Wine courier Amtrak in administration

Hundreds of wine distributors and merchants in the UK are facing disruptions to their wine deliveries and 900 jobs are at risk at British courier firm Amtrak as it fell into administration this week. Ernst and Young have been appointed as administrators.

Amtrak specialized in national and international parcel freight and had a dedicated wine arm called Wine Trak. They were one of only a few couriers with a dedicated service handling fragile packages and glass while also offering insurance against subsequent loss or damage.

According to Ernst and Young Amtrak has found trading in the current economic climate challenging and as consumer spending power has weakened, Amtrak's business has suffered. The Amtrak parcel business suffered a loss of £29 million loss in the first half, with delivery volumes down 9% in June compared to the same month last year. It had a regional hub in Warrington and an administration office in Bristol.