Ryan to build rail terminal

RYAN Group, the largest private coal company in Britain, is to build a rail freight terminal in Wales as part of an expansion that will create 600 jobs, writes Mary Fagan.

The company has received a grant of pounds 4.3m from the Welsh Office for the terminal. The Neath Valley rail line, closed for seven years, is being reinstated to carry the coal.

Ryan said that the line may also carry coal for other producers in the area, including British Coal. It will remove a large part of road- borne coal haulage from congested routes in South Wales.

Ryan is also developing two more deep pits following a relaxation in rules that limited private coal company underground staff to 30 miners. The Ryan Mining workforce of 300 will increase to 900 as mining, processing and marketing activities increase.

Ryan, which has a turnover of pounds 130m, became a private company in 1989 through a management buyout. Electra, the venture capital house, took a stake in the company earlier this year. The group already acts as a sub-contractor to British Coal.