The sum of the parts
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• PARTS SUPPLY could hardly be described as being at the "sexy" end of the commercial vehicle industry. That's not to say it isn't important — clearly there's good money to be made by selling parts. And any truck or trailer maker which isn't prepared to back its product with a comprehensive parts service shouldn't be surprised when repeat orders dry up. The problem is that for many vehicle builders parts are simply something to be provided, rather than exploited.
For Mark Carrington, managing director of Transpart, the autonomous all-makes trailer parts subsidiary of York, you can only achieve the latter through a marked change of attitude. "Transpart was originally just a brand name selling predominantly York product — up until September we were still operating out of the TEC division at Market Harborough. But we felt for sometime that the trailer parts business needed a dedicated management team and should be run as a stand-alone operation.
"Trailers are getting more complicated. We're no longer talking hout 401t fiats with mechanical suspensions. We felt that there was a good opportunity to develop an all-makes parts programme based on a national service and genuine products."
Just over a year ago Transpart put its money where its mouth is by setting up a 2.800m2 warehousing and administrative complex at Corby. Today Transpart has some £2.5 million worth of stock within its control and a turnover of some LS million.
Carrington is keen to project Transpart as more than just York's in-house parts service. The rationale has been to set up a parts marketing subsidiary which is backed by York, but to be an all-makes operation. We have very little links with York, we operate as a stand-alone outfit with no shared facilities."
The Corby warehouse, with computer-monitored stock lines, acts as a hub far the Transpart network which currently operates with 11 wholly-owned branches and 15 independent stockists, which operate a daily service like any factor.
Carrington, however, is keen to see the network develop. By the middle of next year Transpart is aiming to have 50 stockists in place. And within five years he expects to see Transpart's current turnover doubled. "This warehouse has been taken on with that objective in mind."
Carrington sees the Transpart business split into two clearly defined areas, "Opportunity.., and obligation". As York Trailer's parts supplier, Transpart obviously has to ensure that the products built by its parent are adequately supported either at home or abroad.
.As a result, York's European Service backup centre has been deliberately developed within the Transpart site at Corby. Stock VOR trailer parts (either from York or other component makers) held within the Transport warehouse can be quickly supplied into Europe on a next-day basis.
Beyond this obligation, however, Carrington sees a major opportunity for Transpart to grow by aggressively selling more trailer parts, with the accent on high-quality original equipment.
"There is much more opportunity to sell genuine product nowadays because firstly its more competitive than it's ever been and secondly operators are more quality conscious because of product liability."
Transpart's parts list is a Who's Who of the leading semi-trailer component suppliers: "It's probably an endorsement of how they see Transpart," claims Carrington. In addition to holding parts for York's own TEC axles Transpart stocks spares for Rubery Owen-Rockwell, SAF and BPW. Carrington is proud of the fact that: "We have the only BPW English parts list".
On the brakes and suspension side Transpart covers Grau, Bendix, Clayton Dewandre, Mintex SAF, Neway and Don. Other product lines include Dayton Walther, Jost and Davies Magnet as well as spray suppression equipment and electrical components.
By any standard the list is impressive and Transpart's catalogues include well-executed exploded diagrams of components which allow a fitter to quickly identify a part. Like other parts suppliers, Transpart uses its own unique parts numbering system — but as an aid to operators it has also "translated" the equivalent parts number used by rival parts suppliers and printed it alongside.
According to Carrington "It's the most comprehensive catalogue available to an operator. We believe we're providing them with the level of information that helps them and helps us grow our business."
While the Corby warehouse uses computer-based systems, Carrington is adamant that: "It's not what you do with the equipment you carry, it's all about the technical back-up and information you supply to the operator."
Carrington concedes that the task of increasing Transpart's 1520% share of the market is by no means simple.
Not least as rivals Intertruck, TIC, Crane Fruehauf and the independent factors are not likely to stand still. Transpart, however, will not be buying market share insists Carrington.
"Where quality is equal we can compete. We can sell RO-R parts as cheap as anybody — but I won't expect our genuine product price to compete against a Will fit' product from a backstreet independent ... you pay for what you get. Price is obvious but people buy from people they can depend on ... alright you'll haggle on price but the first priority is service."
Service backup will inevitably play an increasing role as vehicle systems become more complicated insists Carrington. "The air brake side is a minefield".
Despite what Transpart might say, it's unlikely that parts support will ever attract the kind of attention as, for example, a new truck launch.
But when that vehicle breaks down the operator won't want to talk to a showroom salesman. When you want an urgent VOR part the last thing you need is flannel. "We have staff with a parts mentality ... they are interested in helping people," says Carrington.