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IIII one of life's most traumatic experiences along with getting
Page 38
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married, having a family and finally deciding to dispose of your collection of vinyl albums. Moving business premises may be lower down the trauma scale, but not by much. Few hauliers take the decision lightly, and they are well aware that so much can go wrong if every detail is not factored into the plan. Planning permission, bolshy builders, environmental concerns and taking staff along with the project are all important considerations.
Wvvem Cargo realised as long as ro years ago that it needed a bigger base. This month it moves into a state-of-the-art office and warehouse site just a couple of miles away from its old premises. The distance is not great, leading to few problems with staff retention, but all the other factors are just as important as if the company had moved to the other side of the country.
"We outgrew our first premises io years ago," says Wyvern Cargo MD John Probert. "At that stage we had to separate haulage from parcels and run them as autonomous units. The growth of parcels work for ANC had put us under considerable strain." To solve the problem Probert engaged the services of Covel, a company which specialises in project co-ordination and surveying. Covel is run by Howard Baron, a neighbour of Probert's; its remit was to facilitate the process of finding a site and dealing with the council, the architect and the builders.
In the event that decision has also saved Wyvern money. Baron has extensive problem handling skills—he was commercial director of Bournemouth Airport until its takeover by the Manchester Airport Group made his job redundant. And he has some empathy with the haulage business; he holds a CPC from the days when his family ran a plant hire business.
Wyvern's growth included the 1999 acquisition of a haulage company in Rushden, Northants, to boost its ability to provide a national service. This helped it win a contract for Bestfoods, part of the Unilever Group.
Parcels network
In addition to the ANC parcels network Wyvern is also part of the Fortec pallet network. The needs of a diversifying and growing business were key factors to take into account when developing a new site. However, suitable land for haulage companies is limited in the Poole area so Covel's first actions were basic.
"We talked to the Wyvern team, discussed the budget and did a bit of legwork finding sites," says Baron. "We carried out a feasibility study on the options. A balance had to be struck. Wyvern had the foresight not to build something too specific for its own use because a building is more valuable if it can be adapted to another owner and the structure can be split into smaller units."
Wyvern's finance director, Stephen Bennett, sums up Covel's contribution: -They've taken a problem from us and enabled us to do our job."
The first part of the process entailed finding the right site. This was accomplished before Christmas 2001. when Wyvern bought 3.5 acres of a former factory site. Planning permission was the next step, and for that an architect was required. "We had presentations from three and we stuck a pin in the right one," laughs Probert. He adds that the employees' needs were paramount when choosing the location: "Some of the warehouse staff just come in for a few hours in the evening and the drivers come in early in the morning so their journeys have to be feasible."
Plannkig permission
The wheels of local authorities move slowly and planning permission takes a while, so Wyvem took a calculated risk. "Because of the short timescale we employed the design team before planning permission came through in July,' says Baron.
The bm project has been funded largely from Wyvern's 'war chest', which was built up through prudent management. "When transport companies are cutting back, it's good to see a haulier investing," says Probert. And it has come in on budget—not an easy thing to do once builders become involved. The secret to this has been employing the contractors directly and paying for their employees' public liability insurance. "Conventionally you get a main contractor to do the job who then subcontracts work to plumbers, electricians and bricicies," says Baron.
Planning permission was conditional on Wyvern producing a 'green' travel plan. "The council requires us to take an interest in how staff get to work," Probert explains. "Will they drive? Will we bus them? Will they go by public transport? It's not law, it's a wish list. The council wants to limit the use of cars and car parking space."
When CM visited the new site the building was still a shell with cold autumn winds whipping through its empty spaces. But the Wyvern team was eager to point out some of its novel features. 'Sun pipes' in the ceiling will provide additional natural light in rooms without glazing. A sprinkler system in the
warehouse is being eschewed in favoui fireproof partitions. "Sprinklers do m damage to goods than fire," says Probert, all new buildings must, the site includes access for disabled people. There will alsc a staff rest area with TV, hot drinks, c snacks and a microwave.
The drivers have also made a contributiox raised kerb sited a few feet before the fe should prevent trucks backing into the fe because drivers will feel the wheels touching kerb. "We walked a couple of drivers around site and their comments were so helpful incorporated their ideas," says Baron.
Geodis, one of Wyvern's groupage c tomers, will have an office on the site to rr age its Continental wine imports and h.; directly with its drivers. "The building pro has made us look at the whole business," s Bennett. "There are so many opportunitie do things differently—there's so much r technology available that we are puttinE new computer systems."
New technology
New premises and new technology as Probert believes the success of the comp relies on something more fundamental: business depends on loyalty from the s and especially from the drivers on the r who make it happen. We offer good pay at profit sharing scheme-2o% of the t, profit is shared among staff."
Bennett agrees: "Everyone feels they ha, stake in the business."
It is not just the location of the busin that is changing. Probert steps down as MI become chairman on i January; he will be 5 ceecled by Evan Sparrowhawk, who joined company straight from school 23 years agc promised him the sky's the limit," rec Probert, chuckling, "Relocating will ope new chapter and I am passing on the bai However, I still feel young at heart and hop make some contribution."
As the wind chill threatens to touch zi Probert points to the grassy banks and ti fringing the site. We can eat our sandwic here in the summer and put up fairy light Christmas," he smiles. "What more do • want?" lust hot soup and a beer, really. At • point we retire to the pub...