12/4/2008 00:16

Shakes2 - his role at Tanfield these days is a non-executive one.

[shakes2] 11/4/2008 23:21

Roy Stanley seems to be a leading light in both Tanfield and this company, yet he is going to Chair Business Link in addition.
I am concerned that he is spreading himself to thinly, what do others think?
Am I wrong to think that as the main driving force and shareholder of a relatively new company he should not go for other posts at this time.
Input welcomed

[m.t.glass] 08/4/2008 09:47

Business Link has new leading light
Apr 8 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

THE founder of one of the region's leading manufacturing companies has been unveiled as the new chairman of Business Link North East (BLNE).

Later this month Roy Stanley of The Tanfield Group will officially replace Paul Callaghan at the helm of the business support organisation.

Alastair MacColl, chief executive of BLNE, said: "Paul was always going to be a hard act to follow. However, we have found a new chairman who underlines the scale of our ambition.

"Roy possesses a formidable business pedigree along with the energy and vision required to make the North East the best place in Europe to start or grow a business. This is great news for Business Link North East and for the region."

Mr Stanley, who founded the Washington based Tanfield Group in 1996, has built the company into a global leader in the manufacture of commercial electric vehicles.

It trades under the Smith Electric Vehicles and UpRight Powered Access brands, with the latter being the UK's biggest manufacturer of self-propelled aerial work platforms.

He said: "Under the leadership of Paul Callaghan, the board of Business Link North East has laid an excellent foundation for the future. I am excited by the prospect of being part of a team that aims to create the most enterprising region in Europe."

Mr Callaghan, chairman of Leighton Group, has played a vital role in establishing BLNE as a single regional support service for current and potential entrepreneurs.

His involvement with Business Link stretches back over five years – he was initially a board member and then chairman of Business Link Tyne and Wear.

In 2005 he was asked to chair the coalition that won the contract to transform business support in the region, leading to the formation of BLNE. Since 2006 he has chaired the organisation.

He said: "I am delighted that Roy Stanley will be succeeding me at Business Link. His success with The Tanfield Group and his other ventures show he is a fantastic entrepreneur.

"As a role model for aspiring business people in this region Roy is second to none. I am sure that he will prove to be an exceptionally able and charismatic leader for the next phase of Business Link North East's growth."

Margaret Fay, One NorthEast chairman, said: "Roy brings with him a wealth of hands-on business expertise and experience which will be invaluable in leading what is now one of the UK's largest business support organisations.

"We very much look forward to working with Roy during what continues to be an exciting time for business support services in the region."

[m.t.glass] 08/4/2008 09:05

Hyundai are entering the hybrid bus market. Not directly competing with full hybrids, but offering a system that will provide a fuel saving sufficient to appeal to many buyers. A sort of 'hybrid lite'




PS: Hyundai already work with Enova

[theo13] 07/4/2008 23:12

Great write-up - very inspiring.

[leighbarton] 07/4/2008 19:07

domwilliams thanks for that. Seems a pretty good summary of the meeting (or at least the part I attended. Again note the speculation about Optare, we can but wait to see if the consummate dealmaker does bring the two brands together. It certainly seems to make sense.

MTGlass any chance of referencing Colin's post in the header as it is a pretty good summation of the opportunity for anyone new to the thread? Thanks

[domwilliams] 07/4/2008 17:57

Colin has posted a seperate write-up for Darwen, in case you have not seen it

[leighbarton] 07/4/2008 17:11

Theo13 - usual excellent write up from Colin, which covers most of the ground that we went over with Stanley at the meeting on Maundy Thursday. I suspect he is being a bit conservative with his 129p target. I think from the meeting with the prospective newsflow there could be alot more to come. Slightly agrieved as I had thought the markets would pull TAN back a bit, instead it has surged ahead 15p since last week, however any weakness and I will be topping up.

However nothing in that link abut DHP. Surprised non of the TMF crowd have written up about the meeting. I'll check with Colin and come back on this.

[theo13] 07/4/2008 16:36

Couldn't find anything about the meeting with Roy, but Colin has just posted an in-depth write up of a site visit to Tanfield on TMF, so I guess he integrated the two as far as TAN was concerned.
Link now on TAN thread.

[leighbarton] 07/4/2008 12:27

If you're successful in finding anything could you post a link here?

[theo13] 07/4/2008 11:41

Thanks LB, I'll have another look on TMF.

