Irish Trucker & Light Commercials magazine is Ireland’s leading transport, haulage and related industries magazine. On distribution from September '98, Irish Trucker combines high profile editorials with commercial features, industry news, product reviews, classifieds and advertising providing the most comprehensive insight into the haulage industry in Ireland available to date. Read by the haulage/trucking industry in every corner of Ireland, Irish Trucker & Light Commercials magazine is unrivalled and has a substantial mail order, while also being the only magazine of its kind available in shops throughout Ireland, unlike other trucking publications that are only available via mail order. Irish Trucker & Light Commercials magazine has a monthly readership of 100,000 and a mail order of 15,000.
P atrick McEveney could be described as a wise old head. He knows his way around vehicles and he has put all his years of expertise to good use by establishing and fronting McEveney’s 24 Hour Recovery – one of Connacht’s premier breakdown / recovery operators. He has been in the garage business for 27 years and started up the recovery firm in 1999. His older brother Tommy is also involved in the garage end of the business but Patrick is very much the main man and the successful recovery operation is the fruit of his vision and labour. Reflecting on the genesis of the recovery business, the founder reveals: “Tommy was a mechanic before me and I went in as a panel beater and worked in body shops. Between the two of us, we were able to do mechanical and body repairs and we worked together in various local garages. We started in the Smith Group, which was owned by Waterford Crystal and we also worked in a Toyota dealership before I set up my own garage.” Based at Tullycommons, Snugboro, Castlebar, County Mayo, McEveney 24 Hour Recovery evolved out of this garage business twelve years ago. “We still have the garage but the breakdown and recovery is now the core of the business,” says Patrick. “We can bring vehicles back to the garage if required but this isn’t usually necessary. We carry the latest diagnostic equipment in our breakdown vehicles and many of the problems can be fixed at the roadside.” No vehicle is two big or two small for McEveney’s. Deploying a state-of-the- art, customised Mercedes recovery truck, Patrick can recover anything up to 21-foot, three-and-a-half tonnes; while he also operated two Ford Transits with beavertails and two recovery jeeps, which are fully fitted out to work in underground car-parks etc. The recovery vehicles are kitted out with miscellaneous items such as bulbs, fuses, fuel etc. – anything that might get a vehicle up and running as quickly as possible, provided the problem isn’t severe. “We can access anything, anywhere,” the company founder continues. “If there’s heavy lifting to be done, we have access to a heavy lifting vehicle that can handle up to 20 tonne. We can get literally anybody back on the road.” The real beauty of McEveney’s 24 Hour Recovery is that everything is done is such a straightforward, McEveney's have 27 years experience in the automotive business 42 Recovery the right way Located close to Castlebar, McEveney’s 24 Hour Recovery is in a league of its own when it comes to providing a high-quality, dedicated, responsible and safe breakdown/recovery service. Irish Trucker caught up with company founder Patrick McEveney to get an insight into this excellent operation. IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
Transcript
Patrick McEveney could bedescribed as a wise old head.He knows his way around
vehicles and he has put all his yearsof expertise to good use byestablishing and fronting McEveney’s24 Hour Recovery – one ofConnacht’s premier breakdown /recovery operators.
He has been in the garage businessfor 27 years and started up therecovery firm in 1999. His olderbrother Tommy is also involved in thegarage end of the business but Patrickis very much the main man and thesuccessful recovery operation is thefruit of his vision and labour.
Reflecting on the genesis of therecovery business, the founderreveals: “Tommy was a mechanicbefore me and I went in as a panelbeater and worked in body shops.Between the two of us, we were able
to do mechanical and body repairsand we worked together in variouslocal garages. We started in the SmithGroup, which was owned by WaterfordCrystal and we also worked in aToyota dealership before I set up myown garage.”
Based at Tullycommons, Snugboro,Castlebar, County Mayo, McEveney24 Hour Recovery evolved out of thisgarage business twelve years ago.“We still have the garage but thebreakdown and recovery is now thecore of the business,” says Patrick.“We can bring vehicles back to thegarage if required but this isn’t usuallynecessary. We carry the latestdiagnostic equipment in ourbreakdown vehicles and many of theproblems can be fixed at theroadside.”
No vehicle is two big or two small forMcEveney’s. Deploying a state-of-the-
art, customised Mercedes recoverytruck, Patrick can recover anything upto 21-foot, three-and-a-half tonnes;while he also operated two FordTransits with beavertails and tworecovery jeeps, which are fully fittedout to work in underground car-parksetc.
The recovery vehicles are kitted outwith miscellaneous items such asbulbs, fuses, fuel etc. – anything thatmight get a vehicle up and running asquickly as possible, provided theproblem isn’t severe. “We can accessanything, anywhere,” the companyfounder continues. “If there’s heavylifting to be done, we have access to aheavy lifting vehicle that can handle upto 20 tonne. We can get literallyanybody back on the road.”
The real beauty of McEveney’s 24Hour Recovery is that everything isdone is such a straightforward,
McEveney's have 27 years experiencein the automotive business
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Recovery the rightwayLocated close to Castlebar, McEveney’s 24 Hour Recovery is in a league of itsown when it comes to providing a high-quality, dedicated, responsible andsafe breakdown/recovery service. Irish Trucker caught up with companyfounder Patrick McEveney to get an insight into this excellent operation.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
uncomplicated manner, with totaltransparency and no unnecessaryfuss. The immediate catchment areaincludes Castlebar, Westport, Newport,Ballinrobe, Charlestown, Achill,Swinford, Louisburgh and everywherein between. “Most of our work is withinthat area but we cover all of Connachtand will work nationwide whenrequired. If there’s a car to be broughtback to Dublin, Wexford or Kerry, we’llget it there.”
There is no competitive edge aboutPatrick. He just gets on with providinga quality service, maintaining goodrelations with all the other recoveryagents, which means he can easily putcustomers in contact with otheroperators in other areas. Thus, bybeing part of a network, McEveney’scan offer clients an extremely
convenient and affordable service.Of course, being on call 24 hours a
day comes at a cost, as Patrick notes:“It’s hard on the family life. I’ve a wifeand two children – who are 18 and 13– and I don’t see as much of them asI’d like. The recovery does take overyour social life too. You’re always onthe phone – you can’t switch it off. It’sa huge commitment. You have to becontactable 24 hours a day, fromSaturday through to Friday, noexceptions. If you need time off, thenyou have to arrange cover. Most of thetime, I take all the calls and do all theorganising myself, but when there is afamily occasion, I’ll bring in one of thelads.”
