Road to recovery
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Cowan Recovery flourishes where some other firms have crashed. Keystone of its expansion? The accounts department
TWELVE YEARS ago, Mike Cowan started business with one vehicle and a small recovery workshop in Hemel Hempstead. Today he has a fleet of 32 specialist vehicles called out more than 12,000 times last year and offering a 24-hour service.
His newest vehicle is a £65,000 Volvo F12 6 x 4 rigid, fitted with an all-hydraulic BRO 200A recovery crane. That follows the acquisition in 1981 of two service area recovery and repair operations at Leicester Forest East on the M1 and Corley on the M6, to add to the company's prime Newport Pagnell site, established in 1977.
"We have achieved our success by hard work, efficiency, and the ability to give our customers the service they want," explains general manager Rod Goodale. "We consider our 30 staff to be among the most highly trained and efficient in their field. Their enthusiasm for the job is second to none."
The latest vehicle has a 44-ton winching capacity, hydraulically extendible boom giving controlled lifting and crane facilities, hydraulic stabilising jacks, air conditioned sleeper cab, and a 50-ton Telma retarder. The fleet includes two other Volvos one of which, an F86 bought in 1978, is now the veteran of the fleet. "It is in no danger of re:. placement," says Rod Goodale, "because it is very reliable and contributes a great deal to our operation."
Below: One of the training sessions Cowan operates for employees. This one is at a gravel quarry in Bucks. Most of Cowan's fleet uses BRO and Crane Fruehauf Holmes recovery gear. Mike Cowan explains why: "Their recovery equipment is considered by many to be the best available. The efficiency of our fleet is dependent on having the right vehicles at the right time; selection of correct chassis/recovery unit combinations is crucial to our fleet's ability to operate competitively."
In summer holiday and winter bad weather periods, having a vehicle off the road causes Cowan and the customer great inconvenience. Cowan's fleet maintenance programme involves engineers travelling between the service areas carrying out a strict programme of servicing, and supervising day-to-day maintenance. As a result, says Mike, routine maintenance costs are greatly reduced, enabling these savings to be reflected in competitive rates.
All Cowan's recovery vehicles are in constant touch with base and the company's international customers can make contact with Newport Pagnell via telex.
"We ensure jobs are tackled as quickly as possible and liaison with the customer is maintained from start to finish," explains Mike. A minor breakdown of vehicle carrying perishab goods can cost thousands pounds in lost product and la delivery, so we make arrang ments to supply alternatk vehicles or trailers 24 hours day." Alternatively, roadsic vehicle repair can be carried oi using Cowan's substantii spares stocks.
A good working relationshi with police, fire brigades, loc. authorities, and motoring orgi • nisations is important to a recco ery operator. "We have a goo relationship with all of them, Rod Goodale adds.
Cowan Recovery's preser contract clients include BP Oi the Wincanton Group, and Cran Fruehauf. Many of the con. pany's vehicles are on constan duty with roadwork contracts being placed near contraflows ti assist the movement of traffic ii the event of a breakdown o accident by quickly clearing thi scene.
Cowan Recovery has main tamed growth when some othe companies have fallen by tto wayside. Cowan regards its ac counts department as being tht keystone to the expansion, Rod Goodale explains: "Our ac counting department is anothe personal customer service. Foi the past three years we have concentrated on streamlininc the department and, with accu. rate information to hand, we have been able to make ad• vanced financial planning and so invest in a new, efficient fleet operating at competitive rates."