KEYLINE
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KEYLINE A B merchant. But not any old builders' merchant. Owned by Dublin group CRH, the operation has 110 UK branches and a turnover of £240m. Even that is small beer set against its parent company's annual earnings of more than £4bn. CM's resources might be stretched visiting all of Keyline's branches so we plump for its Carronshire depot which acts as its main distribution centre for Scotland.
Outside hauliers deliver bulk loads of timber, plumbing and heating supplies for Keyline to distribute to its branches and customers. The timber is Scandinavian as most British timber falls short of the standard required by house-building regulations. The depot runs just four vehicles yet accounts for sales of £9m a year.
Transport supervisor Alan Paul explains that such productivity is achieved by a system of night and day deliveries to its own branches, with night drivers having their own keys. Some drivers prefer working nights and it is not just because there is less traffic about: "One driver says you are more your own man and if he starts on a Sunday night he finishes Friday morning making for a longer weekend," explains Paul.
The use of a truck mounted forklift, a Moffett Mounty, greatly helps the night deliveries as there are no depot staff to help unload.
The Mounty serves a dual purpose. During the day it switches from the artic to a rigid and delivers to building sites. "It's the best thing we ever bought," says Paul, "Formerly, you would get to a site and one guy in front would hold you up. It was very hard to plan. The vehicle might not get back till 2.30 and customers you had promised deliveries to would not get them, which led to a few shouting matches. Now it doesn't matter if there are artics in front—you can unload in 20 minutes."
Loads to its own branches are maximised as much as possible. Orders for a Wednesday delivery are expected by 17:00hrs Monday—if by that point the trucks are not full, staff canvass the branches for additional orders.
With the present buoyancy in the housing market companies such as Keyline can only benefit as some houses sell within days of being advertised. Paul expects the release of capital receipts from council house sales to give the building industry a further fillip.
He is equally enthusiastic about devolution. "As long as people pull together it will be a good thing for the country," he asserts.
BASED: Carronshire (Scottish distribution centre); 110 UK branches. FOUNDED: 1988—as a result of a series of acquisitions by Dublin-based CRH. CONTACT: Alan Paul, transport supervisor; Drew Park, distribution manager. FLEET: Renault R385 artic; 17tonne rigid; Renault 0230; AWD 7.5tonner. Buys new. SPECIALITY CONTRACT: Builders' merchant. TURNOVER: £9m (Carronshire); £264m (all branches).