THE BIG CHI"
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When the autumn mists arrive. Graham Eames takes his trucks to Scotland. The game season means big business for his food distribution company, Hargrave International.
There is no sense of mellow fruitfulness in his high-tech office just outside Spalding in Lincolnshire, and no dreamy vision of the monarch of the glen. Eames whole operation is sharp, modern and hungry for growth.
"I'm up in Scotland tomorrow actually," he says. -seeing our first ever customer. Buitelaar Game. They're the largest game dealers in Europe now, shipping grouse. pheasants and
venison. We take thousands of pigeons to France too, the French love them. God knows where all the pigeons come from."
Eames' brusque, matter-of-fact way of talking matches Hargrave's forceful presence in the UK's refrigerated transport market. From a standing start ten years ago, Hargrave has grown into a £4-million-a-year-turnover company returning 1500,000 in profits. It runs 50 trucks and 61 trailers all Leyland Daf and all at 38 tonnes GVW bar one 24-tonne rigid with nothing on contract hire, lease or rental.
The company's origins could hardly have been more inauspicious: it was originally the
transport department of an abattoir. "I came here in April 1978. and it was in a right mess." says Eames. "For the first six months we just kept grinning and saying things can only get better.
In June 1978 he bought four new reefer trailers and launched straight into international haulage his experience at his former employer. Frigoscandia, was put to good use.
-This is a terrible industry to be in," he says. "Transport in itself is a pain in the neck. There can be very few other businesseS in which you have so little control over what happens to you day to day. Roadworks, crashes, breakdowns its horrendous. Then, of course, you have got the legislation to contend with. We are completely tied down."
So why does he bother, and how is he succeedine He is obviously razor sharp, commercially. His first job. after all, was in merchant banking. But Hargrave International also re-invests heavily, sets itself high standards and does not come cheap. The firm's publicity brochure says, with refreshing
candour: "Hargrave will never be the cheapest operator in its market."
According to Eames, his company has a point to prove: "We're going to win by running properly I'm determined to create an environment in which our standards are the norm. People are definitely beginning to copy us. We've got to make cowboy hauliers a thing of the past."
Part of his evangelical approach is to take a leading role in the reefer industry's trade association, Transfrigoroute. It is the only trade association he bothers with, because it takes the no-nonsense line he likes.
"About five years ago. I got bullied into joining Transfrigoroute,7 he says. "It was called the International Refrigerated Transport Association then. I went to my first meeting and there were about six people there, chatting about this and that, about rates and how much to charge the Italians. It was all totally negative. Useless to me. Since then. the meetings have become much more aggressive and constructive. We are concerned with standards in the industry and we have set out our own code of practice, in black and white."
Hargrave tries hard to ensure its vehicles have the necessary support on the road to back up its performance claims. Seven full time engineers, three on 24-hour call, service and maintain the fleet. Everything is done inhouse and there is even a full-time vehicle washer to keep things sparkling.
Its major disadvantage seems to be road links to East Anglia. "Atrocious." says Eames. The fertile agricultural land around him. however. means 90% of Hargrave's customers lie in a 75km radius. "What really bugs me." says Eames. "is that I pay £3100 road tax for a top artic which. if it is used on Continental work, will only spend a few days a year in this country. I still have to pay foreign motorway tolls. and Continental drivers working here pay nothing."
EEC harmonisation in 1992 should iron out the wrinkles, but Eames has his doubts. He is ready for the fray. British hauliers who run tight ships in our incredibly competitive domestic industry are well placed to "carve up" the Continental markets, he says.
Either way. "never be satisfied with what you do," he says. and the complacent fat cats will fall into your lap.
He is determined to remain sharp. "After all." he says. "if you don't respect transport. it's going to let you down every time.