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CARGOES
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IN THE
CLOUDS
Leeds-based Freelance Direct Logistics has
set up a depot at Heathrow Airport. Tim Maughan sees a joint vision in action.
„IN e pick up medical equipment, text iles.and handbags," says Mike Crumpton. director of Leeds-based Freelance Direct Logistics (FDL). It's a curious combination, but what the loads have in common is that they all reach the UK by air, and air cargo is FDL's staple. Consignments of all descriptions traverse the globe, and air-cargo operators play a vital role in getting them to and from the aircraft. Back in the 1980s Crumpton was a frei forwarder. He founded Freelance Freigli 1989, and thrust his business into the airsector. "I was in direct competition agair Stuart Bruce and Wayne Greene, directc Direct Air Cargo," he recalls. Bruce had served his time as a freight forwarder.
There seemed little point in the firms' vehicles pursuing the same business,sar Crumpton, so the trio decided to merge t two companies, forming the dip matically named Freelance Din Logistics in February 2003.
The company runs 17 CVs,ra from attics and drawbar rigs via tonners to Ford Transits, and inc ing a rare 3.5-tonne curtainsidei Volvo, MAN, Mercedes-Ben; Seania, ERF, and lveco are all represented in the FDL ileet.TI diversity is explained by the Urn willingness to shop around — evi vehicle is bought on the strengtl the best available deal. "With something like a 7.5-tonner we go for Iveco becausi_. they're cheap to buy and reliable trucks. Crumpton explains But that diversity could change; Crumpton reveals that in future the company might well look at a single manufacturer.
Two 7.5-tonners are dispatched to Leeds Bradford airport every night they carry machine parts and textiles.
Northern exposure A large wall map shows the area covered by FDL.-West Yorkshire, the northeast, the north of Lincolnshire, generally everywhere east of the Pennines," he explains.The company has also entered the logistics cosmos that is Trafford Park, Manchester. FDL dispatches a curtainsider to this depot every day. Its groupage load is dropped, stored, and then placed in containers. Other operators send skellies to pick up the containers.
FDL's trucks also haul printing plates from Leeds to Watford, but air cargo is very much its standard revenue stream.The company delivers modest amounts of cargo to East Midlands. Newcastle, and Manchester airports. Mention the word "London" to any operator and the chances are the blood will drain from his face, but the FDL team has chosen to throw itself headlong into the M25 fray with a Heathrow operation.
CM has met transport company directors who have personally endured six-hour queues to drop at Heathrow, but FDL is undeterred. One of the tirm's HGVs can make the trip to Heathrow, drop to a host of agents across the airport, and return to Leeds in the same shift, provided the traffic is kind and drops are fuss-free. Bear in mind that Heathrow covers the area of a sizeable town.
The working time directive, which comes into force in 2005, will immediately make this trip impossible in its present form.
Fortunately the Heathrow depot will allow FDL to maintain the servicc."Our driver will drop a trailer at the airport and then return to Leeds," says Crumpton. -Meanwhile, a Heathrow-based truck will carry out the multi-drop work around the airport."
This is the global air hub, and its intercontinental status makes for some extraordinary FDL consignments. For example, once a week. deceased men of Asian origin are flown back to India and Pakistan for their funerals. Their coffins are placed in a plywood container and transported along with other loads.
"We treat them with respect?' he stresses, "although they do have to be carried with other loads. If they were taken on a dedicated vehicle it would be too expensive for the customer."
On average, one coffin is transported a week but FDL has handled three coffins in a single trailer.Punctuafity,of course, is vital.When the firm takes on a coffin it has to reach Heathrow the same day for dispatch eastwards.
Imports generate more business than exports, although this trade deficit is not as wide as you might think FDL trucks take a considerable level of machinery goods to airports for carriage overseas.
The firm's now firmly established but we're curious to know how Bruce. Crompton, and Greene get on with freight forwarders." Well, we have to he constantly in touch with them," says Crumpton."I'd say that we speak the same language."
Papers and payment
The freight forwarders and FDL, between them, must ensure that all documentation is present and correct. If it's not, goods will not fly.
"Some customers are really good payers, while others string payment out. We do have a strict 30-day payment policy." he says.
Unlike many other road transport secto air cargo is a specialist area (see panel).Fo] this reason, Crumpton argues that prudern customers will see FDL right because firm like this are not ten-a-penny.And there's n talk of diversification:"I think that transpo getting more specialist, and you are better sticking to what you know."
The merger between Freelance Freight Direct Air Cargo shows that rival operatoi can bond and flourish. "We are a lot busier profitable than when we were following ea other's trucks," he remarks.
And the future of the Heathrow operati "We know that it's a rat race down there, b. we've gained a lot of experience over they There are difficulties congestion, manic d ing and so on we feel that we can be a good as anybody else."•