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'earn Spirit Personal Interest Forward Planning

10th November 1961, Page 151
10th November 1961
Page 151
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Page 151, 10th November 1961 — 'earn Spirit Personal Interest Forward Planning
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

;y Henry T. Norman • Success of Go-ahead Scottish Trunking Group Continues. Director Brothers Look to the Continent for Future Expansion

-THINKING of selling up? Then go and see Smith of Maddiston first." I have heard these words, or similar words used on more than one occasion een hauliers, fed up no doubt, with the stresses and is that accompany the day to day running of vehicle

these days. .

most regular users of trunk routes in England, Scotand Wales, the name Smith of Maddiston conjures -1. operator with seemingly hundreds of smart maroon cream-coloured vehicles, neat, clean and immaculate pearance and all looking more or less identical. They eye-catching headboards bearing the company's motto, ith for Service," and carry an equally impressive lia on the sides of their cabs.

t who are these operators—just how many vehicles they got, and where is Maddiston. Although their was told some years ago in The Commercial Motor, mtly ventured northwards across the Border to learn

at first hand the answers that go to make for successful operating and to see how things had progressed.

The company's headquarters at Maddiston is not far away from Falkirk in Stirlingshire, some 25 miles from Glasgow and a little nearer to Edinburgh. It is in an area that was recently described to me as " real haulier's country," for nearby, is the large and well known fleet of Russell of Bathgate, and Road Services (Forth) have their headquarters at Falkirk.

With between 250 and 300 vehicles at their disposal (they are not sure of the exact figure), operating from six major depots—Falkirk, Glasgow, Alloa, Stockon-on-Tees, Wigan and Birmingham—it is difficult to imagine that only 30 years ago the company's " fleet " consisted of one coal lorry, and second-hand at that.

The present joint managing directors, James and Alexander Smith, at that time persuaded their father, the .late Mr. James Smith, that there was a future in road haulage and a vehicle was purchased solely for the carriage of coal. Indeed, Mr. J. L. Rule, the divisional manager of Scottish B.R.S. (Parcels), Ltd., proudly claims that his father sold the Smiths their first bag of coal!

For three years, working round the clock in three shifts, father and sons kept the vehicle in continual use and eventually, ploughing all the profits back into the business —a practice that has been continued throughout their history—they were able to purchase two further secondhand vehicles, to enable them to enter the field of general haulage.

They obtained a contract with a local iron foundry for the transportation of gas cookers to Aberdeen and they began carrying fish from local markets into Glasgow. It was at about this time that the company turned their mind towards the possibility of operating a trunking service.

Gradually; over an extended period, extra vehicles were added to their fleet and, at a time when road transport became recognized as a serious competitor to the railways, the Smiths began regularly operating services to the north of England and the Midlands.

By 1939, James Smith and Sons, as the company was then called, were running a number of new vehicles—Leylands and Bedfordswhich they purchased out of profits.

During my recent visit to Maddiston the Smith brothers told me that they considered, bearing in mind licensing difficulties, that one sure way of obtaining more vehicles was to purchase whole businesses and then, as allowed by statute, taking over the vehicles together with the appropriate licences, subject, of course, to the Licensing Authority's approval.

They actually commenced doing this as long ago as 1946. In that year they made their first "take-over bid," which was accepted, and purchased the nearby four-vehicle business of a Mr. D. Smith, of Avonbridge. Later in that same year they took over another business consisting, again, of four vehicles, from J. and J. Keir Camelon, near Falkirk.

With the opening of the British Alumini Company's new rolling mills at Falkirk, Sm were provided with a fine opportunity for advancement of their ambitions. In the of keen competition they successfully tenth for the haulage of processed aluminium, wl was to be produced on a large scale, betw the factory at Falkirk to many of the m; towns and cities in the Kingdom and in pt eular to London. Portsmouth and Southa: ton. To enable them to cope with this an( order to continue the service hitherto giver their existing customers, they purchase< number of vehicles, both new and second-ht With so much traffic going southwarth England, it was decided to establish depots in 1954 the company acquired premises at Bryn, Wigan, where vehicles could be accommodated and installed to deal with back-loading of vehicles and so Shortly afterwards they obtained and established a Lon depot at Brentlield Road, Willesden, to deal with the amount of aluminium traffic—its transhipment, storage distribution and so on.

Within the past four years the company were able to Alloa, Glasgow, Stockton-on-Tees, St Albans and Birm ham to their list of depots. (1 recently changed their site at W to larger and more spacious mises at Newton-le-Willows Got-AN t) moved their London depot t more convenient position out London at St. Albans.) Appi mately 30 vehicles are kept at depot for collection and deli "feeder ?' services and rccipr trunk running, with limited facil for maintenance—major war] undertaken at Maddistonstorage.

