All branches of distribution come under the Greenwoods tree
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Greenwoods Transport has spent almost 40 years building up a national transport system, stretching from Land's End to John O'Groats.
This has been achieved on a broad base of services — a large general haulage fleet which can handle a 'one off order as easily as the regular contract, warehousing space totalling more than a million square feet, and a distribution set-up which can look after the job from the client's factory right through to a corner shop delivery.
The growth of the business owes much to its reliability and expertise in a competitive field, But every firm is of course only as good as its staff. Here Greenwoods is fortunate in having among its 750 employees many of long standing who still tend to look on the firm as a family business. Although it retains the personal touch it has come a long way from being the small family business it once was. Greenwoods St. Ives, as it was originally known, was formed in 1937 and was acquired in 1967 by the Consolidated Gold Fields group, founded by Cecil Rhodes. Subsequently Gold Fields bought out the Amey Group which included the Amey Transport largely responsible for building . up what is now the biggest magazine distribution operation in the country. His son Patrick learned the business from the ground floor, and is now director of transport, storage and distribution. The chairman, Hugh Parry, is financial director of thE parent ARC company, and Pete Roe is the representative from Consolidated Gold Fields. The other members of the board are John Baker, Peter Croft and Bar Greaves.
Now the company operates fro!. 13 depots with a fleet of some 350 vehicles, ranging from 6-c. vans to 32-ton art ics, with the distinctive G-and-arrow logo,
The vehicles are capable of carrying almost any type of loa( including raw materials, industrial freight, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and other packaged goods.
"Whatever the problem, we ha. the equipment and the managerial.know-bow to handl it,'' says managing director Paddy Bennett.
The firm's vehicles cover more than 10 million miles a year, bi that is nowhere near full capaci Greenwoods operate a 'safety margin' system, allowing all vehicles ample off-road time fc servicing, routine maintenance and repair, rather than run to 1000/0 potential in the manner some less responsible operator
give the haulage industry a name. Essential mechanical k is carried out by the firm's trained staff, and this means :placement can be sent to take ir the load if the original vehicle iuld break down -a back-up vice beyond the scope of most aller firms.
ienwoods operates a highly fessional distribution service behalf of a wide range of nts, many of them brand Jers and household names.
gazines for a start: its a good that the publication you are ding at this moment was part consignment handled at the )s depot in Hoddeson, Herts, t Warboys not far from ibridge. This is a highly histicated operation involving ■ tight delivery timetables.
there are hundreds of other imodities carried from these other bases, either for lediate delivery or for storage.
s one important example of anwoods specialisation in dling. The depot at Hursley, chester. has developed 1-ial facilities for receipt, age and distribution for one of major oil companies_ :1 and consumer goods completely separate
goods such as fuel and nicals -are another feature ie firm's service. For example. no major client. Greenwoods iles a complete distribution .ation for the whole of South Rs and the West involving a Jighput of some 800 tons per <. At the other end of the
the firm runs a daily service e Isle of Wight by ferry, after Ain start by the lorry leaving nhams, near Southampton, with a load of foodstuffs for delivery to shops throughout the island.
Contract leasing is a further aspect of the service. These package deals entail provision of staff and vehicles ;sometimes in the customer's own livery), plus storage space, so that an entire distribution operation can be carried out. The scheme is of particular benefit to customers whose turnover does not Justify tying up capital in their own transport operation.
Any combination of haulage. storage and distribution can be planned and tailored to meet the needs of individual customers. Indeed, Greenwoods can figure in a chain from raw materials to finished product.
This is achieved by collecting the basic commodity from the factory, putting it into store, then delivering it to the manufacturing point; another collection and store cycle or direct delivery to the customer — followed by final delivery anywhere in the U.K.
Storage space, incidentally, is no problem for Greenwoods. It has acres of it, ranging from 320,000 sq. ft. at Appleton, Warrington down to a more modest 17,000 at Portsmouth.
These vast areas are available either as part of the distribution service or on a rental-only basis. The company is well equipped with the latest mechanical handling aids, and pays strict attention to storage requirements and correct rotation of stock. Once in store, the company can adapt to any specific stock requirement.
The head office at Hoddesdon, where the Marketing /Sales and other Group Services are based, is within a short drive of some glorious Hertfordshire countryside. And at Rownhams; near Southampton, there is an old Manor House, listed as a building of architectural and historial interest within the confines of the firm's site.
Other major outlets are at Old Sodbury, near Bristol, which acts as a gateway to Wales and the West Country: Wootton, covering Jxfordshire and the heart of England: and Exeter, where the depot on the giant Marsh Barton trading estate is conveniently placed for coverage of Devon and Cornwall. .
Aylesbury, Avonmouth and Winchester are the sites of the other southern bases. Appleton, close to Manchester, provides for the North-West, Newcastle for the North-East. and Rutherglen Glasgow covers the whole of Scotland. The offices at Newcastle also act as clearing house for other haulage companies.
Greenwoods aims to give a totally reliable service . . and knows that its customers play a large part in building up this image. Many clients have been dealing with the rirm for more than 30 years, which is a clear indication of the regard in which Paddy Bennett and his team are held by those who in the end keep the wheels turning.