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Trans Euro Worldwide Movers is entrusted by its clients to transport fragile valuables all over Europe. The company has now diversified into entertainment and conferences, carrying everything from drum kits to video equipment, for pop groups and businessmen.
• Overseas removals has always called for expertise. Being able to handle crossborder formalities and all the documentation that involves is an obvious requirement Neil Hambridge, founder director of London-based Trans Euro Worldwide Movers, points out that to flourish in the international removals business, a degree of management flair is also essential.
That expertise in handling fragile and often valuable cargo, which is not particularly heavy in relation to its bulk, can be profitably applied in other directions. A removals vehicle with a fully-trained crew can handle antiques, fine art or new furniture equally well.
At Trans Euro's main depot and store, on a 1.2ha site in Neasden, just off London's North Circular Road, five full-time packers are employed, spending much of their time swathing precious items of furniture and objets d'art in elaborate protective "bandages".
FIVE-MAN BUSINESS
Since 1974 Trans Euro has evolved from a five-man business, moving household effects between the UK and Europe and the Middle East, to a company with a £5 million turnover. It now runs over 30 vehicles and employs 120 staff, and turnover grew by 26% in 1987. All this, says Hambridge, is largely attributable to a consistent policy of aiming high. Specifically, Trans Euro pursues only prestige business, refusing to get into rate-cutting battles with other removers.
"We are confident enough to believe that we do a better job, and that the level of service merits premium rates," says Hambridge. Breakages, losses, failure to make delivery deadlines and aggravation with import-export paperwork are traditional heartaches, which Trans Euro has taken enormous pains to eliminate. As a result the company has built up a good reputation and keeps a select clientele, including numerous foreign embassies, art galleries and West End antique dealers.
Household removals remain important, but only internationally, often entailing a period of storage. There is over 10,000m2 of high-rise warehousing at Neasden, where items are stored in wooden container crates with pallet base frames for fork-lift truck handling, of the kind now in widespread use by the removals industry.
Movement of the crates through the Neasden store is by Mercedes L608Ds and 1314s with multiple-opening Lawrence David side-loading bodies.
Trans Euro was a founder member of the Overseas Movers Network International federation, known simply as OMNI, created two years ago through a merger of the former Ceti and Eurovan organisations. There are now 80 removal businesses across Europe, including 15 in the UK, under the OMNI banner. They work together to provide each other with return-loads, many of which could be groupage consignments.
A computerised traffic control centre at OMNI headquarters in France marries loads and potential carriers.
Largely through its OMNI affiliation, Trans Euro has expanded its deep sea (beyond Europe) and airfreight traffic. The experience of overseas removals, implied by the OMNI logo, has also helped the company build up UK-sourced groupage traffic generated via small (usually domestic) removers.
As Trans Euro's business has grown, in both volume and diversity, the company has been structured into cost-centre divisions, each with its own sales team promoting its specific services. There is now a fine arts division which, as the name implies, undertakes the movement and sometimes storage of pictures, sculptures and other high-value artefacts.
Extensive insurance cover is invariably required. The 24-hours-a-day, sevendays-a-week closed-circuit television and alarm system security arrangements at the Neasden store-depot reflect the "high stakes" of the business. By the same token, says Hambridge, it becomes necessary to be highly selective in the recruitment of personnel, especially drivers.
Another area of diversification is into what Trans Euro calls "specialised movements" — now the subject of an important new company division. It is headed by manager David Coumbe, whose background in "showbiz" with Eurotrux gives a clue to the division's activities.
The new division's assignments have already involved the movement of equipment for travelling shows with Lloyds Bank, exhibitions and conferences for IBM at the National Exhibition Centre. Pop groups or classical musicians touring the UK or further afield need to take with them a plethora of instruments (including spares), bulky sound systems, music stands and other paraphernalia. TransEuro is currently moving equipment on tour for Aztec Camera and Australian band Midnight Oil and has undertaken some work on behalf of U2.
EXPERTISE IN HANDLING
Companies taking part in exhibitions or conferences require a similar transport service, backed by the same kind of expertise in handling large, often awkwardlyshaped (but relatively light) stands or display sections.
The use of video and audio-visual presentations using fragile equipment has added to the complexity of the transport arrangements, presenting a challenge that Trans Euro has lost no time in meeting.
The essence of the new division's business is that the vehicle and its driver stays with the load for the duration of the show or special event. All the specialisedmovements division drivers are picked for what Coumbe calls their "ambassadorial" qualities. They have to live with the customer's personnel, so compatibility and a readiness to lend a hand with chores are essential requirements. Level of service again comes before price.
Six new tractors and eight matching high-cube, step-frame semi-trailers have just been commissioned by Trans Euro, primarily for the specialised movements division. The tractors are among the first new-generation Scania R113s to be put on the road by a British operator.
As Coumbe explains, in selecting the best chassis for the job the short list came down to either the Scania or Mercedes' Powerliner 1635S. Both makes are already used in the fleet: Scania 82s, at a nominal 16.25 tonnes GVW with 56m3 pantechnicon bodywork; and the lighter side-loading Mercedes. The Scantruck dealership at Colnbrook proved more accommodating, in particular because Scalia was able to supply drive-axle airsuspension and ABS anti-skid braking with the minimum of "special order hassle". Surprisingly, however, Scania was unable to supply Trans Euro's preferred combination of the 239kW (320hp) 11-litre engine under the tall R-cab, and the 482kW (360hp), variant became mandatory.
Six of the new 12.2m trailers are built to a new Craven Tasker design which combines GRP-plywood sidewalls with chassisless step-floor construction for the first time. The aim was to achieve the maximum possible interior height and cube. Behind the 380mm step 2.9m of headroom is available inside the trailer and through the doorway. Interior width is a clear 2.43m, giving a usable total loadspace of 84m'; SAF air suspension with manual height control is fitted.
0 by Alan Bunting