The long hours is a definite downsidebut Patrick is fortunate in that hegenuinely loves what he does. This
passion translates into an enthusiasticand high-quality service. “I love thiswork and so do all the lads who workalongside me,” he admits. “Every jobis different and every day is different. Icould write a book on some of theexperiences I’ve had. You wouldn’tbelieve the predicaments some peopleunfortunately end up in. I have to say,I really do get a great kick out of thejob. When you safely remove a vehiclefrom a dangerous situation withoutcausing any further damage to it, youget great job satisfaction from yourefforts. This is the kind of work youlearn about as you go along. It takesyears of experience before you knowwhat you’re doing. You can’t read it ina manual. You have to get out thereand learn the ropes through dealingwith real people in real situations.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
McEveney’s 24 hour Recovery hasbuilt up a stellar reputation
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On call 24/7
Having said that, I would recommendpeople to do as many courses aspossible because you can pick up a lotof little tips and knacks that maybeother operators have discovered.
“We attend a lot of recovery showsand truck shows and it’s unreal theknowledge you will pick up fromtalking to other recovery agents. Weall share our knowledge and thoselittle tips can make a big difference tohow well we serve the public.”
How would Patrick go about a typicaljob? “If it’s a road traffic accident, youwill straight away start to think in yourhead: How is the vehicle positioned?What way is the traffic flowing? Howmany people are there? Where are therubber-neckers positioned? What canyou do to make the scene safe? Howwill you get the road cleared ASAP?
“You need a plan to get the vehicleoff the road and into a wide area asquickly and safely as possible. You
have to be conscious of andconsiderate towards the driver andpassengers from the vehicle. They’llbe very concerned about what’s goingto be happening to their car and theywill probably want to observe, so weneed to bring reflective gear for themand get them to a safe vantage point ifthey insist on looking on. We geteverybody to stand as far away fromthe work area as possible. It’s vital tosecure the working environment butyou have to do it in a nice, friendlymanner.
“I’ll pack my recovery vehicle safely;ask the customer what’s happening;listen to every word they say … onceyou’ve listened and taken everythingon board, then you are in full controlof the situation.”
McEveney’s 24 Hour Recovery isbusy most days and Patrick remainsoptimistic about the future: “You haveto be positive,” he concludes.“Obviously, there’s a downturn andthe figures are not adding up the waythey used to but I like to think that ifeverybody keeps a positive attitudeand we hang in there, theneverything will be okay.
“I’ve put another truck on the road.Some people might think it’s a badtime for investing money but you’rebetter off working with good, safe,clean, reliable equipment. You haveto stick with it. We got the RACSupplier of the Year in 2009 and2010 and also won an award withMapfre Assistencia.
“We work for a lot of clubs and allthe garages in the surrounding areaand we have set – and maintain – thevery highest of standards. We havegood relationships with all our clientsand we pride ourselves on workingwith them as a partner.”
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
Breakdown and recovery isthe core of the business
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McEveney’s can recovery vehcilesup to three-and-a-half tonnes
McEveney’s can solve manyproblems roadside
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 45
Best Wishes & Continued Success To Pat McEveney From
James Foy Auto ServiceBest Wishes To Pat McEveney From
Continued Best Wishes To Pat McEveney
Loughdoo Aggregates is one of Ireland’s premier suppliersof sand, gravel and decorative stone. At present, thecompany provides gainful employment to a crew of 25,
operating an impressive fleet of 18 vehicles. They havecertainly come a long way in 20 years!
Loughdoo Aggregates started trading in 1991, with just threepart-time staff. From these humble beginnings, the companyhas continually expanded and they are now rightly recognisedas veritable market leaders in their chosen area of expertise.
They supply sand, gravel and decorative stone nationwide andtheir quarry in Cookstown, County Tyrone is highly renownedfor its hard-wearing stone. Loughdoo’s sand is much soughtafter in the precast concrete industry, wherein the company hasbuilt up a reputation for supplying excellent products backed upby a fast and efficient client service.
As the business gradually expanded in direct response togrowing demand for their products and services, more land forquarrying was acquired and a new quarry was opened in 2005.A new screening system and CDE treatment plant were alsoinstalled.
In 2006, Loughdoo Aggregates ventured into the concretebusiness and later that year they began making blocks. After aslow start, they experienced an upturn in trade and it becameincreasingly obvious that by sticking to their core principles ofsupplying a quality product at a realistic price the companywould continue to thrive. In 2007, they received the QualityScheme for Ready Mixed Concrete award in due recognition oftheir quality concrete.
Following the acquisition of more land for quarrying in 2008,the company is in a stronger position than ever and thedirectors are looking forward to supplying aggregates andconcrete to their loyal customers for many years to come.
In addition to the construction industry, Loughdoo Aggregatesalso supply golf courses and playing fields throughout Ireland.To this end, they have supplied aggregates for drainage to well-known grounds such as Dungannon Golf Club, Bundoran GolfClub, Sligo Racecourse and the new Lough Erne Golf Club
Loughdoo Aggregates arerenowned for their quality products
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TheaggregatescoreCelebrating 20 years in business thisyear, Loughdoo Aggregates in CountyTyrone continues to go from strengthto strength. Irish Trucker popped intothe Cookstown depot for a quickword with company founder DessieLoughran.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
Their concrete isquality approved
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The company maintains itsfleet to a high standard
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
(designed by Nick Faldo). They havealso supplied many horse arenasthroughout Ireland with differentgrades of sand.
The full range of products availableincludes ready mixed concrete, screedblocks and bricks, washed sand andgravel supplies, decorative stone andcoloured pebbles for driveways andpatios as well as all grades of sand forthe sports industry. Next-day deliveryis provided island-wide.
