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Shaun Baker Operations director, R Swain & Sons Like other
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members of CMS Trailer Roundtable, Shaun Baker has no doubts that the current credit crunch is having an effect. "Absolutely! A lot of our business is based on building materials and construction and we've seen a significant downturn in the level of work," he says. "It's been a very difficult period, especially coupled with the increase in fuel costs. The downturn in work is making it virtually impossible to get rate increases, with everyone fighting for less work..."
Baker isn't optimistic of a rapid recovery to the economy either. "I think this will go on for a few months yet... certainly until after the summer. We've had to be very ruthless on costs. If we can do with 40 vehicles what we used to 50, then we're prepared to park 10 up and wait for the upturn. We've taken the harsh decision to do that.' Swain runs a large fleet comprising 150 tractors and 460 trailers. Its business model is based on buying secondhand trucks and maintaining them itself. "We find for our business it's the best way," reckons Baker. Part of that maintenance programme is to fit automatic chassis lubrication from Groeneveld. "The benefit is longer life for components such as suspension and steering parts," says Baker. "And it means that they're being looked after between safety inspections too." Interestingly, when it comes to performance guarantees Baker reckons: "We're not finding much evidence of it in our sector and we're not the kind of company to pursue it either."
While confirming that it's hard to recruit staff, the company has taken a proactive approach bolstering its long-serving fitters by bringing in youngsters and funding their training at local colleges. Significantly, at least for the South-East, he also reports: "There does seem to be a few more drivers around I can't put my finger on [the reason why] considering that a larger number of supermarket ADCs and retail companies are in this area. I think our one attraction is that our work is steady Monday to Friday with some Saturdays; but it's not shifts."