'Only cowboys survive'
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by Amanda Bradbury • A South Wales haulier's refusal to compromise on maintenance or lawful operating is forcing him to sell up after more than 20 years in the business.
Jeff Thomas, owner of £1.5mturnover Cowbridge, South Glamorgan-based Penllyne Haulage is making his 11 drivers redundant this month and redeveloping his yard.
The company's fleet of 10 trac tive units and 12 Wilcox bulk tipping trailers were sold at an on-site auction yesterday (16 June).
With tipping rates lower in some cases than six years ago road haulage is no longer viable for the legitimate operator, says Thomas. "We run a fleet that is second to none, maintenance is 100% and I would rather sell up than compromise that.
"We reduced the fleet before," he adds. "We had 27 trucks three years ago and two yards. I decided to put industrial units on the top yard and reduce the fleet by half. The diesel increase in the Budget and the daily increase in general operating overheads was the final straw. The only people who can survive are the cowboy outfits."
Vehicle auctioneer Coles Knapp says it received 100 enquiries for the auction of Penllyne's vehicles from as far away as Southern Ireland.
The company's tipping work is now tip for grabs by other hauliers: the company carried up to 20 loads of coal derivatives a week for Hove, Sussex-based Powell Duffryn from South Wales to the South Coast. That contract is now up for tender.
Penllyne also carried Anthracite from British Coal's open-cast sites at Coedbach and Onllwyn, Ansit from Mountain Ash, and Maxibrite from Llantrisant to PD's depots. And Cardiff-based aggregates firm RAW is looking for another tipper operator to replace Penllyne in hauling pre-coated chippings for road construction.