Loughdoo Aggregates is very much afamily business. Dessie Loughran setthe company up 20 years ago inconjunction with his wife Marion andthe pair have since passed the reinson to their son Leon, who now acts asMD. Dessie gives a brief outline of theday-to-day activities:
“We specialise in sand and gravel,decorative stone, readymix concrete,blocks and bricks and we also do afair bit of haulage. We mainly cover a
catchment area from Belfast toEnniskillen but a lot of the decorativestone – which is used in gardens,patios etc. – goes south.”
Business remains quite steady,though Dessie concedes that – likeeveryone else – Loughdoo Aggregateshave felt the effect of the worldwideeconomic downturn: “We’re not just asbusy as we used to be but, to behonest, we didn’t follow the builders /developers that much anyway, so we
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS48
The company maintainsits fleet to a high standard
Best Wishes & Continued Success To Loughdoo Aggregates From
haven’t been affected too badly. Wemainly deal with farmers and one-offprivate builders.”
The quarry is located in Tulnacross,approximately ten miles fromCookstown and 18 miles from Omagh.A constant hive of activity, it generatesemployment for 25 people, with thecompany’s 18-strong fleet comprising
a mixture of tippers, mixers andoffloaders. “All the trucks are Scania,Volvo or DAF,” says Dessie. “We haveour own fitter to look after the smalljobs and we give a lot of work to alocal garage as well. The fleet is welllooked after and, thankfully, the vastmajority of them are out on the roadevery day.”
To what does Dessie attribute thesuccess of the business over theyears? “Good service. That’s the mainthing. We’ve also got a high-qualityproduct and provide excellent service.A lot of our customers come back anddo business with us again, which istestament to the quality of both ourproduct and our service. Most of ouremployees are here six or seven years– and some of them have been herefor 20 – so these lads know whatthey’re doing.
“We also have a new venture. OnApril 4th we took over a concreteoperation in Ballymena.”
One gets the distinct impression thatLoughdoo Aggregates is here for thelong haul.
MJM Training congratulate Loughdoo Aggregates on Reaching this milestone
More and more hauliersare ensuring that theirtrucks and trailers are
kept in pristine condition toensure longevity. To achievethese goals, many are turningto refurbishment work as wellas general maintenance andrepairs. To this end, theyshould look no further than NGEngineering Ltd.
Based in Ballynure, CoAntrim, the company offers awide range of servicesincluding comprehensiveaccident repairs and paintworkof any trailer or vehicle.Signwriting/Relivery programs,chassis repairs, PSV checksand inspections (A-inspectionscarried out while driver waits)are further services provided bythis long established business.
NG Engineering Ltd is ownedby Derek Graham and Michelle
McAlister and the former speaksto Irish Trucker about thesuccess of the business andwhat direction he hopes theyare heading.
Firstly the company's locationis key to their success as theyare situated just 12 miles fromboth Larne and Belfast Dockswhere many hauliers operatefrom.
“We are a commercial vehiclerepairs business that offershauliers a top quality service inthe repair, maintenance andrefurbishment of both theirtrucks and trailers,” said Derek.
The facilities at the plant inBallynure are second to noneas it is a purpose built premisethat has all the moderntechnology in order to completetheir task to the highest level.
“With seven fully equippedrepair bays, one paint bay and a
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
Michelle McAlister and DerekGraham of NG Engineering
Back to newAs funding is tight within the haulage industry, the days of going out andsplashing on brand new trucks has certainly dwindled considerably.
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Another job tobe repaired
separate shot blasting unit, we arecapable of undertaking fleetrefurbishments or one-off jobs asrequired.
“There is no need to book in minorrepairs though a courtesy call wouldbe welcome. This service is providedfor all our customers - new and old.”
NG Engineering Ltd has built up alarge customer base over the yearsand Derek revealed that their aim isto ensure customer satisfactionthrough a high level of service.
“At NG Engineering, we havegained a reputation for high qualityrepairs and refinishing work. Whatour customers frequently comment onis the service that our team providesfrom first contact to the completion ofany project.”
“We pride ourselves in being able tooffer comprehensive repair andrefurbishment services on all makesand specifications of commercialvehicles and trailers.”
Trailer maintenance andrefurbishment is a big part of theirbusiness and Derek revealed thatthey have developed workingrelationships with some of Europe'sleading trailer manufacturers.
“As specialists in refrigerated trailerrepairs we are Service Partners forSchmitz Cargobull, Krone andChereau. With fully qualified staff weare certified to carry out any accidentdamage repairs which still retain themanufactures warranty. Fully stockedstores mean that we can offer a quickturn around on any size of repair.
“We have carried out many generalengineering contracts over the yearswe offer aluminium; stainless steeland mild steel welding so are able totackle any type of job big or small.”
A dedicated paint booth and shotblasting area allows Derek and histeam to perform refinishing work to
the highest standard whether it be asmall job such as a crash bar right upto a 45ft trailer, all of which can bedone in either one-pack or two packpaint systems.
“We can also provide a complete
livery liaison service including supplyand fitting decals to improve orcompliment a company's identity.”
Derek admits that like all businessesthe last few years have been toughespecially in an industry that involves
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
There are seven repairbays and a paint bay
NG Engineering offer refurbishment,maintenance and repair
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Refurbishment is amajor market
haulage as it has been hit harder thanmost.
“It certainly has been a tough coupleof years, there is no question about it,but many hauliers are turning toplacing more of an emphasis onmaintenance and refurbishment workand we are reaping the benefits ofthat.
“As we have so many yearsexperience behind us, we feel that wecan provide a top quality service andall our staff are highly trained so theycan deal with any enquiry that acustomer may have.”
Another service provided by thecompany is training courses in avariety of areas connected to thehaulage industry. NG Engineering Ltd
is determined to continue providing the level of service thatit has been so for the past three decades and Derek admitsthat they are always looking at ways of improving thebusiness.
“We have set our own standards and it is up to us tomaintain them and try to improve on them. It has taken awhile to get back to normal, but we do feel we are headingin the right direction and our aim is maintain our customerbase and hopefully expand on that over the next few years.”
