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FRONT RUNNERS
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In Ireland the excitement mounts as we reveal part one of the shortlist for the Irish Road Transport Awards 2004. Part two follows next week.
FOUNDED: August 1997 BASED: Dublin CONTACT: Paul Tuohy, MD FLEET: 25 altos, rigids and vans comprising Scanias, lvecos and Dafs. Most recent fleet addition: Three new 17-tonners on order. SPECIALITY CONTRACT: Pharmaceutical and healthcare TURNOVER: €4rn projected for 2004; up 15% on 2003 Dublin-based Alltrans has formed alliances with regional hauliers to reduce delivery times, costs, and provide a better service to its pharmaceutical and healthcare clients. Managing director Paul Tuohy says strategic alliances now exist with like-minded companies including K&L Deliveries in Millstreet, Co Cork; Lynx in Galway; Duffy Freight in Donegal;Waterford Transport and Tomino in the Midlands.
These hauliers operate a pallet network, called Palltrans, with 4Oft trailers running overnight between their hubs. The system allows Alltrans to concentrate on local deliveries while still offering a next-day service throughout Ireland.As a result of this the company has changed the balance of its fleet, which now features only one tractive unit among 25 yehicles.The fleet is now a mixture of panel vans and 17-tonne rigids:The company has three 17-tonners on order—any artic loads are contracted out to specialist long-haul operators,
Half and half
Half the fleet is owned outright with the remainder on contract hire.Tuohy explains that the firm is comparing the two methods of fleet management."Traditionally,if you owned your fleet you got a residual value: but that residual is gone out of the market and what you might think the truck is worth is very hard to realise." In any case, he adds, you don't have to buy top-of-the-range vehicles to do a basic job of getting loads from A to B. Alltrans is as cost-conscious as any haulier, but the live-cent rise on diesel in the Budget forced up its fuel bill by €30,000 a year. "Hauliers always seem to be the easy option," saysTuohy."Five cents a litre is another thirty grand we have to find that we did not have before."
However, he says, insurance costs have been curtailed at Alltrans by intensive training and a driver's incentive scheme. Despite cutbacks in state funding for training schemes Alltrans has continued with its staff training programmes. Drivers are paid a premium rate. which helps explain why the original three drivers hired in 1997 are still with the company.
For that matter the company is still servicing its first four customers."We have been lucky enough to have a core group of workers all the way through.The customers like to see that as well," says Tliohy. He visits his clients regularly and still finds time to devote one day a week to working for the Irish Road Haulage Association. of which he is NationalTreasurer.
IMI helps planning
Tilohy is also an active member of the Irish Management Institute, which he believes is helpful in stimulating ideas for forward planning and formulating strategy for both Alltrans and the IRHA.
He believes there is always a niche for hauliers who are willing to give a premium service. If customers are getting a really good service, and what they deem to be value for money, then rates won't really come into it."
The company sponsors two local soccer teams and was previously shortlisted for National Haulier of the Year in 2002. •