Communications between various depots are maintainec Telex machines, operated thn the General Post Office. Smiths reckon that at £160 machine for the rental, plus cost of calls, they can achiev, economical link-up with br; managers. Previously, coi between the offices, the depots even drivers, was maintr through the ordinary telepl trunk-call system, which was c. and resulted in a blocking of lines with incoming calls when cheap time" had rnenced. Now, within seconds, each depot can be contt and, more important still, a permanent record of the co: of every message sent and received can be kept for Pi reference.

Always with an eye to the future to enable for planning, the company recently inaugurated regular ings between the directors and depot managers, held a Maddiston headquarters, where ideas are sought and cussed "man to man." Not only do the directors their own plans, but invite and discuss ideas from anagers. One or other of the directors visits the aid offices at irregular intervals. "This keeps them toes," contends Mr. James Smith.

ural development from the extensive haulage facili g provided was the formation of a company known h Storage Company (Falkirk) which, as the name specializes in storing the large varieties of goods company carry for their regular customers, At : points throughout England and Scotland stores !en set up offering over 8m. cu. ft. , of covered todation, louse space available includes lm. Cu. ft. at where, in 1955, a redundant factory was converted ;pecially thermostatically controlled store for the fing of aluminium. A further lm. cu. ft. is avail'aisley, 500,000 cu. ft. at Port Glasgow and 250,000 lock. As well as these stores, space is available at the depots, all of which are equipped with forkks and elevators.

eet consists mainly of heavy vehicles and includes number of multi-wheeled Leylands and A.E.C.s. Bedfords and Thames Traders are used for lighter )oth local and long distance. Whilst ever trying 'am n standardization of fleet vehicles, experience has that the six-wheeler is more suitable for the comype of operation, and, with this in mind, they have obtained a number of Albion Reivers.

believe in selecting the most suitable kind of vehicle ?articular job in hand and operate a large number ulated units and trailers, the majority of which Experience has shown that, whilst rigid are better for high and heavy loads, artics. are onomical to use for traffic to and from the docks, elays are often experienced. The company also mall number of articulated tanker vehicles.

Distinctive Insignia

.y trunk services are operated to the south. with goods from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Falkirk. .e augmented by daily services to London and the s, plus other regular runs with vehicles operating )ntract. All vehicles are fully employed operating directions, and sub-contracting has to be resorted pots in order to cope with demands.

y active interest is taken in the appearance of the A distinctive group insignia has been devised together with the effective colouring, is advertise ough for the fleet. The "Smith for Service rds, which can be illuminated at night; have been ! since early days.

tmes Smith told me that his company consider that criterion in any haulage business is the driver, The of drivers is very much to the fore and bonus have been devised to encourage the safe arrival and careful handling throughout the haul. Within 12 months a superannuation scheme has come into d drivers can retire at the age of 55, although, in ses, they may be allowed to work until they are of age.

!Irigg Garage, the headquarters of the organization, ually been developed over the years to cope with increasing size of the fleet. In June, 1954, the busiconverted into a limited liability company, and the changed to J. and A. Smith of Maddiston. In year a building next to the garage was bought rerted into an administrative block, which houses 35. Recent development has included a modern 'lice shop, a concrete run-in and fuel injection ptimp ith tank storage space for 10,000 gallons, and a main garage. A wash bay, steam bay for cleaning tankers and a transhipping bay have been incorporated and, with an eye to the future, spare land on one side of the garage has been purchased and will form part of the site.

, Continuing the company's policy of being as selfcontained as possible, 'a local coach-building firm was purchased. The premises, formerly owned by Campbell Brothers of Falkirk, are equipped with a sawmill, woodworking machinery and a sheet-metal department. Vehicle bodies are built completely to the company's requirements and are painted in the paintshop, which forms part of the premises.

When Mr. James Smith, senior, retired from the business, his eldest son, James Smith, junior, was appointed chairman and joint managing director with his brother, Alexander Smith. Both brothers share a single office in the administrative block,. with a commanding view of the whole depot. Both occupy houses with their families only a few hundreds yards from the depot and are therefore immediately available if required.

There is no doubt that a visit to the Smith headquarters would impress one with the air of enthusiasm that exists not only among the administrative staff, but in the depot itself. The accent always is towards youthfulness—particularly among the executives of the company.

Up to now, their story has been one of success. The Smith brothers attribute this to three major factors—forward planning, team spirit and a personal interest in customers.

They believe that the days of the small man, whether he be a grocer or a haulage contractor, are over. They aim at having a network of depots all over the country, with vehicles always available and ready to undertake any type of haulage, anywhere.

In company with other go-ahead hauliers, they have their sights set on Europe and the Common Market. They are confident that, providing Britain's ,northern ports are used by vessels of Common Market countries, trans-Continental operations—the vehicles travelling right through to their Continental destinations—are feasible. There is no doubt that 'when this happens, if the company find it to be an economic proposition, the familiar motto " Smith for Service " will become as well known on Continental trunk roads. in the future as it is now on the Al or the MI.


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