Industry takes time out to remember Stan Robinson
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From a single wagon to Motor Transport’s Haulier of the Year, road transport pays its last respects to a legend
Words: Christopher Walton
THE FUNERAL of haulage legend Stan Robinson will take place at 11am this Saturday (21 April). Family, friends and colleagues will gather at St Chad’s Church in Seighford, just a short distance from the Stan Robinson (Stafford) depot on the Ladfordfields industrial estate in Staffordshire, to celebrate his life and work.
His eponymous haulage firm is now in its 42nd year of trading. It was founded by Robinson in 1970, when he was 28 and an ownerdriver running a single wagon. He was following in his father’s footsteps (his dad ran a coal wagon around the county).
Decisions
The story goes that Robinson decided that enough was enough and he didn’t want to work for anyone except himself (having spent 10 years driving routes in the farming industry), so he bought a second-hand four-wheel Commer.
Today the firm has 264 employ ees and runs approximately 160 vehicles and 300 trailers from four depots across the country (Willand in Devon, Darlington, Glasgow and Seighford). It has a turnover of £18.7m and a pre-tax profit of £811,000.
When CM interviewed Robinson in 2010, marking the 40th anniversary of the firm that still bares the legend “Proud to be a family haulier”, Robinson said he didn’t envy anyone starting up in business today. “It would be difficult for a one-man owner-driver to develop in the same way today.
“When I started in 1970, there weren’t all the rules and expensive technology such as mobile phones and vehicle tracking.”
Quality business
However, in 1999 Stan Robinson (Stafford) won Haulier of the Year at the Motor Transport Awards. The judges singled out “a quality business where people and innovation are the most important elements” .
Robinson celebrated on stage with his sons Ian and Mark by doing the can-can before showing off the award with his wife Flo.
He said at the time: “This is a dream I have had for 28 years. I did not expect to win this award, but it feels fantastic. I want to thank my team for their hard work.” It is a sentiment sure to echo at St Chad’s Church on Saturday.