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 53
All repairs - big andsmall are catered for
NG Engineering are located 12 milesfrom Larne and Belfast Docks
Delighted to be associated with NG Engineering and wish them every success
Century House, Enterprise Crescent,Ballinderry Road, Lisburn BT28 2BP
Nixon Haulage Ltd. is basedin Kilbrittain, Co. Cork
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Looking to ride it outIRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
These are tough times for the haulageindustry in Ireland. With money forbusiness scarce and diesel prices at an all
time high, not too many would swap places withDavid Nixon at present, however, the Cork nativecontinues to keep his now 10-year-old companyticking over and as competitive as ever. Based in Kilbrittain, which is situated midwaybetween Kinsale and Clonakilty, in county Cork,Nixon Haulage Ltd has been providing anefficient haulage service throughout the Munsterregion for the past ten years and looks set tomotor on into the next decade as they continueto acquire new business down south. David Nixon has been the ultimate driving-forcebehind his company’s success and has beenworking as hard ever by putting in the long hoursand making sure his customers can stilly rely ona dependable service. “We’re based here in Kilbrittain, Co Cork andwe’d have a lot of our customers that would befrom this locality,” explained David.“We’re established about ten years now and weemploy two people here. My position isManaging Director and we have another part-time fella in here as well.”Over the past ten years, David and co havebeen leading the way in the haulage game downsouth, transporting just about anything foranyone at attractive costs allied with a speedydelivery. This is one of the reasons why NixonHaulage Ltd is now first choice for manycompanies down south looking to do business.“We do everything from containers, boats,generators and long loads. We also do cranehire here as well,” he explained.“I suppose the business has just grown fromstrength to strength from when we started upfirst and we’re after generating extra businessnow and have bigger cranes than when we firststarted out.” Like many Irish businesses, things were quiterosy for Nixon Haulage Ltd up until the downturn,when money frequently became scarce, but thecompany has managed to hold its own in recentyears. At the moment, the rising cost of diesel is theprimary issue for David and companies like his,but he’s pleased to report that there has at leastbeen some good news for Nixon Haulage Ltd inrecent times. “Business is hard,” he admitted. “Diesel pricesare the biggest problem at the minute. Betweenthat and having proper insurance businesses arefinding it very tough. “We’ve acquired new business at the start ofJanuary with a company in Kildare which do pre-
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 55
Celebrating a decade in business this year, Nixon Haulage Ltd inKilbrittain, Co Cork continues to be one of the leading haulage outfits inthe Munster region. Irish Trucker spoke to the company’s founder, DavidNixon, about the services they provide and how they’ve been coping withthe tough times.
fabricated buildings, so we’re glad tohave gotten that because you have totake anything you can get.”David is spot on with that statement.New business is a rarity for manycompanies today and some have beenfortunate enough to cling on to thecustomers which they’ve had since thevery start. To this day, Nixon HaulageLtd still has many of the customerswhich it started out with ten years ago. “Some of our customers that wouldhave been with us down through the
years would be Space Cab, MaccomMunster and BAM Buildings. They’vestayed with us because they know thatwe provide a reliable service and thatthey can depend on us,” explainedDavid. Nixon Haulage’s impressive fleetconsists of a Space Cab DAF, whichhas a 60-foot reach, along with a topof the range Scania with a 50 footreach. The company’s extensive fleethelps them to cover nationwide whenrequired, however, David admits that a
lot of NixonHaulage’s work isbased down in thesouth of the country. “We cover mainly inand around parts ofMunster becausewe try and keep ourbusiness as close tohome as we can,”the ManagingDirector admitted.
“We’ve been to England as well in thepast, from where we moved aswimming pool to and from. We alsobrought a bull-dozer back to Cork fromthere about four or five years ago, so Isuppose you could say there’s nowork that we won’t do.” A spot on business attitude issomething which has helped Davidand his company get to where theyare today and you can be sure thatDavid Nixon Haulage will continue toweather the storm for the comingmonths and ready themselves for theinevitable turn around. For now though, things are stillrunning quite smoothly at David NixonHaulage and the man himself isconfident that things can keep goingthat way:“These are hard times, but you justhave to keep your head above waterand ride it out.” Hear, hear.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS56
The company’s extensive fleetgives nationwide coverage
Nixon Haulage Ltd. is celebrating10 years in business
Wishing Nixon Haulage, ContinuedSuccess In The Future From
BallinphellicEngineering Co. Ltd.
Manufacturers and suppliers of a wide range of lifting and handling equipment, including lifting gear,
Overhead Travelling Cranes, Gantries, and other fabricated lifting assemblies.
The people of the north eastneed not fear as they do nothave far to go in order to find
quality used vehicles at competitiveprices as Midway Light Commercialsstrive to deliver such a product.
In the seven years that this Sligobased company has been established,the customer base has expanded onan annual basis and their reputationfor sourcing cars, jeeps and lightcommercials at reasonable prices nowexceeds them.
For this month's edition of IrishTrucker, we profile Midway LightCommercials and speak to ownerJohn Maughan from his premises at
An impressive view of theshowroom and forecourt
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Midway source thebestMidway source thebest
The second hand trade has seen an upturn in fortunes over the last yearor so and customers are know more conscious of spending their moneyon quality used vehicles.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
Pat Holmes is a dedicatedmember of staff
Collooney Business Park about the service he provides tohis loyal customers.
The founder is in the motor trade for many years and hassupplied customers across Connacht with hundreds ofvehicles down through the years. With the customers' helpand support, they would be delighted to keep serving thenation and in return, they will offer you excellent value andcustomer service.
Midway Light Commercials came from humble beginningsand, through focus, diligence and hard work; it has grownfrom strength to strength. The premises are reassuringlysecure and they have a very large customer data base witha lot of repeat customers. There is a well establishedreputation and are very well regarded within the motorindustry. They are fully focused on customer satisfactionand providing excellent value and business has been goingvery well over the last year or so.
Midway Light Commercials stock up to 60-70 used unitsat any given time. There is also a wide range of Jeeps,4X4's, Vans, Commercials in stock for your perusal.
What has become most noticeable in recent years is howthe service department has grown. Much of this is due tothe fact that they provide an after sales service on everyproduct they sell at very competitive rates. All thesecondhand vehicle come with a full service, valid NCT /DOE Test, fully valeted and parts exchanges are alwayswelcome. They provide all finance options available.
