Wm. Armstrong

Shipping Company

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In 1927 William Armstrong, a farm labourer, acquired a 25 acre smallholding at Newtown, Irthington near Brampton and so founded his haulage firm. Today, the third generation of the Armstrong family is running the business. Livestock lorries based at the Longtown depot can carry 35 cows compared with William Armstrong's original Model T Ford that could only carry one cow and a co-operative one at that! While he was never to make his fortune moving single cows he saw the opportunity for retailing coal brought from the nearly Hallbankgate drift mine which he sold for around the equivalent of 6p a cwt.

It was the arrival of the Nestle and Angle Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Carlisle in 1928 that really established the business. The 1928 agreement was that Armstrongs would bring nine churns of milk into the dairy every day - for the sum of 10 shillings (50p) and William received a cheque for £15 for the loads carried in September 1928 with which he opened a bank account.

Subject ID: 81319

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In 1927 William Armstrong, a farm labourer, acquired a 25 acre smallholding at Newtown, Irthington near Brampton and so founded his haulage firm. Today, the third generation of the Armstrong family is running the business. Livestock lorries based at the Longtown depot can carry 35 cows compared with William Armstrong's original Model T Ford that could only carry one cow and a co-operative one at that! While he was never to make his fortune moving single cows he saw the opportunity for retailing coal brought from the nearly Hallbankgate drift mine which he sold for around the equivalent of 6p a cwt.

It was the arrival of the Nestle and Angle Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Carlisle in 1928 that really established the business. The 1928 agreement was that Armstrongs would bring nine churns of milk into the dairy every day - for the sum of 10 shillings (50p) and William received a cheque for £15 for the loads carried in September 1928 with which he opened a bank account.

The 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak had a severe effect on the region and the company diversified by joining with other UK hauliers to form PalletFORCE, a palletised goods distribution network run by its members and operating throughout the UK and Europe. Wm. Armstrong were honoured by fellow members by being voted Palletforce Depot of the Year 2003 at the annual awards ceremony.

In the following years the company expanded its haulage operation with the acquisition of Robsons Haulage Ltd. and Forster's Light Haulage and the opening of the Wm. Armstrong Depot at Uddingston Glasgow. It has also diversified into commercial vehicle sales and service with the acquisition of Cumbria Truck Centre Ltd. in 2002 and Armstrong Trucks at Uddingston Glasgow.

Subject ID: 81319

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Subject ID: 81319