Tanfield agrees trial with Royal Mail

ENGINEERING company The Tanfield Group could be set to secure another major contract after agreeing a trial deal to supply its vehicles to Royal Mail.

The deal will see Tanfield's Smith Electric Vehicles division supplying one each of its zero-emission Edison and Newton models to the company for use in its 33,000-strong commercial delivery fleet for a trial period.

Tanfield said it is hopeful of securing a major supply deal as a result of the trial, which would come only months after multi-million pound deals were signed with TNT and Sainsbury's Online for Smith vehicles.

Potential job losses at drinks company

A DRINKS wholesale company has said it plans to close part of its North-East plant, with the possible loss of more than 60 jobs.

WaverleyTBS said the decision to close its packaging operation at Gateshead follows a nine month review of the business.

Packaging will be transferred to the Kingsland Wines and Spirits factory in Irlam, Manchester.

Number of economically inactive people in UK at record high

THE number of people in the UK classed as economically inactive has reached a record high. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics shows that the number of economically inactive people, including students, those caring for a relative, and workers who have taken early retirement, increased by 77,000 in the last quarter to 7.95m.

Nationally unemployment fell by 15,000 in the three months to April to 1.68m, while the claimant count, which covers people eligible for jobseekers allowance, fell by 9,300 to 880,400. For a regional breakdown of figures see tomorrow's paper

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