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Fashion specialist believes it is well suited to general haulage

29th March 2007, Page 14
29th March 2007
Page 14
Page 14, 29th March 2007 — Fashion specialist believes it is well suited to general haulage
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A HALIFAX COMPANY which specialises in transporting clothes is entering the general haulage, just as many general hauliers are moving into specialist sectors.

Advanced, which makes up as well as transports clothes, aims to double its fleet of 35 tractors and 90 trailers in the next IS months.

Marketing manager Matthew Ludlam acknowledges the firm is bucking a trend, but sees the weak general haulage market as an opportunity rather than a reason to stay away-particularly because the cost of leasing trailers is at a historically low level.

"We can therefore move into general haulage at a relatively low cost but with potentially great benefit," he points out. "For us the issue is being able to guarantee speedy growthit's about scale, and we want to double our turnover from £1 3m now to £26m by 2010."

Advanced intends to run its clothes haulage operation alongside the general haulage work. It routinely carries 250,(X)Ogarments a week.and up to 500,0(X) a week at busy times.

The company has recruited Robert Fox, the former sales director of Macfarlane Transport. to spearhead its drive into new markets. Sales at Macfarlane rose from £3.5m to£21m during Fox's time at the firm, although Macfarlane did hit trouble early in 2006, when it was put into administration. Its assets and goodwill were bought by Yorkshire haulage entrepreneur Stephen Cooke (CM 9 February 2006).

Fox believes Advanced will do well in the general haulage market: "Advanced has the wherewithal that small outfits lack but the personal service that the very big boys just can't offer.That's an attractive combination for any firm.

"I'm hoping that business people in Yorkshire will be open to supporting a local company that's attempting to drive up standards in general haulage by using the best practice from the fashion industry," he concludes.


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