Moving with the times
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A combination of traditional values and a willingness to embrace new ideas has proved a winning formula for one Sussex-based firm.
Words / Images: Dave Young Although the housing market has slumped, and many removal firms have had to shed staff and park up vehicles, Sussex-based Martell's Removals is expanding and acquiring extra storage premises. Part of the reason behind this apparent good fortune is an ability to mix traditional 'family firm' values of service and continuity-, with customer diversification and embracing new technologies.
The internet has become increasingly prominent in Martell's business model in recent years, so much so that despite being modest in size, the firm employs an in-house IT manager. "It's much more cost-effective," says director Roger Martell. who, with his wife Margaret, son Charlie and daughter Elizabeth, owns the removal company, two associated furniture shops in Sutton, Surrey, and East Grinstead, Sussex, and an online furniture sales business.
Martell's employs 16 people on removals, four in online sales and 20 in its two stores. The emphasis throughout is on a flat managerial hierarchy. Charlie Martell looks after removals where he, transport manager Edward Kessell, and removals estimators take their turn behind the wheel.
A member of the British Association of Removers (BAR), the Latin American & Caribbean Movers Association, and the Road Haulage Association, Martell's offers domestic, commercial and international removals, and when CM visited, was stretched to cope with demand.
"The July and August period is traditionally busy," says Edward Kessell. "This year, demand is up to strength and on a par with a five-year average."
About 40% of the firm's work falls within the M25, and thus subject to the London low-emission zone (LEZ); and 80% of domestic work is within a 30-40 mile radius of the firm's base. On longer distance jobs, the company tries to back load where possible, but usually only its own direct work, although being a BAR member does help.
Martell's does undertake foreign moves, but only on dedicated (single customer) jobs; it doesn't find grouping part-loads viable, "We tend to go by boat. In the past six months, the tunnel has got very expensive," says Kessell. The numbers on the firm's trucks appear to indicate a 60-strong fleet, until Robert Martell explains they've been numbered sequentially from the very beginning. Of the current eight-truck fleet, seven are Mercedes-Benz and the eighth is a Scania 4-Series.
The fleet comprises four 7.5-tonne chassis --the latest with a 1,000ft" body and some with '7ft 4"-wide 'Channel Island spec' bodywork that's also a boon for tight access jobs in Sussex and Surrey. Heavier rigids include a new 12-tonne Mercedes Atego with hi-folding side doors, an 18-tormer and a 26-tormer, all with purpose-built bodies.
Vehicles are usually kept for 10 years, maintained under warranty by the supplying dealer, then by Martell's own part-time mechanic. Whenever possible or practical, a 'one-truck-one-driver' regime is applied.
Operating 7.5-tonne chassis is becoming increasingly problematic, both in terms of finding drivers with 'grandfather rights' licences and the risk of overloading, especially on the front axle.lhe seemingly obvious solution of going to 10 tonnes GVW (essentially the same truck with minor suspension and wheel differences) incurs the costs of putting drivers through an HGV test and a wage rise.
Top of the range
Martell's latest acquisition (and fleet flagship) is its largest ever as well as being its first three-axle truck.The 6x2 Mercedes-Benz Axor 2533L has air-suspension, a lifting tag axle and a 330hp, SCR, LEZ-compliant, Euro-5 engine. Able to carry five metal containers and equipped with a sleeper pod and three-tonne payload MBB tail-lift, it was built by Essex Bodies. The cab can accommodate up to six crew, all with safety belts, and sleeps up to three.
"It's comfortable for our crews and certainly catches the eye on the road. The quality of Essex Bodies' work is also excellent, while the big, three-tonne tail-lift allows us to handle large, heavy items for commercial clients that some removal firms can't," says Kessell. Martell's fleet is kept permanently busy delivering its own-account retail and online furniture sales, and recently the business has taken on a growing contract to provide third-party internct order fulfilment. Its client handles the sales, while Martell's takes bulk delivery of products. looks after storage and stock control, and either dispatches single items by courier, makes up larger loads onto pallets, or delivers the stuff. This provides an entirely new income source while employing the company's operational expertise and existing infrastructure more productively.
Driving force
Martell's is now considering how best to implement the forthcoming Driver CPC requirement. "Our initial thoughts are it will be the drivers' responsibility," says Kessell. "We're considering perhaps giving an extra day's holiday a year to do a relevant training module, and it's possible BAR will offer courses.
adds:"Employing good drivers can be the biggest problem. We need removal men who can drive this is physical work." To this end. Martell's trains drivers and porters in-house, (Kessell is an accredited trainer) and puts staff through the EGV rigid test.
Martell's is a happy ship. and its staff turnover is low. One employee has been with the firm for 50 years. It doesn't use agency staff, but does have a roster of experienced casuals The firm is active in the local community and offers work experience and holiday jobs for students.
Kessell worked at Martell's during his degree course, joining the firm after graduating. lie clearly brings enthusiasm. initiative and a hands-on approach to the role of transport manager, simultaneously developing his career and the company's customer base.
"You have to be aware of broader issues," says Kessell, For example, East Grinstead alone is [currently] not a big enough customer base for Martell's, but is marked for expansion as one of the government's proposed new `eco' towns, possibly adding 1,000 new homes.
Kessell reckons a large proportion of customers come via Yellow Pages, yielding about 40% of its customer base, with another 40% from personal recommendation and repeat business, and the remaining 20% via the intcrnet and other sources.
For more than 80 years, Martell's has pursued a careful policy of incremental growth, buying freehold premises, where possible, and keeping borrowings low. Because of their long depreciation period, trucks are also bought outright.
So why, CM asks, is Martell's expanding when many in this sector are having a tough time? "A lot are going bust." agrees Kessell. "We get a lot of personal recommendation business.People only move once every 10 years, so maintaining high service standards is essential. When times are hard, people go for someone familiar."