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Moving Forward with the Latest Technology
At Northwards we are continually evaluating the services we provide to our customers. After extensive research we have now installed satellite navigation and tracking systems from Tom Tom in all our vehicles.
13-Sep-07 13:00
History
Modern haulage operations in Shetland began by the North of Scotland Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Company, acquiring an operations licence in the early 1930s. Prior to this, the outlying county areas of mainland Orkney & Shetland were served by the companies ships, east side of Shetland from Scalloway, and north of Shetland from Lerwick, with a similar situation in Orkney with the companies ships using Kirkwall, Stromness & St Margrets Hope.
This remained the pattern through various name changes. Firstly in 1953 with the North of Scotland Orkney & Shetland Shipping Company, secondly to Coast Lines Ltd in 1961, through to P&O Ferries in the late 1970's, with variations of the P&O brandname eventually ending with P&O Scottish Ferries Ltd in 2002. The haulage business expanded through demand in the late 1970's, sparked by the oil boom in Shetland which saw the construction of the Sullom Voe Oil terminal in the early 1980's. The fleet increased steadily in the 1980's & 1990's under P&O ownership until it was easily the largest haulage operation in Shetland.
In 2002, following a successful management buyout Northwards Ltd took over the haulage operation in Orkney & Shetland, as well as the groupage operations in Aberdeen, Orkney & Shetland, from P&O Scottish Ferries. Northwards Ltd now provides a comprehensive and integrated haulage service for the Northern Isles from anywhere within the UK and (by inducement) the continent.
Northwards operates 5 strategically located depots at: Shetland (Lerwick), Orkney (Stromness), Caithness (Scrabster), Grampian (Aberdeen) and Highland (Inverness). Operating daily from these depots is a fleet of modern road vehicles that is highly versatile in order to support a wide variety of our customers needs. The logistical support at each depot also provides a wide range of services that has become expected from Northwards customers, customers that have wide and varying range of requirements.
Northwards are committed to providing the type of service which their customers have become accustom to historically. Northwards (now and in the future) will also strive to improve and expand the service where ever possible, to meet the high expectations of the customers, whether domestic or within the various served industries such as: agriculture, aquaculture, retail outlets, construction, oil, and so on.