EXPRESS VAN HAULAGE
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revor Boyd, partner at Dundee-based Express Van Haulage, pulls no punches when he talks of the "graveyard" that Dundee's industrial base had become by he early 1990s. The town's carpet factories had been decimated and. if that vas not enough, the James Keller mar
alade factory—an institution in the town—shut down in 1991.
For Boyd, the repercussions were deeply felt: the firm had delivered _carpets to Royal households, and it also carried a valuable 650 pallets of Keller marmalade and confectionery every week. "We had a warehouse business as well as being involved in haulage," he says. "In 1991 we had 12 vehicles, including vans and curtainsid rs; and the 2,7901712 warehouse had
pacity for 2,500 pallets."
When the traditional local industries anished, so did demand for the wareuse of Express Van Haulage. It osed in 1992.
But Boyd is surprisingly philosophi about this industrial decline—for m there is always something round a corner. A period of rationalisation, hich saw the firm's fleet reduced to
eight vehicles, was something of a transformation. When Express Van Haulage carried carpets and marmalade it operated vans predominantly; hence the name.
The firm was set up by Trevor and his brother Cameron in 1979; they bought two 7.5-tonne box vans and started delivering carpets to homes within 25 miles.
Now Express Van Haulage operates eight tractive units. And for Boyd, general haulage is now the name of the game, as long as ills with pallets. "We carry goods from automatic tilling machines to non-perishable foods," he says. Express Van Haulage vehicles pick up foodstuffs from the manufacturers and deliver to the supermarkets' regional distribution centres (RDCs).
Boyd explains: "100% of our work is with pallets—we transport between 1,500 and 2,000 of them a week. Pallets are the way forward."
The former Keiler marmalade factory, on the doorstep of the Express Van Haulage base, is now an automatic tilling machine factory. The firm carries the one-tonne machines to locations across the UK.
Boyd says: "We also have a daily service to Manchester and
Birmingham, and we go to London alternate days," These runs involve carrying just about everything.
And Boyd is brutally realistic when it comes to the topic of rates. 'We don't like to work for peanuts; if the rate is not right we will not do the job." He is prepared to negotiate, but only to a certain point: "In road haulage the majority of costs are non-negotiable—when we tax the vehicles there is no negotiation."
To keep the fleet on the road, Boyd uses the services of two firms; one to cater for the units, the other to repair the trailers. "I cannot put a nut on a bolt," he admits. "My brother and I are technically useless, and we don't want the overheads of a workshop."
Boyd adds: "A Sime looks after the trailers. It will do anything for us. seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It has had a contract with us for 20 years."
The fleet is exclusively MercedesBenz. Back in the early days of the company. Boyd bought a second-hand Mercedes van. He was so impressed by its reliability that since then he has sworn by the German marque. "I am delighted with Mercedes," he says.
Boyd may be content with the fleet of his choice, but there are some niggling things which are, quite simply, beyond the Express Van Haulage partner's control.
"Hauliers deserve more respect, especially at the delivery stage," he says. "Here, we often have lengthy waits."
How does Boyd look at the new Scottish Parliament?
He says that he is "concerned" about this; he is especially worried that the Scottish Parliament could introduce toils to the country's roads—the new assembly would certainly have the power to do this.
Boyd fears that if road tolls were brought in they would be universally implemented, on duel carriageways as well as motorways. "In France they charge tolls on motorways, but not on duel carriageways, which means there is an alternative," he points out.
What about expansion? "No," says Boyd. "We are happy with what we have. Not many haulage firms have expanded locally in the past few years."
Even a dramatic increase in work would not tempt Express Van Haulage to invest in more vehicles. Flexibility is what it is all about. Like the refusal to set up a Fitting bay, Boyd does not want the added overheads of a larger fleet. "Our fleet can be doubled at any time with subcontractors," he says.
Express Van Haulage started off with vans, and now it is chiefly an HGV fleet. Boyd is happy with his haulage lot. and is not willing to jeopardise 20 years of hard work. "We are cautiously optimistic," he concludes.