Taxi Driver Online

Scottish Labour Party Conference

The conference also heard a call by Labour for the Scottish Government to back a bid by a Glasgow-based company to become Europe's leading manufacturer of electric cars.

Labour economy spokesman John Park said Allied Vehicles, which make electric taxis, vans and minibuses, had asked the Scottish Government to invest £15 million which would buy 1000 vehicles and create 100 jobs.

Mr Park said the batteries that power the vehicles are made in Dundee.

He added that the firm wanted local authorities to invest in recharging stations to help make the vehicles viable for taxi firms and other companies.

He said the £15 million would make Scotland the European leader in green car production.

Mr Park said: "I believe they should get it.

"It would give us something we haven't seen in this country since the Hillman Imp rolled off the production line at Linwood over 30 years ago and it would generate jobs here in this city."

Gerry Facenna, chairman of Allied Vehicles, said: "Electric power offers an ideal solution, especially for congested urban areas where traffic is stop-start for much of the day with zero emissions of any type.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said finance secretary John Swinney visited Allied Vehicles in December.

She said: "The Scottish Government supports the role of companies such as Allied and others within the sustainable transport group to aid the development and up-take of low carbon vehicle technologies."

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

This would be a welcomed investment as the company that makes the batteries has just laid of some employees.Also i had one of the directors in my car the other week and he said that his company would either go boom our bust.HE also said that he expected some big company to buy them out as they did not have the funds to develop their product.

construction downturn hits Dundee battery firm Axeon

AXEON shares plunged yesterday after the battery maker warned that the effects of a construction slowdown would push a move into profit back at least six months.

The Dundee-based company is developing and manufacturing batteries for electric and hybrid powered vehicles.

But must of its current sales are to the power tool sector, which has been hit by a slowdown in the economy.

Chief executive Hamish GraADVERTISEMENTnt warned yesterday that the firm's largest customer, which represents around a third of Axeon's total sales, had been hit by falling demand.

The customer, who Grant would not name, has been effected by a slowdown in European construction, and Axeon's sales from its power tools business are now expected to be flat in the second half of this year.

Grant said in September that the company's European business was expecting to manufacture around 550,000 power tool packs in the second half. They now expect to manufacture around 350,000.

He said: "It's a pretty significant slowdown and that's why we've stuck our hand up quickly, because there's no way that we'll make the analyst guidance this year."

Axeon had been expected to report its maiden profit in the second half of 2008, but this has now been pushed back into 2009.

Grant said the company was in a period of uncertainty for the sector but warned the softening demand – which will see expected growth cut rather than an overall fall – could last several years.

"Our understanding is that there's been a general slowdown in construction in Europe, and that is likely to continue for some time in the future."

Shares plunged on the news, closing down 9p at 24.5p, a record low.

The news came as Axeon reported £1.1 million pre-tax loss in the six months to 30 June, an increase of £600,000 over the first half of 2007, as the company increased its research and development spend.

Revenue leapt to £32.9m during the period compared to £2.5m last year, a result of the acquisition of the power tool business, Ristma, and the start of volume production in the automotive sector.

Grant said that outside the power tool sector, Axeon is making rapid progress, with its mobility sector securing an additional £1.6m in orders since the end of June, while its automotive sector has begun manufacturing batteries for small deliver trucks and hybrid powered taxis.

During the first half Axeon delivered 12 prototype batteries to nine automotive customers for testing. Recently the company supplied a battery pack for an electric sports car concept for a German manufacturer, which may be brought into production.

Perhaps Mr Facenna should tell them that the new government consultation affects areas where there's sheep?

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Spring must be nigh as I can hear the first Cuckoo's of the year'

Im sad to be Scottish...we only have the Wacky SNP or the Flaky labour to chose from...........think i'l move over the Border, at least i'l can get pi**ed cheaper there in future..

and leave all that lovely countryside behind. Only having 2 parties to choose from eases the mind you can just flip a coin, not so here, we only have ourselves to blame

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

well then...Maybe i'l just hide away in some remote croft and keep my head low.