South Wales-based container haulier Bevan & Sons has closed after
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nearly a century of trading. Boss Russell Bevan explains why he decided to walk away from the family business
Words: Will Shiers / Images: Tom Lee
Russell Bevan, owner of Newport, South Wales-based Bevan & Sons, is about to take his irst holiday in 20 years, although he doesn’t seem too enthusiastic about it. But perhaps that’s not surprising, considering his well-earned break is only possible as a result of his closing the family irm.
Talking to him, it becomes blatantly clear that his decision to shut the doors hasn’t been taken lightly. After all, we are talking about a company that was started by his grandfather with a horse and cart almost a century ago.
But there’s no time to dwell on the past – there’s a sale to get on with. Auctioneer Malcolm Harrison has been in the yard all week making preparations and today the hammer falls on Bevan’s entire truck leet.
“They’ve told me it’s the best time of the year to have a sale,” says Bevan. “There aren’t many auctions in December, so apparently the irst one of the year always proves popular.” There are 14 lots, including four Renault Magnums, one Premium, three ERFs and six DAFs.
The entire Bevan leet, like almost every truck Bevan has ever purchased, was supplied new by salesman Graham Pollard. As he moved from one franchise to the next, Bevan switched allegiance to a new marque. Today, Pollard works for the local DAF dealer, hence the XFs in the sale.
When Bevan took over the day-to-day running of the company from his father in 1985, it was operating just ive vehicles. This soon increased to a dozen. “Since then, we’ve always remained within 12 to 15 trucks,” says Bevan. “I think this is a sensible number to manage effectively. The bigger the leet, the harder it is to control.” Bevan shows us several photo albums, packed full of truck pictures. They include shots of his trucks on Newport’s famous Transporter Bridge (pictured left) – just a stone’s throw from the yard – some best-forgotten unfortu nate trucking mishaps from days gone by, and a shot of a younger Bevan with a shiny 1980s Scammell. “I loved that truck,” he says. “I remember being extremely proud when I drove it out of the Watford factory gates.” He’s been happy with the current leet, too, in particular the Renault Magnums. “The drivers have really taken to those. They are out all week, so really appreciate a big cab,” he says. And he has positive things to say about the big DAFs, although he has found the spare parts to be “way too expensive”.
So why close it?
Bevan makes it clear that if he had wanted to continue, he could have. The business was proitable until the end, and there was no shortage of work. However, despite making money, it had become increasingly dificult to make a sensible proit. “Over the years, the work has been getting harder, and the rewards have been shrink ing,” he says. “I could carry on if I wanted to, but in all honesty I could put the money from the sale of the land and the trucks into a high-interest account and get better returns without any of the headaches.” Although he cites the recession as one of the key factors for his decision to get out of haulage, there are plenty of other reasons why he’s had enough.
Part of the blame falls on larger rivals in the container sector, which cut rates, making it dificult for smaller operators to compete, he says. “We have always prided ourselves on the high level of service we offer, but unfortunately customers don’t seem to care about that any more. To them, it’s all about price. But with small hauliers like us leaving the industry, it’s not going to do the customers any favours. I know this will come back to bite them on the a**e. They should have been paying us a fair rate all along. Instead, when we’ve all gone and there’s no competition left, they’ll end up paying through the nose.” Ever-increasing fuel costs and the inability to pass them on to customers is another key reason, as is the growing amount of red tape in the industry. “Take CPC for example,” he says, “what a load of rubbish. How do you tell a bloke who has been driving for 40 years that he needs to go on a course to learn how to drive? It’s just another unnecessary cost that this industry could do without.” While he’s on his soapbox, Bevan lays into supermarkets too, which he describes as “too intolerant”. He says 30-minute delivery slots are “ridiculous”, and gives the example of a driver who recently attempted to deliver to a Co-op. He was too early, so was sent around the block to park and wait. While waiting, he was clamped!
Bevan isn’t a big fan of modern technology in trucks, citing cruise control, speed limiters and automatic transmissions as examples. “As a result of all this, the drivers have got nothing to do these days, so it’s no wonder they fall asleep.”
Since announcing the closure of the company, the ofice phones haven’t stopped ringing, says Bevan’s daughter and ofice manager Leanne Phillips. “I don’t think we’ve ever been so busy.” During Commercial Motor’s visit Radio 4 called, requesting an interview with Bevan for its The World This Weekend show, which was broadcast on 16 January, the day after the auction.
Sorry to go?
“Yes, of course I’m going to miss it, at least aspects of it anyway,” says Bevan. “But I’m certainly not going to miss the calls in the middle of the night from drivers with lat batteries.” Bevan has another job lined up, but remains tightlipped as to its identity. However, he did conirm that it deinitely won’t involve driving a lorry. “That said, I would be tempted to do some work for a supermarket, and get my revenge!” he adds, with a chuckle.
And as for that well-deserved holiday, is he planning to take some of the money from the sale of the trucks and jet off to the Caribbean? “No. I’ve been working six days a week without a break for as long as I can remember. I’ll probably just have a few days away because I wouldn’t know what to do with myself for a fortnight.” ■