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How I compete with the big companies

23rd January 1982
Page 28
Page 28, 23rd January 1982 — How I compete with the big companies
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Keywords : Slough, Mitel

YOU DON'T have to have big guns to compete with big companies.

Eighteen months ago I lost my whole set-up; I was one of the first casualties of the recession. OK, there were only three artics in my company and I drove one of them myself.

Everybody said I was finished, and I was of the same opinion. But I was also the chairman of the TVODA and was expected to show an example to my members.

One of my members, who was in full-time contract work, offered me an LT 31 van. Paul Pearce told me that if I could make myself a living with his van, I was welcome to try. He didn't require any money right away.

For eight months I struggled to make ends meet, along with the TVOD Freight Office, but I only managed to do 31 days work in that eight months. I didn't waste all the spare time I found myself with; I took on the Office of Fair Trading and tried to have a minimum operating rate for the whole of the transport industry implemented. At first I was led to believe that the RHA and the FTA and BAR would also wish to see this happen, but at the end of the day only one group of people remained at my side and they were the NODA — even the BOAD fell by the wayside.

I was calling in every few days to an up and coming new Telecom company based in Slough. They had a CF van on lease, but had a lot of problems. I noticed that the use of subcontractors was astronomical. Well, at the beginning of 1981 this company decided to use my services. They gave me a sixmonth contract; I started off with a van boy as well as myself and the VW LT31 van. I had the van re-sprayed white and had the Mitel Telecom Ltd's logo painted on the sides.

I was provided with an office within their main factory. When I wasn't out delivering their goods, I helped out with any problems. Soon after starting with this contract I managed to pay for the van.

In June the main operation for Mitel was moved from Slough to Portskewett, in Gwent, South Wales. We moved from a 15,000sqft factory to a 30,000sq ft factory. Then we kept on the Slough factory, plus we took on a small warehouse of 3,000sqft and further 8,000sqft for the Research and Development Department.

As you can gather, things were going at great speeds. Now to top that, a new factory and office complex is now almost complete and I have won an indefinite contract with 12 months reviews of rates and conditions.

My first mini-Tran (that's a VW LT 35 crew cab tractor unit and 2x25ft specially built trailers) is in full-time operation delivering to the likes of British Telecom.

I have had to resign as chairman of the TVODA — for one thing I am now based in South Wales, and the other is the only driving I do now is weekend work to one of our other plants in Shannon. I also do a bit of dispatch work on my Goldwing "yellow Canary" bike.

Just for a change I am on the up and up. I've done what a lot of big companies would dearly love to do. The message is: "If I can do it, so can some of you." You will easily notice my vehicles; the unit has 14 lamps on it and the trailer has 28 lamps on it.

I'm proud of what I have achieved.

KEITH HENDERSON Henderson & Sons (Transport) Ltd,


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