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miali

25th September 1997
Page 35
Page 35, 25th September 1997 — miali
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Keywords : Currie

a company are like first impressions of meeting individuals— they linger. After an hour on the Dumfries site of Currie European Transport, CM came away with a good feeling , despite having to abandon a photographic session because of torrential rain. It was in the details—a thoughtfully provided downstairs toilet for disabled persons is not something you see in every haulage company. Cheese salad baps and giant Twixes rustled up by sales manager Jane McCulloch for a hungry journalist and photographer were also gratefully received. As we munched away we pondered how in just 26 years the Currie Croup has grown to its present size, running 150 tractors of its own with 200 owner-drivers and 800 trailers in a business worth £46m a year.

After all, in 1971 the enigmatic founder, Norman Currie, was still running a modest limespreading business. He moved on to fuel distribution, which the group still handles, but the breakthrough came when he decided to approach electronics manufacturer, Digital, to ask for its work.

Do you have air-ride suspension? Digital asked. No, said Norman, hut if I get it will you give me the work? So the Currie Group was born.

Nis helped in its enquiries on this sodden day by the energetic Mauch and operations director Alistair Cooke. McCulloch has been with Currie nine years and became sales manager two years ago. She attributes the company's rapid growth to an adventurous streak in its founder "Norman sets an example. If I identify a chunk of new business, he's never slow to invest." She contacts prospective customers: "I go in to see what they are moving and we work with them accordingly." Just before CM'S visit this straightforward approach resulted in Alcarfs Glasgow depot awarding Currie its work. Around two thirds of Curries' movements are Continental with high-profile customers such as computer giant Compaq, Digital, Nestle, ICI, NCR and Michelin featuring prominently on any week's traffic schedule. Compaq alone can account for 20-30 loads at the weekend," says McCulloch. These will go into a 6,000m2 transshipment depot which Currie has opened at Nijmegen in Holland. "Ifs a good point for heading anywhere in Europe," she explains.

Backloads from the Continent can include rubber compound, food, refrigeration equipment, car components. The group has offices in Paris and Frankfurt. European bases mean the company is often paid in foreign currencies and rather than lose not by converting against a strong pound, it uses some of this money to buy equipment or pay traction bills abroad. "We bought 50 light Crane Fruehauf Speedliners in France,' says Cooke. They weigh just 6.1 tonnes and carry a payload of 24 tonnes.

Cooke adds that this is where demand is focusing as customers trading in Europe try to maximise loads. Paper from France; chemicals from Holland, rubber from Beigiurri—all want the lightest trailer they can get. "But how low can you go and still have a durable trailer?" muses McCulloch. She cites one customer funning trials at 26 tonnes. Within the UK Currie has opened a southern depot at Purfleet. It provides a trunking link to Scotland, hotshot European deliveries and allows Continental drivers to swap trailers and go out again or if going home empty, pick up a Scottish load.

The next step, says Cooke, is to exploit niche markets. "We are trying to push logistics. We run depots for two customers at their manufacturing plants where we pick goods off the production line, box, palletise and distribute them."

So what about rail links to Europe? Has Currie developed intermodally? Mention of the word makes McCulloth shiver: Currie bought two containers to try out the Glasgow to Milan link and the railways lost both of them: "Once you place a booking ifs in the lap of the gods—the service was so had we pulled out."

It seems that driver accompanied services, linked by satellite tracking, are also easier on the customers' nerves.

CMhas nearly finished its cheese rolls and it's time to get off into the rain. One last questinrr—the big issue of the moment that is dominating saloon bar chat the length and breadth of Scotland. What about devolution? What does Currie think?

Cooke shrugs: "We've not discussed it—it was not even mentioned at the man agement meeting." '


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