[leighbarton] 07/4/2008 11:07

Theo13 - can't really add much more than I have already posted, I was a little late for the meeting and so only caught the tail-end of the discussion on Darwen. The rest of the meeting was really devoted to TAN. Alice in Wonderland and Carmensfella were there from TMF, I don't know if either of them have done a write up. Some of the speculation on this board about Optare and Darwen does not seem to be wide of the mark from what I know. Stanley is a consummate dealmaker and so some move in this regard does look on the cards.

However the business model is what really interested me and I think he will shake up the bus industry dramatically.

[topvest] 06/4/2008 08:22

Included in investor's chronicle this week. In my opinion, Optare and Darwen will have to merge, otherwise Stanley has a significant conflict of interest. Remember that he is also Chairman and majority shareholder of Tanfield. Tanfield and Darwen are reasonably well segregated in market terms, but Optare isn't as they are direct competitors. It is my opinion that he bought Optare quickly to secure the business and maybe exploit some of the property assets before selling to Darwen. This would be a major acquisition for Darwen (possibly even a reverse takeover) and so it would take a while to finalised paper work etc. Anyway, all bodes well if it comes off! We will have to wait and see how things develop.

[stegrego] 05/4/2008 19:15

Nope, I cant just put 2 & 2 together based on public info, wont go into it but you wouldnt have to be Sherlock to work it out for yourself.

[greyseal] 05/4/2008 17:40

Stegrego... How did you know that it was going to be tipped? Do you work at Darwen?

[theo13] 04/4/2008 19:40

LB - do you know if anyone has done a write up of the Roy Stanley meeting, or will you have time to do one? (Would be much appreciated..)

[stegrego] 04/4/2008 18:35

Call me Nostrodamas ;)


'RHPS Verdict: There has been an interesting twist to this story, because in the last few days Roy Stanley has, through a private vehicle, bought the Leeds-based bus manufacturer Optare. Optare has a 5% share of the heavy bus market and also, by the way, has an agreement with RHPS portfolio member Traction Technology to jointly develop a range of single deck series hybrid vehicles. It remains to be seen how this will fit in with Darwen, but at the very least it confirms that Stanley is very serious about the bus business'

[leighbarton] 04/4/2008 17:05

PS should have added that the reason I have waited so long since the meeting was waiting for the right entry price. 35p not quite as low as I had hoped but there is always a danger that you get caught out by events if you hang on too long.

[leighbarton] 04/4/2008 16:57

Well whether its tipped or not I have just bought 50k at 35p. Was very impressed at recent meeting with Roy Stanley organised by the lot at TMF and feel reasonably confident that this share will provide as an exciting ride over the next 6 -12 months as TAN did if you got in just pre the Upright acquisition.

Business model very simple to build high value coaches at a competitive price and high margins.

This is not as green a play as TAN however they are very much looking at making these vehicles as fuel efficient as possible. Moreover he was very bullish about the company's prospects even in a tightening economic environment. Coaches have a significant part to play in public transport going forward in his opinion - and he believes he has the right product to tackle the market at the right price.

I expect to see some healthy newflow on this over the next few months. aimvho and dyor etc

[valustar1] 04/4/2008 16:45

Why are you so sure

[m.t.glass] 18/3/2008 23:39

Vincent Bolloré and Patrick Gruau signed an agreement last February to develop electric, hybrid and ICE versions of the the Gruau Microbus. €10 million will be invested in the joint venture. The Microbus Gruau Électrique will use Bolore's lithium-polymer batteries as well as ultracapacitors developed by Batscap, a Bolloré subsidiary. The electric Microbus will hit the marketplace during the second half of 2009.

Gruau already offers the current ICE-powered Microbus in France, with up to 150 examples servicing thirty towns. An electric version with a range of 120 km (75 miles) was tested in Nantes in 2005. Bolloré and Gruau expect their EV bus to comprise two-thirds of future sales when it arrives next year.


Come on Darwen ;o)

[robo999r] 17/3/2008 14:29

So How will Darwin (East Lancs) be integrated with Optare? Would there not be a conflict of interest for Roy Stanley with both companies bidding for the same public sector contracts? and finally who's next to be purchased.

[topvest] 16/3/2008 08:51

Maybe, good spot. Short to medium term, these two companies will be merged though. It is not tenable for Stanley to be lead man on Tanfield, Darwen and Optare from a conflict of interest perspective. Only Stanley knows the game plan, but he is moving fast here and the outlook looks very encouraging. Optare makes just less than a £1m profit on c£50m of turnover. See that all the properties have been moved up in to the holding company in the 2006 accounts, and so paves the way for easy separation of the two activities.