Eastern promise
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After all the problems we have been hearing about Middle Eastern haulage it was nice to encounter one of the companies who have done the thing properly and have had very smooth trips. This was, of all places, in the lovely Vale of Evesham, where Spiers and Hartwell Ltd were recently celebrating their 21st anniversary with a party for the staff and a few friends. They very kindly asked CM to go along, which is how I came to be there.
Managing director Deryck Hartwell built the business on sheer hard work and a first-class service to the market gardening industry, after his co-founder Charles Spiers had to drop out of the management through an injury. Now they're getting into long-haul international work.
It was quite a party—and very heartening to get the feel of such a tremendous spirit among the employees. Tony Meddins, the driver who made the company's first trips to Baghdad, was full of praise for the planning and documentation which had smoothed his path. Equally enthusiastic was Les Rivett, who was the company's first driver and who had only just rejoined; he, too, is off on the Middle East trail this month.