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Retail boost for used trucks
Page 68
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As Direct UK Transport's clients in the fashion business have grown, its fleet of secondhand trucks has had to keep up with the work.
If more evidence is needed that we live in a retail-based society then the rise and rise of Direct UK Transport in west London will gladly provide it In the space of eight years the company has gone from two vehicles to 58 and 30 trailers as it keeps pace with the fashion industry — its core business. Customers include John Lewis, Phase Eight, French Connection and FCUK, with its main work coming from the rapidly growing H&M.To keep on top of costs, the vehicles, which deliver hanging garments and boxes to the high-street shops, have been picked up on the used market.
Second-hand purchases include,most notably,14 Renault 7.5-tonne Midlums with box bodies and tail-lifts. General manager Steve Alder is based in Southall, while two more depots grace Manchester and Glasgow, with one opening soon in Swindon.
Alder says the purchasing policy is simple economics: "Twelve brand new vehicles is a big outlay.Twelve secondhand is the equivalent of six new."With the rapid expansion it means Direct UK Transport can keep pace with demand with useful vehicles, while keeping overall expenditure down.
"Second-hand vehicles are more cost-effective at this stage of the company's development," he says."They have repair and maintenance packages that we pay extra for." Criteria is straightforward enough for Alder.Vehicles must have a tail-lift, box body, air deflectors. and load lock fitted, show reasonably low mileage — around 64,000km — and be around two years old. Power can vary but the company tries to keep just about everything standard.
Each vehicle is resprayed in Direct UK livery before it arrives, something dealt with by Renault.Alder is more than happy with the Midl urns and Renault has given the company good service. He will be adding more in due course as his Mercedes Atego vehicles are replaced.
As always in transport, things constantly change and buying used could well change to new once the expansion has slowed down. "In two years' time we could well return to new and contract hire, but the expansion process with H&M has been quick. We could not afford the outlay to keep pace, so we looked into second-hand vehicles," Alder says.The rest is history.
• Contact www.directuk.net