Damage-free recovery is Arcade's hallmark
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BREAKDOWNS and accidents can cause big problems on their own for recovery operators. But often the difficulties are compounded by unsuitable equipment and untrained recovery personel inflicting further damage to a vehicle they have gone to fetch.
This week I spoke to a recovery operator who trades on damage-free recovery and believes that the large capital investment required is worth while. Twenty-five years ago Arcade Motors began a vehicle recovery operation with a Bedford M-type, equipped with a wind up twin-boom, and an International 6x6 which was used to pull in the heavy commercials. It may sound pretty antiquated now but it was about average in those times.
Today, the company located at Fortis Green, London, just off the North Circular Road, and with an outpost at the M1 Scratchwood services, has grtiwn, under the direction of managing director David Brinklow, to become recognised as the UK's largest independent recovery operation.
The vehicle fleet, now 40strong, includes a mixture of makes, weights and types ranging from Dodge 50-Series used for a "relay" type of service to assist stranded cars and their oc
cupants, through to a purposebuilt Daf 2800 FTT 6x4 plated at 125 tonnes gross combination weight which deals with the heavy brigade.
Between these extremes the company operates a number of vehicles developed to meet specialist demands for customers in the commercial vehicle and private sectors.
In providing a service to the motor trade, Arcade is able to augment, or in some cases totally replace, the existing service. Many car dealers find that operating a 24-hour breakdown service is not only difficult to man, but often not a viable proposition on their own. Equipment, operated infrequently, not only takes up valuable space in the workshops but rarely pays for itself.
"We recover vehicles from anywhere," Dave told me. "In Europe we use car transporters to tie in several, separate recoveries on the one journey, but only charge for the distance the vehicle is transported. We can also take care of all the paperwork involved in repatriating a vehicle."
Covered drawbar transporters equipped with slide-back bodies are used to move manufacturers' prototypes and provides an added degree of protection to the transport of prestige and custom-built cars.
Continental recovery of damaged and mechanically sick vehicles of all sizes accounts for 65 per cent of Arcade's total mileage. Contracts include ones with Europe, Assistance, Mondial, National Breakdown, and the Caravan Club.
Within 25 miles of Fortis Green, the fleet is radio controlled and provides a service in the London area for dealers, general garages, and service stations.
Provision for heavy commercials in London and surrounding areas is catered for with heavier specialist recovery vehicles which also attend distressed vehicles throughout the UK and Europe and dekver them to their destination; in some instances they will have discharged their cargoes en route.
Several major own-account and general haulage fleets employ the Arcade services; so do National Bus, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance services. The provision of an efficient damage-free service means that modern equipment must be used by experienced personel.
It is policy at Arcade Motors to renew vehicles of under 7.5 tonnes at three to four-year intervals. Old vehicles are sold off complete with existing equipment. This is stipulated for two reasons. Removing equipment and selling the chassis cab often provides a poor residual value, With the old gear sold off, the new vehicles can be suitably fitted out with the latest up to date equipment which will last the new vehicle's life.
The condition of heavier vehicles is reviewed at the end of five years' use and normaly replaced after seven. But in this instance it is more usual to transfer some equipment from the old to the new chassis, saving on high capital costs. David believes that it is essential to invest in modern equipment so as to be able to demonstrate to the customer that he is able to provide the service that the customer demands and deserves.
"We're not the cheapest, we charge E125 an hour for one of our heavy wreckers. But then if we can complete the recovery in good time without inflicting further damage because of our Investment, then it benefits the customer overall," said David.
"It can work out cheaper than employing a company offering a cut-rate job. Our latest 19.28 Leyland RT cost £54,000 and we have a £1/4m worth of plant stationed at Scratchwood. Modern coach design with long overhang, front and rear, and integral body constructure presents the recovery operator with particular problems."
Each vehicle operative receives instructions from Wrecker International on the use of their equipment. But to provide further information David contacts individual manufacturers each time a new model is introduced for advice on a safe method of recovery.
"It's surprising how little thought some manufacturers give to the recovery aspect," he said.
When I visited Arcade, David had just returned from the RAI Show in Amsterdam where he had been to look for a low-loader semi-trailer. Nooteboom's extendable semi-trailer can be offered with a 711mm (2ft 4in) platform height which would be suitable for recovery of highdeck coaches; remaining below the overall 4m height limit.
During the winter, the recov ery fleet is kept busy with about 130 jobs, of all sizes, each day; in the summer this number drops to about 80 a day. The most common failures are fan belts, water pumps and other minor items. Where possible the operative in attendance will get the vehicle on its way again.
Training plays an important part in damage-free recovery and the operatives need to show initiative and a certain amount of independence to progress up through the line of light and intermediate vehicles before graduating to the big machinery.
All the vehicles are equipped with winches and most with suspended-tow facilities. Eighty-five per cent of the call-outs to cars can be fixed on site, but the remaining 15 per cent have to be pulled in. The holding pound at Fortis Green accommodates up to 120 vehicles at onetime and is protected 24 hours a day by closed circuit TV surveillance. .
Because of the tie-up with local Daf, Leyland and MAN commercial garages a greater proportion of call-outs to commercial vehicles results in a tow.
Dave aims to provide a service matched to each customer's needs. You can't always please everyone all of the time, but then "That's life, isn't it?"