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Chris Bennett's first business venture fell apart. But, undeterred, Bennett
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bounced back and now he runs one of the few truly specialist heavy haulage operations in Britain. Tim Maughan visits his Cheshire base and learns some useful tips on how to pick up the pieces.
Chris Bennett was burned early in business when his first firm failed in 1991. "I lost everything, but I started up again six months later," he reflects. "I borrowed money on the strength of my house—and my good reputation." Gradual expansion followed. Today, his 40-strong HGV fleet turns over L3.6m.
Many operators say that haulage is simply a means to an end. Bennett, though, says he has a genuine appetite for the job. It's an enthusiasm which seems to filter through the company's ranks: "You won't get a boss as good as him!" says the driver of one of the firm's Scanias, as Bennett poses for a photograph.
True to the company name, the trucks operated by this Stockport, Cheshire-based company are certainly heavy.
Five HGVs are plated at 150 tonnes, with a
further three running at 8o tonnes. The remainder of the fleet reads like an imaginary UK Commercial Vehicle Weight textbook. "We also run at 44 and 38 tonnes," reports Bennett. "We have a 3.5-tonne pick-up, and 7.5, /8 and 2 6-tormers,"
The heavies, though, are Bennett's pride and joy. With these, work is undertaken locally, nationally and on the Continent.
He says: "Our vehicles transport a lot of pressure vessels, machine tools and plant equipment. We have recently finished a contract carrying steel sections for the new Airbus passenger aeroplane assembly plant."
With a length of 73m, and a wingspan of 79.8m, the double-deck Airbus A38o is a monster aircraft, which necessitates the use of correspondingly large HGVs. "It did us well, that work," smiles Bennett. His trucks have also delivered locally-manufactured radars to Madrid. The firm's 'smaller' trucks, the 38 and 44-tonners, concentrate on general haulage work; Chris Bennett Heavy Haulage has a contract with a fencing company, too.
Fitting is mainly done in-house, although the 8o and 150-tonners, which are generally bought new, come with two-year free maintenance packages.
The company owns Go trailers. Noteboom and King low-loaders feature prominently. It also operates curtainsiders and stepfrarnes, which have been used to deliver i6rn airliner engines to airports across the Continent.
Extendable semi low-loaders, lorrymounted cranes with lifting capacity from 2.5 to 17 tonnes, and Brimec hydraulic winches—
all this apparatus underlines Bennett's position as one of the few truly specialist heavy hauliers in the UK.
"A lot of our trailers have rear steer facilities," reports Bennett. "Rear steer is important, and its especially useful when we do inner city work."
Route planning
Planning is vital in heavy haulage, and routes have to be meticulously mapped out. Anne Phillips, route planner, has the role of notifying police forces before a Bennett Special Types Category truck takes to the road. Bennett says: "We have built up a good relationship with the police; as well as the police, though, we have to notify local authorities and even railway companies before we travel through their areas."
Many heavy hauliers salute the effectiveness of police escorts; commonly, operators believe that only they command the necessary respect of motorists. On the downside, an emergency means that an escort can take off at the drop of a hat, leaving a unit high and dry.
Some forces don't charge for escorts, but those that do can levy substantial fees. Bennett can pay up to koo for a Special Types Category H G V to be accompanied by each constabulary. A single trip through several counties can mean a charge running into thousands. "The bills are horrendous. We send an invoice to the customers for the escorts," he quickly points out.
With Bennett operating such an array of vehicle weights, HGV tax bands can be a little confusing. "We pay i'1,25o to tax a 38-tanner on five axles, yet we pay £G5o to put a six-axled 41-tonner on the road. I just wonder to myself who is thinking these prices up; it doesn't make sense," he says.
Recovery operators
He also has one or two things to say about recovery operators. A month ago, a pipe was slowly slipping from one of his flatbeds. The driver duly contacted the local police. He rang Bennett, too, who sent a six-wheeler with 35tonne crane to the truck, which was parked up on a layby on a dual carriageway.
Bennett explained to the police that his truck was on its way, and that the load could be corrected, but the police had already notified the local recovery operator. The figures were stacking up.
"The police's appearance fee was £0 05. The call-out charge for the recovery firm was £55. Then, we had to pay £45 each per hour for two recovery staff, and this was over six hours. On top of that, the fee for the recovery vehicle was L56o. "It was a big bill, and for no reason at all. The police showed no goodwill, and I had no say in the matter whatsoever," complains Bennett.
Remarkably, such occupational hazards don't deter him from working in this niche market. His appetite for haulage remains undiminished. Eighteen months ago he bought S F Motors, a Buxton general haulage firm, along with its fleet of seven trucks.
Bennett seems a natural for the haulage industry but, after the catastrophe in 1991, behind the scenes he is scrutinising every pound. He says: "We have a monthly management report which is drawn up by an accountant. It means if we lose money, we can do something about it straight away.
"I am not letting the bank run my business now, and all the doubting Thomases who thought I couldn't succeed in this industry have to chew on their words."