1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186 
Driver training is a key focus with Coleman & Company, based in Great Barr, Birmingham.
Page 51
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
"We're already running NVQ driver training schemes towards achieving Level 3 certification," says MD Dave Coleman. "It's all part of our professional approach to business."
The firm runs an extensive demolition, recycling and land reclamation business that revolves around a huge mobile plant fleet and two sites: a six-acre site at Shady Lane in Great Barr, which doubles as the firm's headquarters; and a 27-acre quarry site in Meriden. In total the firm processes 250,000 tonnes of materials arising from demolition and earthworks projects.
"We carefully manage our own truck fleet to ensure we can operate as safely and productively as possible," says Coleman. 'But running trucks can be a headache too."
According to workloads, Coleman and his team draft in lust a handful of reliable, trustworthy hauliers to supplement their own fleet of 14 eight-wheel tippers and five multibody systems.
"But that's usually when the headaches start," he adds. "Our idea of being on-site 'first thing' is usually different to theirs. So we try as much as possible to keep things in-house."
Fleet management is also conducted in-house; Coleman says vehicle tracking and monitoring give traceability for customers who need to know where materials are going, 'It gives us greater environmental responsibility too, as we can account for every load moved by our own fleetthat's not as easy to achieve when you rely on others to move your materials," he adds.
Coleman's fleet comprises a mix of Volvo FM12s and FM13s and MAN FE360s, though five TGXs are on order. The multi-bodies work with 18,30 and 45ycl3 bins, offering flexibility for material movements.
"Because we work mostly in and around Birmingham, and between our two recycling sites, we're able to get backioads with the tippers," he says. "So we can get a good level of utilisation from our vehicles."
It is the same with Coleman's heavy haulage rigs. The firm runs three low-loader outfits with power coming from two MAN TGA tractors and a Foden Alpha 3000all 6x4 double-drives.
While the bulk of machines are moved using a pair of Andover three-axle powersteered trailers, the firm operates a Nooteboom four-axle trailer and a singleaxle jeep dolly-ideal for those 150-tonne gross weights, and the firm's flagship machine, a 90-tonne Hitachi EX850 excavator with a 40m-high, telescopic demolition boom.
"We use a cradle on one low-loader to carry the boom, and haul the base machine on a second rig," he says.
"We do have a lot of plant to move, but we also provide heavy haulage for other demolition and plant-hire contractors," he says. "This allows us to get the best return on our investment, and it's also a good advertisement for our business.
"Over the last 45 years, we have built up a successful family business and a brand strength in this industry that stands for loyalty and quality," he says. "We're not going to risk throwing it all away by not being in control."