Copy of What more can you do at Online Truckers.org?
| 'Get out there and attack business!' |
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| Written by Vascoingles | |
| Monday, 01 December 2008 | |
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UK haulier vows to win new contracts despite economic slowdown UK haulier Deben Transport is confident it can remain profitable in a shrinking container haulage market, and believes there is still plenty of work in the market to be won. Last month, the Felixstowe-based company completed a management buy-out, reclaiming 50% of the shares from the CEL group. Paul Dawson, Deben’s founder and MD, said that despite the economic downturn, the timing had been right to go it alone. "We got into some difficulties with funding [in 2004] and we needed some support and we’ll be ever thankful to CEL for that. They did a fantastic job, but the time was right for us to move on." UK container volumes have seen a significant downturn since March, but Dawson was confident there was new business to be won. "There has been a definite downturn since March/April, and I suspect we are looking at a 20%-30% downturn [across the sector], " he said. "Last year we turned over £20m (US$31m) and we are on a good growth plan, " he said. "It is tough out there and I think it’s going to get a little tougher, but we don’t accept that there is no business there; it’s setting your eyes on that and winning some of it. "There is always going to be a nucleus of boxes that need to be moved into the big distribution centres, " he said. He admitted that volumes in the Christmas run-up had "certainly not increased". "We have not seen a peak. In fact, I would suspect that it has gone the other way." However, he said, long-term contracts had enabled the firm to commit half of its fleet to existing work. He was also bullish about converting one in five potential customers into new contracts, which would make up for a drop in volumes. "We have to be mindful of our pennies, but anything is possible and there are opportunities out there, " he said. "Unfortunately there will be some people who perhaps won’t escape the downturn and we need to be at our best. We are knocking on doors every day and the response we’ve had is amazing. "I think there is some complacency out there and people think, ’I’ll keep what I’ve got’, but you need to attack business and we are getting some really positive feedback." Source IFW |
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