“While the road to recovery remains challenging, thesuccess of the second hand trade and the return of thebuyers to the forecourt are very positive indication for2011,” admitted John.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 59
There is a wide range ofvehicles to choose from
That is a brave but true statement to makeand one that proves the quality of servicethat John and staff have prided themselveson down through the years.
“A lot of work has gone into upgrading thefacilities and it is important to move with thetimes. The customer needs to feelcomfortable in the surroundings and we feelthat we have achieved that with the workthat was done four years ago.”
John admitted that they have had to workhard over the last few years to ensure thatthe business continued to grow and herevealed that 2010 was the best year that hehad so far“The car and light commercialindustry has suffered greatly in the last fewyears and our aim is to re-invent ourselvesand continue to give the customers whatthey want. This business was built onproviding a top quality service and customersatisfaction was always first and foremostwith us. We did very well in 2010 and we arehopeful that can continue through to thisyear.”
Midway Light Commercials concentrate ondelivering a top quality service to its largecustomer base and John feels that they areheading in the right direction on this front.
“We would have a large customer base thatwould include all the surrounding counties,many of who have been with us for years atthis stage. Around 70% of our sales wouldbe from repeat customers.”
Sourcing good vehicles means that Johnwill travel to the U.K where he spent manyyears and built up a network of contacts overthere allowing him to get the best value onthe market.
“The second hand market is going very wellat the moment, but with such a demand,there is a problem that there might be ashortage of second vehicles in the next yearor two. I bring all mine in from England. I findthat they are a better value and betterquality.
“We have a great selection second handvehicles on the forecourt at any given time,so the customer will have plenty to choosefrom and the friendly staff are on hand tohelp out if wanted.”
John opted not to become a main dealer ashe feels that it restricts the level of servicethat he is keen to provide and allows him tosell the vehicles that he wants to sell hiscustomers.
“I just didn't want to be a main dealer. Theway I am now, I work for myself and makeall the decisions, which I am morecomfortable with, while I know what thecustomer wants and will do my best to getthat for them.”
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
This Ford Prefect takes pride ofplace in the showroom
Midway’s location iskey to their success
The showrooms aremodern and spacious
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A selection of the stock ofMidway Light Commercials
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 61
COYNE TYRESBALLINA LTD.
DEDICATED TYRE & BATTERY SALES & SERVICE• NOW DOING TRUCK ALIGNMENTS •
Best Wishes & Continued Success To Midway Light Commercials From
Carraroe Auto Supplies
Old Dublin Road, Carraroe, Co. SligoTelephone: 071 9161555
Best wishes to Midway Light Commercials, from
Ballisodare Town Centre, Ballisodare, Co. SligoTel: 071-9133320. Fax: 071-9130908
The Square, Collooney, Co. Sligo. Tel: 071-9167988
IRISH
& LIGHT COMMERCIALS
Don’t be left in the dark
log on to www.irishtrucker.com
That is a brave but true statement to makeand one that proves the quality of servicethat John and staff have prided themselveson down through the years.
“A lot of work has gone into upgrading thefacilities and it is important to move with thetimes. The customer needs to feelcomfortable in the surroundings and we feelthat we have achieved that with the workthat was done four years ago.”
John admitted that they have had to workhard over the last few years to ensure thatthe business continued to grow and herevealed that 2010 was the best year that hehad so far“The car and light commercialindustry has suffered greatly in the last fewyears and our aim is to re-invent ourselvesand continue to give the customers whatthey want. This business was built onproviding a top quality service and customersatisfaction was always first and foremostwith us. We did very well in 2010 and we arehopeful that can continue through to thisyear.”
Midway Light Commercials concentrate ondelivering a top quality service to its largecustomer base and John feels that they areheading in the right direction on this front.
“We would have a large customer base thatwould include all the surrounding counties,many of who have been with us for years atthis stage. Around 70% of our sales wouldbe from repeat customers.”
Sourcing good vehicles means that Johnwill travel to the U.K where he spent manyyears and built up a network of contacts overthere allowing him to get the best value onthe market.
“The second hand market is going very wellat the moment, but with such a demand,there is a problem that there might be ashortage of second vehicles in the next yearor two. I bring all mine in from England. I findthat they are a better value and betterquality.
“We have a great selection second handvehicles on the forecourt at any given time,so the customer will have plenty to choosefrom and the friendly staff are on hand tohelp out if wanted.”
John opted not to become a main dealer ashe feels that it restricts the level of servicethat he is keen to provide and allows him tosell the vehicles that he wants to sell hiscustomers.
“I just didn't want to be a main dealer. Theway I am now, I work for myself and makeall the decisions, which I am morecomfortable with, while I know what thecustomer wants and will do my best to getthat for them.”
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This Ford Prefect takes pride ofplace in the showroom
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60
A selection of the stock ofMidway Light Commercials
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Unfortunately, some companieshave been unable to survivethe cull, while others are
battling hard to survive. One of thekey elements of survival is the abilityto diversify into other areas andprovide a service that customers wantand need.
One such company that hasmanaged to do this is PF Dixon PlantHire run by Paul Dixon, who has beenin plant hire for many years and hisoffice manager Joan Quinlan whospoke to us about these challengingtimes and gave us an insight to thenewest string of their bow.
“The construction industry hascertainly been hit badly, but we neverlost the run of ourselves during theboom. We have spent the last12months getting all our plant servicedand updated so that we are ready tomove when things improve. We havealso updated our fleet with railexcavators and dumpers. We decidedto hold out here and try to ride out therecession, rather than go abroad tolook for work as so many others havedone.
We have also opened our WasteRecycling Facility under our sistercompany OMD Waste Recycling which
is the fruition of 8 years of planning,which was established in March 2010.We have known for some years thatrecycling was the way forward andhad been trying to get planningpermission, unfortunately, it came atthe end of the boom.
