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Daft bloom on Solway's forecourt
Page 68
Page 69
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With more than 25 years under its belt, Carlisle-based independent dealership Solway Dal's story is one
of growth and expansion.
Daf Trucks' dealer network is unusual in that it consists of "independent" dealerships covering different parts of the country.There is an exception of course, as one site at Heathrow to the west of London is directly owned by Dat but the rest happily co-exist handling one of the nation's strongest and most consistent line ups of HGV products.
Covering Cumbria and south-west Scotland is the independent Solway Daf dealership, which recently marked 25 years in the business and celebrated by getting every employee merry at a hotel in Carlisle. Managing director Peter Fullelove had to cater for 75 staff members, and the night included stand-up comedy and music. A wry smile breaks across his face as he recalls the evening.
To help current employees with the history of Solway Daf Peter put together a potted history, and it's a story of success and growth. The dealership started in 1978 as Titterington Daf Trucks, acting as the main dealer franchise. Two years later North East Daf Trucks bought a majority shareholding in the company and Ron Fullelove,Peter's father, took control.
Peter became MD in 1986 when the North East group was de-merged and he became the sole shareholder in the company. Further expansions took place with the LDV van franchise added in 1992.
Three years later the company expanded again by developing its aftersales operations and anew depot opened up in Dumfries, followed by two more at Workington in 2000 and Penrith in 2002. From nine employees and £500,000 turnover in 1978 the company has grown to a 75-strong workforce and a turnover of £16m.
Today Solway Daf, located on a twoacre site on the Kingstown Industrial Estate in Carlisle, has nine workshops. They're open until lOpm weekdays and on Saturday morning until the scheduled work is done. In-house fabrication
The company employs 40 mechanics spread over the four sites.There's a fabrication shop for repair and fifth-wheel work, which does body swaps if needed. Solway Daf sells about 175 new trucks every year and an average of 100 units on the used side of the business. The firm specialises in the used tractor market where both the CF and XF products do well, although lately the flagship motor has been in more demand, particularly with the 480hp engine. On the second-hand side Peter doesn't like part-exchange Dafs to sit around so they normally go straight into the sizable hire fleet
where they're keep working.These will be sold sooner or later nationwide but any non-Daf part-exchange vehicles are traded more or less straight away.
Second-hand vehicles under six years old bought through Solway Daf come with a standard three months' driveline warranty but other deals are negotiable with the individual dealerships.
Fleet customers tend to trade in and part-exchange at three years, although two customers are replacing their trucks every two years, giving Solway Daf a strong line-up on the used side.This means that operators will often wait for trucks that are due to return rather than going elsewhere.
There's plenty of choice on the Kingstown Trading Estate as every truck manufacturer is based on this one site. But Fullelove feels that, rather than being a disadvantage to his firm it's a benefit to his customers, particularly those seeking a particular service. On the forecourt
With the CF and XF products the mainstay of the Solway Daf used market it would be lax of CM not to highlight one of each. First up is a May 2001-registered 4x2 XF Space cab complete with tipping gear. It has a 430hp engine and 16-speed box and has done 339,000km pulling tippers. There's a sliding Big D fifth wheel and it came in on a part-exchange. Asking price is £29,000 (ex-VAT).
The CF85 has come back from a local haulier who owned it for five years. Registered in March 1999, its mileage is high at 791,0001cm but it looks in good condition.
There's a mid-lift/steer axle and a 380hp engine with the ZF 16-speed box. The first two years of its life were completed on a repair and maintenance contract, and this too was part exchanged. Solway Daf wants £13,750 (exVAT) for this example.