UA TO UNITE PERTH AND STIRLING MARTS

Press Release

17th June 2008
United Auctions is announcing today (Tuesday 17th June, 2008) their plans to amalgamate the Perth and Stirling sales to operate from a single site at the new Stirling Agricultural Centre.

The amalgamation is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the company and will take effect from June next year when the construction of the new mart at Hill of Drip in Stirling is complete, at which point the Perth and Kildean mart sites will close.

In the meantime, the existing marts will continue to operate as usual, with no disruption to scheduled auction sales.

The announcement is part of the company’s corporate strategy under the MBO team, who completed a buy-back of the livestock operation from property developer Elphinstone in February 2007.

Executive Chairman of United Auctions said: “This decision has not been taken lightly. We are responding to the changes in the sector and the challenges we’re facing and believe we’re taking the necessary action to ensure a sustainable future.

“Our staff and customers are our utmost priority and we’re confident that the amalgamation will create a very exciting set of sales in a single location that will benefit our customers. We are pleased to reassure them that there will be no personnel changes so they can rely on the same staff being at their service in the new location.”

“We are incredibly proud of our history in Perth and at Kildean and will ensure that special Perth and Stirling sales, such as the Bull Sales, will continue to have their own identity.”

United Auctions are attending the Royal Highland Show and will be exhibiting a History Wall, specially produced for their 150th year, which depicts the evolution of the company and agriculture in images from 1858 to 2008.