We have invested a lot of money intostarting the recycling business andwith no grants available, we have hadto do it all ourselves. It was a bigchance to take, but it is slowly startingto pay off. Waste Management is avery contentious issue and theproblem of disposing of unwantedmaterial has caused major hassle for
OMD Waste Recycling havetheir own recycling facility
62
OMD Waste:a new beginningMany companies have been forced to change their outlook with regards totheir business, due to the economic climate that has gripped this nationtighter than any vice could.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
local authorities and the government. Nonetheless, it is an ongoing battle
to clean up our environment and OMDWaste is one such company dedicatedto the cause. The company specialisein Skip Hire both commercial anddomestic, supplying skips from 2cy to
35cy roll on roll off skips to buildingcontractors, businesses and thegeneral public. Joan revealed that thecompany has invested heavily inmeeting the required standards to beable to operate such a facility and itssomething that they have worked very
hard on since this end of the businesswas established last year.
The huge facility caters for all typesof materials that pass through, whichis hand picked and waste issegregated into categories forrecycling, i.e. glass, timber, metal,
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The company supplies skipsfrom 2cy to 35cy roll-on, roll-off
63
Waste management is acrucial part of the business
plastics, etc. We have all the relevantpermits from Waste Facility Permit to
Collection permitsand every skip canbe traced fromsource to disposal,which is a necessitythese days ascustomers areresponsible forwhere waste isdisposed of andwant to make surethey are dealingwith a reputablecompany.
Each skip can bedelivered andcollected, withnumerous skiplorries operating on
a daily basis; no customer will have towait too long for delivery or collectionwhich is normally on the dayrequested. “This is a competitivebusiness and it is essential to providean efficient service at a reasonablerate that is affordable to thecustomers, otherwise they will just goelsewhere”.
The Joint Waste Management Plancovering the period 2006 to 2011wasadopted in June 2006 and reflectschanges in population, waste arisingand infrastructural requirements. Theobjective of the plan is to secure thebest environmental management ofwaste generated in the region andOMD Waste Recycling Ltd is leadingthe charge to implement a number ofthese principles.
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PF Dixon maintain anexcellent fleet
64
The company specialise in skip hire to bothcommercial and domestic customersContinued Good wishes To All At OMD Waste Recycling
Specialising in the collection anddistribution of chilled andfrozen products, McConaghy
Refrigerated Distribution is a family-owned road haulage companyoperating out of Ballymoney, CountyAntrim. Established by RichardMcConaghy in 1998, the business hasevolved into one of Northern Ireland’spremier chilled / frozen distributioncompanies.
Since the company’s inception, thefleet – which is maintained inimmaculate working condition - hasgrown to include an impressive arrayof temperature-controlled vehicles(ranging from 18-tonne trucks withdual compartments and tail lifts to 44-tonne artics), all boasting remotemonitoring to ensure that producereaches its destination in perfectcondition.
Founder Richard remains very muchat the forefront of the team, adopting ahands-on approach to the day-to-dayrunning of the business. He’s alwaysavailable to take calls or deal withqueries and is never afraid to roll uphis sleeves and get behind the wheelof a truck either in Ireland or the UK.In this respect, he is ably assisted by atrusty team of loyal drivers, many ofwhom have been with the company
McConaghy Refrigerated Distributionoperates throughout Ireland and the UK
66
A premium serviceA premium serviceIrish Trucker headed to Ballymoney in Antrim to speak to RichardMcConaghy - founding director of McConaghy Refrigerated DistributionLtd., one of the superior distributors of chilled and frozen productsoperating in Ireland and the UK.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
since its inception.Richard’s wife Jackie and son
Gavin are also activelyinvolved in the daily running ofthe business.
The office is manned bydedicated administrative staff24 hours a day, seven daysper week, and monthly staffmeetings are held to keepeverybody up to speed with allthe latest issues anddevelopments within theindustry. This is one of themany added extras thatcombine to ensure a premiumservice.
Richard started out on his
own 14 years ago with one VolvoFL6-12 rigid refrigerated truck -distributing goods for companiesthroughout Northern Ireland - andhad developed a mixed fleet ofScania, Volvo and DAF within threeyears. Today, the fleet comprisesScania predominantly, and oneDAF. “We still had a mixed fleet twoyears ago but have moved moreand more towards Scania,” Richardreveals.
A top-class service is providedwith every consignment and the24-hour operation includes GPStracking on all trailers throughoutIreland and the UK. A same-day
collection service (with remotetemperature-controlled trailers)ensures that goods arrive at theirdestination in perfect condition everytime.
All consignments - regardless of size- are tracked form collection todestination - and the McConaghyservice team is available around theclock to liaise with customers. Anovernight groupage service is providedfrom the UK and Ireland.
“We specialise in refrigerated, chilledand frozen food distribution,” Richardconfirms. “We work for all thesupermarkets, shops etc. and coverthe UK, Northern Ireland and the
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 67
Refridgerated transport is thesole focus of the company
Two pristine Scaniatractor units
Republic of Ireland.”Of course, most companies are
feeling the pinch of the currenteconomic slowdown and McConaghyRefrigerated Distribution is nodifferent. Richard established asecond company seven years ago –McConaghy Transport – andexpanded substantially, but he wasforced to close this company down lastyear to focus his full attention on therefrigerated business:
“We’ve had to cut back quite a bit butwe’re making sure we serve ourexisting customer base to the veryhighest levels. We’ve built ourcompany reputation by offering anoptimum service and that’s what we’llcontinue to do. The way things are,we’re just going to focus on giving thevery highest standards of service andhopefully the economy will start to pickup again soon,” Richard notes.
Despite the slowdown, Richard stilloversees a fleet of six trucks – tworigids and four artics – as well as eightrefrigerated trailers. “Overall, we can’tcomplain since we streamlined thebusiness,” he says. “We’ve got rid of
all the fat and we’re running a verylean company now, with no waste anda premium service at the right price.Our existing customers are getting avery good service and we’re stillpricing new work, so all in all thebusiness is in good hands.
“From a personal point of view, it wasvery disappointing to have to let six orseven lads go, but we held onto themas long as we could and there wasnothing else we could do in the end.Hopefully we’ll soon be in a position tobe able to take on additional staffagain.”
Spiralling diesel costs have drivenmany operators to the wall. What’sRichard’s take on this ongoingepidemic? “Fortunately, our loyalcustomer base is sticking by us as wecouldn’t absorb those costs ourselves,but it’s certainly a major problem forthe industry and there’s no end insight. At the moment, the best casescenario seems to be that dieselprices will stabilise … it’s hard to seethem going back to where they were.”
