FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS
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Sanderson began his haulage journey in 1973, using £40 of savings and a £200 loan from his grandfather to set up the business and buy a Ford Transit pick-up, serving engineering companies in Leicestershire. Several years of growth followed and in 1987, a friend, John Burrows, joined the company in partnership with Sanderson. Burrows, who worked as operations director, developed the European and storage operations until his retirement in 2010. Over the past 15 years, Sanderson has been joined by two of his four sons, Christopher and Edward, who are ensuring the continuity of the business.
After occupying various sites in the area over the decades, the company is now based at its fully owned facility on the Riverside Industrial Estate, close to Market Harborough train station. "We built up the business gradually and benefitted from the fact that, in the early 1980s, nearby Corby was attracting new business as a government enterprise zone," Sanderson says. "Almost four decades later, we're proud to say that we still work with many of our original customers."
20 dedicated and liveried trucks. Sanderson says: "The products are made in Germany, but Hormann has a DC and an assembly plant in Coalville [Leicestershire], so we are constantly moving its equipment around the UK and Europe, as well as a collection of components from Germany. Hormann is an excellent company to work with, very professional in its dealings."
Stephen Sanderson Transport also has an arrangement to import and distribute axles for BPW throughout the UK, and is involved in axle testing programmes for the German axle and brake manufacturer. "It has a superb manufacturing research and development facility in Germany, and we bring its range of equipment in from that facility," Sanderson adds. "We have test trucks fitted with the latest BPW axles, do a lot of monitoring of the axles with different loads, testing them for safety."
Network shareholder
The firm became a shareholder member of Palletline in 2001, and has five double-deck trailers on this work covering the Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby postcodes. "The Palletline team is exceptional and we are impressed with its technology aspect, especially the recent release of the new Contrado computer system," says Sanderson. "Palletline insists on the highest health and safety standards and good practice from its members. My business has similar core values, which makes the partnership run well."
The firm became a shareholder member of Palletline in 2001, and has five double-deck trailers on this work covering the Wellingborough, Kettering and Corby postcodes. "The Palletline team is exceptional and we are impressed with its technology aspect, especially the recent release of the new Contrado computer system," says Sanderson. "Palletline insists on the highest health and safety standards and good practice from its members. My business has similar core values, which makes the partnership run well." Sanderson says: "We operate about 35 trailer-mounted Moffett forklifts, which gives us greater flexibility on jobs. Customers who don't have forklifts love them, they are useful for lifting items such as pallets of paving slabs, bagged topsoil, feed and the like, where goods need delivering to private residential areas where access is tricky." He continues: "All training for our Moffett forklifts takes place with our own RTITB trainer. Drivers are provided with the latest personal protective equipment when taking responsibility for a Moffett
forklift. In addition, we have a dedicated workshop fitter for servicing and repairing these bits of kit. Our fleet of Moffett forklifts continues to expand and, with health and safety becoming ever more involved, I see these as a way forward for our industry."
The operator became a member of the Transport Association in 1996 and Sanderson believes the organisation is a great way of keeping up to date with new developments in the industry, along with the friendship and assistance generated through membership.
"Our industry is now regulated to the hilt, but we can get information from the other members at the Transport Association about changes in legislation, along with having useful discussions about new regulations. "We also help each other out as members by sharing parking and bulk fuel facilities. A lot of diesel is stolen in laybys, so it is great to have secure facilities available," Sanderson says. •