NEW business success has resulted in stevedore company, Southampton Cargo Handling (SCH) undertaking its first significant recruitment since the worker-owned business was established in 1990.

SCH is taking on apprentices and qualified cargo handlers in the wake of securing new contracts to handle roll-on/roll-off, con-tainerised and perishable cargoes.

In addition, the increased trade will lead to major spending on handling equipment which will be the biggest single investment since SCH was set-up by a group of stevedores investing their redundancy money.

"This is good news for the port of Southampton and the local economy,'' said Bill Ware, managing director of SCH.

"Our business is growing and we need more people to service our contracts.

"The age profile of our work-force is also such that we hope this will be an on-going recruitment with new people coming in as other retire.

"Because it is an on-going policy, it is difficult to be precise about numbers but even-tually the new employees could total several dozen.''

The four SCH apprentices will embark on a course lasting up to two years that will cover the full range of cargo handling skills. Training will be based on theory and practical elements, leading to National Vocational Qualification, level two.

SCH's new investment will be headed by a Ferrari Reachstacker for handling containers. The Italian built machine will have a capacity for up to 45 tonnes.

A new fleet of more than 40 smaller lift trucks will also be bought in to replace existing equipment, with the machines expected to be in operation by mid-summer.

The new machinery will be deployed throughout the port, including upgrading equipment used for cruise terminal operations where SCH's work-load has also increased.

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