The company has an in-housemechanic but most of the heavy workis sub-contracted out.
Looking to the future, Richardconcludes: “At the minute, things arevery unpredictable. We’ll have toaccept whatever comes our way anddo our best with it. The industry hasbeen through a tough time and I thinkwe’ll all be prepared for literallyanything at this stage. My hope wouldbe that things can’t get much worsewith the economy. We’ll just continueto knuckle down and provide anoutstanding service. That has servedus well for the past 14 years andfingers crossed it will continue to doso.”
Send to: MARTINA CLARKE, THE LYNN GROUP, KELLS BUSINESS PARK, KELLS, CO. MEATH, IRELAND
Keep ontruckingwith
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86 Armagh Road, Moy, Co. Tyrone BT71 7JA
Nothing goes towasteNothing goes towasteThe waste management industry is a specialised sectorthat involves skilled professionals ensuring that alllegislation is adhered too.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 71
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS72
For this month's edition of Irish Trucker, we profileArmagh based Curran Waste, who has entered itsfourth decade in business. They say that longevity is
the gauge by a company's success is measured and onthat front, there are few to rival this family run business.
First, we will take a brief look at whereit all began and to do that we go back tothe late seventies, when Thomas Curranestablished Curran Waste 30 years ago.
There have been many changes withinthe industry over the past 30 years, butCurran Waste's ability to move with thetimes has resulted in their sustainability.
Thomas adopted a policy of trust,efficiency and reliability that has stoodthe company in good stead over theyears, while the customer base hasincreased on an annual basis.
Thomas' sons Barry, Gerald and Jamescontinue their father's ethos of lookingafter their customers and providing aservice that they were happy with.
Curran Waste has been one of theleaders in its field of expertise ever since and have leadthe way in providing additional services to their customers.
Situated at 18 Blackwater, Armagh, the companyspecialises in the collection and recycling of householdwaste as well as sludge and septic tank clearings.
The company has recently acquired a waste license,which allows them to recycle all products and a majorinvestment has gone into upgrading their facilities to thesufficient standard. The company runs this end of thebusiness under the new name of Armagh Recycling.
“We provide a wide range of services across the wastemanagement sector. This includes domestic andcommercial waste collection services across Armagh andthe surrounding counties,” said General Manager BarryCurran.
“We also offer a full range of skips, which are primarilyused for private use. The construction industry has sufferedgreatly in the last year or so and we have had to adapt tothat fact. There is still a decent request for skips from theprivate and industrial sectors.”
Another service provided by thecompany is waste recycling where allmaterials brought to the facility issorted and segregated before beingrecycled into various products.
“The recycling cuts down on sendingmaterials to landfill, which helps theenvironment and greatly reduces theamount of residual sent to landfillsites.
“The majority of the waste we collectis recycled here, but with the likes oftyres, we would collect them, but theyare recycled at another depot.
Curran Waste have a dedicated andhighly trained staff that ensure thebusiness runs smoothly and as ateam they have seen the companygrew into one of the most efficientwaste management companies in thecountry.
“We wouldn't have a big turnover of staff. The majority ofpeople that join us stay with the company. Everyone has arole to play and they all help out.”
The advancement of legislation in the waste industry hasmeant that traceability is key to operations and this is
something that Barry and his team makesure is kept in order.
“Legislation plays a very important partin waste management. In recent years, ithas become an integral part of theindustry. There are plenty of rules andregulations to be adhered too, but theyare there for a reason and it is importantto follow them stringently.”
Curran Waste looks after a number ofcommercial properties as part of itsservice and they can tailor a packagebest suited for the customer.
“Cost is everything in this currenteconomic climate and we have theexperience to provide efficient costeffective services for commercial andindustrial properties.
“The specific needs of hotels, offices, pubs, restaurants,shops, printers, supermarkets and manufacturers are allcatered for in the best possible way for them.”
Through its collection service the company has a numberof trucks on the roads collecting waste from bothcommercial and domestic dwellings. The fleet is keeprelatively new and this cuts down on any downtime thatcan be caused by older vehicles.
“We are competing in a tough market and the main pushwill be to develop the domestic side of the business. Wehave done that by starting providing a reliable service andhopefully we can expand that further over the comingmonths.
The company has certainly moved with the times and noexpense has been spared in installing the latest machineryand technology to ensure that all waste is disposed of inthe proper manner.
For the past 30 years, the essential ingredients of hardwork and supplying a top quality service remain. This has
resulted in Curran Waste remainingahead of its competitors, while theirdesire to keep improving has benefitedtheir large customer base.
“We provide a widerange of servicesacross the waste
managementsector. This
includes domesticand commercialwaste collectionservices acrossArmagh and the
surroundingcounties.”
“We are competing in atough market and themain push will be to
develop the domesticside of the business.We have done that bystarting providing areliable service and
hopefully we canexpand that further over
the coming months.”
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS74
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SDC Unveils Increased Capacity Trailer at Tip-ExSDC Trailers has unveiled a new lightweight walking floor trailer at the annual Tip-Ex Show at Harrogate. The new design,which features an all-aluminium chassis, body and rear doors, is around 1.5tonnes lighter than previous models andallows the trailer to weight in at well under eight tonnes.The saving will allow operators to effectively carry more bulk product thereby increasing operational efficiency andreducing road miles.The tri-axle unit has an increased capacity of 90.2 cubic metres with an overall height of 4.15 metres. The tapered bodyalso helps increase capacity and aids discharge of the load.SDC also displayed an improved version of its tried and tested chipliner trailer. At 4.6 metres in height, it features areinforced bulkhead and specially designed tougher curtains with twice as many fastening buckles to secure loads.This year the Tip-Ex Show featured Commercial Motor’s Legal Seminar to help keep operators up to speed with newlegislation and proposals. SDC director Paul Bratton joined Department for Transport’s Nick Denton on the expert panel todiscuss the current proposals around longer trailers and how it may affect leading trailer manufacturers,operators and theUK market.Paul Bratton, SDC director, said: “Our new walking floor trailer drew a lot of interest and I think people are still looking atways to be more efficient and save money. With its lightweight chassis, the trailer offers a 6% increase in payload whichwith help operators save fuel and reduce carbon emissions.“The Commercial Motor seminar was also useful and provided an insight as to how the future of transport may look if the
longer trailer proposals are adopted. Operators want to know how it will affect them but I think, in the long term, theproposals will be advantageous to the industry.”
