FRANSEN TRANSPOR1
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A solid handshake greets CM on arrival at Kidderminster-based Fransen Transport—the headquarters of an international haulier with 18 trucks. The hand belongs to Hank Buzink. managing director of a company which claims to have been a pioneer in one or two aspects of the haulage business.
The depot is surprisingly compact, and almost surgically clean. Buzink explains that a big yard is not necessary: vehicles are on the road where they should be, and servicing is carried out by a private contractor.
Inside, the atmosphere is much the same. The office is spotless. A few yards from Buzink sit the operations staff: a team of four language graduates. Between them, they speak German, Russian, Swedish. French and Spanish. It is certainly a useful set of skills to have on board when you are a continental haulier.
Buzink explains how the business started: loos Fransen founded the original company in Holland in the 1940s. In 1972 the company felt that it needed a presence in Britain."
Nick Wilcock, a local businessman, joined forces with Fransen—each party put up 50% of the cash to set up the UK division. "We have been growing very slowly—it is an organic process," comments Buzink. Today, the UK arm of Fransen enjoys autonomy from the founding company, operating in its own right as Fransen Transport.
The firm is concerned exclusively with controlled-temperature distribution, the core of the business being derived from transporting pharmaceuticals to locations across Europe. Buzink says: We have always been experimenting: for example. we were the first ones with 26 pallets in multitemperature vehicles."
The Fransen boss also claims that the company was the first UK haulier to operate in Kazakhstan, back in the early 1990s.
But ultimately, such exploration did not make business sense. Travelling through an icy land in a 38-tonner is never the most practical of options. It was our last great adventure," says Buzink.
However, Fransen trucks still operate the length and breadth of Europe, and beyond, Vehicles using ThermoKing temperature-control equipment carry medicines at three temperatures; it is crucial that such loads are transported in the right conditions. A degree
above or below the correct temperature could spell disaster. Additionally, the firm has the prestigious task of supplying the British Embassy in Moscow with ice cream, an essential item for Foreign Office staff pining for the culinary delights of the UK.
When it comes to maintenance, Fransen Transport pays others to look after an increasingly complex fleet. "We don't believe in having our own service and fitting facilities," remarks Buzink. Because the firm frequently upgrades, many of the vehicles are still under warranty, he says.
CMnotes that Buzink has the air of a scientist about him—when asked about his views of his sector of the haulage industry he carefully collects his thoughts. And then he says: We are on the periphery of the industry. The danger is that someone could come in and undercut us: ultimately this goes to the desperados, people who break the law."
And what about future plans? Buzink says: "We have been very much a full-load carrier, but we will become a part-load carrier as some customers just want half loads. This is cost-effective for us."
Before CM leaves the Fransen Transport headquarters for London, Buzink remarks: -We are very different; we don't talk jargon—we reinvent the wheel!"