Biofuels identified as key growth area Global alternative fuel markets will grow more rapidly than conventionalfuels in the next five years.As the global economy continues its recovery, this trend has beenpredicted by a report identifying biofuels as a critical growth area.While petroleum-based fuel demand, including alternatives such asnatural gas, reduced during 2009, growth has resumed in line witheconomic growth with greater annual increases forecast in the new-growth BRIC markets.However, the market for biofuels is expected to grow more rapidly, withforecasters predicting that by 2015 it will be double its 2009 level, andagain, the developing regions are expected to drive growth with Asia-Pacific, for example, forecast to account for 20% of global production.
Global production of ethanol is expected to increase by about 40% between 2010 and 2015, largely driven by the US andBrazil, while biodiesel production is forecast to increase by more than 50% during that same period, with Europeremaining the main producer.Sources such as jatropha oil from India and Africa are also expected to be establishing a presence by then, accountingfor about 7% of supply.
Exports expected to exceed boom levels
It has been predicted that Irish exports will surpass the level witnessed during the economic boomSpeaking at the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Cork. Enterprise Ireland’s Frank Ryan expects exportsthis year to hit levels not seen since 2008 - second only to Germany in the eurozone:“Our annual survey of clients in 2010 shows that Ireland’s indigenous exports reached approximately €13.85bn for 2010.This means Irish exporting companies regained 70% of the exports that had been lost since the dawn of the globalrecession in 2008. I am confident that, given the indicators at the present time, by the end of 2011, our exports will behigher than they were pre-recession.”However, despite the strong growth, exports may not increase enough to achieve IMF economic targets. The IMF plan forIreland reducing its debt-to-GDP ratio to 3% by 2015 includes 10% annual export growth over the next four years. Butexports are expected to rise by only 7.2% this year.
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS 75
New FM Eight Wheelers aid efficiency at HST Feeds A constant drive for efficiency and optimising vehicle uptime are central tenets of the intensive transport operation run by
HST Feeds. To help maintain high levels ofvehicle availability and overall transportefficiency, the company has recently addedtwo new Volvo FM-420 8X4 rigids to itsimmaculately turned out in-house fleet ofeight trucks – seven of which are Volvos.In order to fix servicing costs, all HST FeedsVolvos are on long-term Repair andMaintenance (R&M) contracts with supplyingdealer Thomas Hardie Commercials, whoseMiddlewich depot look after all their servicingneeds. The latest FMs are on 6-year R&Mcontracts."Efficiency is part of our mantra," saysAssociate Director Operations Steve Rogers,adding: "We need to make sure that farmersdo not pay for our inefficiencies. That's whywe are constantly battling against rising costson behalf of our customers. Monitoring our
transport costs and reducing fuel and unscheduled maintenance bills is vital to maintain our competitive position."The Cheshire-based animal feeds specialist manufactures a comprehensive selection of feeds for livestock from poultry tocattle and sheep at its mill in Crewe and has been operating Volvo trucks since 2006.The mill operates round the clock and the trucks are loaded overnight. The new Priden bulk animal feed bodied 8-wheelers are expected to cover around 100,000 kms per annum making deliveries to farms six days a week.The company values the continuity of service it receives from Volvo dealer Thomas Hardie Commercials, who hassupplied all the vehicle purchases since 2006. "Our drivers are all long service and know our loyal customer base well.Continuity is important to us and our customers. That's why we don't use agency drivers," says Steve Rogers, "It's alsoone of the reasons why we continue to deal with Thomas Hardie. For example, their Sales Representative, Mark Lingardhas provided this element of continuity as he has been our contact for new vehicles since 2006. We also value thecontinuity of service they provide generally in terms of the people we deal with at their Middlewich depot which is open24/7. Thomas Hardie service and MOT our vehicles when it's convenient for us. It's an arrangement which works well todate."The latest FMs are equipped with the D13 engines and I-Shift automated transmissions. Steve Rogers says that thecompany is satisfied with the performance of the overall Volvo specification package. "It's worked well," he says, "Inparticular; I-Shift, which we've been running with since July 2010, has helped provide an improvement in fuel economy."The last word has to go to Steve Rogers who sums up the company's continued partnership with Thomas HardieCommercials and Volvo with the following words: "Although we operate an in-house transport fleet, we're not haulagecontractors. Our focus has to be on our customers. Thomas Hardie and Volvo take care of our maintenance in a waywhich allows us to achieve that."
New online tool from epyx makes ex-fleet used van buyingeasier for dealer groupsIntroduced as an element of the company’s 1link Disposal Network e-commerce platform, Group Buyer allows a complete
online buying infrastructure to be set up tailored to the dealer group.At an individual franchise or site level within the group, buyers can bid for or buy vehicles that are for sale on the platform– but the transaction is only completed when approved online by a central buyer with overall responsibility for used carswithin the group.Ken Trinder, head of business development at epyx, said: “Dealers are increasingly sourcing ex-fleet used car and vanstock online because it allows them to set up active searches for exactly the kind of vehicles they want plus it is a muchmore efficient use of their time than driving all over the country in search of stock.“Group Buyer builds on these advantages by providing a structure that dealer groups can use for their online buying that
brings additional flexibility and control. We are already receiving a lot of interest in the product from some of our largestdealer buyers.”Trinder added that the number of transactions through 1link Disposal Network had been growing rapidly through 2011.He said: “Twice as many vehicles were sold through the platform in April than in January, which is an indication of thespeed with which dealer groups are recognising the advantages of buying online.”Used by major fleets such as leasing companies to sell stock to used car and van dealers, 1link Disposal Network forms acomponent in the 1link cradle-to-grave e-commerce vehicle life cycle which includes e-commerce platforms coveringvehicle procurement, service and maintenance, taxation and rental.
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