Transport company criticises banks during the recession

A transport company from Billingham has criticised the banking sector for their dearth of support during the recession, despite riding the downturn and emerging as an even more robust business. Nicholson's Transport was moved to sell assets in order to survive and grow, as the banks offered no support, but the gutsy move paid dividends as they reversed the trend in the rest of the logistics industry by enticing new clients as well as garnering some substantial contracts. They took the decision to sell company owned property and then lease it back, in order to fund the difficult times. Dave Nicholson, the owner and founder of the company, was dismayed by the attitude of the banks during the darkest time for British businesses for more than a generation. He agrees with Chancellor George Osborne, who declared that banks had an obligation to lend to small businesses. Nicholson said:

This business has been through three recessions, but this one was so different in that the banks just shut up shop – despite what their PR teams were saying. We had been planning to restructure since 2007 and needed funding to achieve that, but the banks were extremely reluctant to lend against property and certainly didn’t want to hear from logistics firms. We have delivered the restructure despite the banks saying we wouldn’t survive past last December. They didn’t want to understand our strategy for moving forward, but we have achieved that regardless and paid back all bank borrowings. The recession has had a devastating impact on the logistics sector, with many firms going under, but there was no way we were going to roll over. We have actually come out far stronger, with each of our companies independent and more client focused.

As a result of their restructuring, the Nicholson Group now has transport and logistics enterprises in Doncaster and on Teesside, specialising in storage and Hiab cranes respectively. Nicholson feels he has taken many lesson from the recession, saying, The main lesson we have learned is to not have too many financial eggs in one basket. In future, we won’t have a situation where we rely too much on one funder, or indeed rely on banks at all. Instead, we are spreading our risks and improving our relationships with different banks, and looking at alternative funding methods.

Crossroads complete acquisition of Hartshorne Group

The has been an acquisition in West Yorkshire, as Crossroads Truck & Bus completed the takeover of Hartshorne Group, a Midlands-based company which, like Crossroads, are a truck trader, specifically for Volvo.

The two businesses will continue operate with their own identities, running as individual companies, but within the same group. Martin Cronin, the Managing Director of Crossroads, said:

The addition of Hartshorne to the Group will give us greater opportunity to add value to customer's operations by providing consistency and continuity across the key distribution centres of the Midlands and Yorkshire. We believe, that by working together, we can create even more opportunities for our employees, provide even greater customer service locally and build for the long-term future of both businesses.

Between the two companies, they employ nearly 1000 members of staff across 20 separate Volvo dealerships, and produce a turnover of £200 million per year. Their pedigree is shown in Crossroads' status as former holder of the Motor transport Dealer of the Year award.

JCB hits 100,000 excavators in India

JCB is one of largest construction equipment manufacturers in the world, producing backhoe loaders, excavators, compactors, skid steer loaders and mini diggers for sale across the world. In fact JCB India has reached landmark by recently producing the 100,000 excavator that they have manufactured in India.

The milestone vehicle was unveiled by visiting dignitaries, including: Kamal Nath, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways; Vince Cable, the British Secretary of State for Business and Vipin Sondhi, the chief executive officer of JCB India Ltd. Kamal Nath stressed that India's vast infrastructural road-building project required them to maximise their use of the latest technological innovations, and that JCB were an important part of that, bringing cutting edge construction technology into the country.

Vince Cable stated that JCB had built a worldwide network from their original location in the UK, and was committed to creating jobs in many countries. He also said that considering India's modernising projects, there was plenty of scope for further collaboration.

Vipin Sondhi expressed his delight that JCB's factory in Ballabhgarh was now the largest backhoe loader manufacturing facility in the world, and commented that JCB had a market share of more than 50 percent in India. JCB is looking to meet demand by eventually manufacturing a full range of equipment in India, including wheel loaders and compactors. The company is constantly investing in its Indian facility, especially the plants in Ballabhgarh and Pune, in order to be able to meet the constantly growing need for equipment.

AUSA and new importer VERHOEVEN feature at the TKD.

VERHOEVEN are the new importers of AUSA telehandlers and mini diggers into Holland, and through them, AUSA were in attendance at the TKD show in Barneveld. The TKD is aimed at the rental arena, and featured more than two hundred exhibitors from the construction and earthmoving machinery sectors. The exhibitors, focussed as they are on both the rental market and the end-user, allow their machines to be tested on-site.

The AUSA dumper D 150 AHG, a competitor of Thwaites dumpers, was the display model at the AUSA/VERHOEVEN stall, and features a loading capability of 1500 Kg. VERHOEVEN is a well established import company in the Netherlands, with a firm network of dealers, and satisfied customers, which is why AUSA have chosen to team up with them.

The Chinese crane market

One of China's largest B2B platforms, FRbiz.com, has issued a report on the state of the market for crawler cranes, mobile cranes, and the general market for cranes for sale. They predict the crawler crane market in particular will continue to grow.

The crawler crane sector was rather staid in China pre-2004, and was largely based on imports. However the breakneck rise of the Chinese economy, particularly infrastructural projects as well as power, steel and chemical industries, has fuelled a exponential increase in demand for crawler cranes. Between 2006 and 2007 the rate remained stable, but 2008 saw an increase of 69 percent, with 1648 units sold. The global economic downturn affected the market in 2009, and the sales of crawler cranes in China dipped by 31 percent, to 1131 units sold. The crawler crane market in China is still relatively young, and imports still account for 15 percent of sales. However, the broad range of incentives and road building and industrial projects instituted by the Chinese government means that projected sales for crawler cranes indicate a coming rise. Future infrastructural projects include a variety of wind power and nuclear power stations, which will further increase demand for crawler cranes. The next ten years will see an investment by the Chinese government of more than RMB 3 trillion, and with the need for wind stations and power plants, will come the need for all manner of cranes

Buying at the right time could help avoid Euro-6 price rise

The added cost of purchasing first generation Euro-6 vehicles can be avoided, claim DAF trucks, by upgrading your fleet now, with Euro-5 vehicles. The new emissions control legislation becomes effective in September 2013, and a cunningly timed purchase will help operators to avoid the initial phase of introduction, and its associated costs.

Tony Pain, Marketing Director for renowned truck trader DAF, explained:

Historically there's been an upswing in sales in the run-up to a new Euro-standard, but the difference with the changeover from Euro-5 to Euro-6 will be the significant price increase on the trucks. This is due to the additional exhaust after-treatment systems needed to meet the strict legislation. So if operators renew their fleet now on a three-year lease and then upgrade again on a five-year lease just before September 2013, they will have missed the initial take-up, and added cost, of Euro-6.


The size of the investment that truck manufacturers have made in terms of the development of Euro-6 vehicles means that a price rise is inevitable. Renault UK's commercial director Nigel Butler said, For Euro-6 we are anticipating a pre-buy as operators look to capitalise on the run-out of Euro-5 vehicles in 2013. This surge in sales could mean longer lead times because manufacturers have to gear-up production cycles to meet the peak in demand.

New mobile crane for Spencer Crane Hire

Devon-based crane hire firm Spence Crane Hire, has received a new model, which they ordered form Liebherr's selection of cranes for sale. Their new acquisition is a Liebherr LTM 1040-2.1, a 40 ton capacity model from Liebherr's range of mobile cranes. The crane is equipped with high-tech specifications, which include BlueTooth technology and remote control options. It is a two-axle model, with a 4x4x4 drive option, and superlative lifting capabilities. The main boom is 35 metres in length and is comprised of four sections, with a capacity of 7.4 tons, or 1.1 tons at a working radius of 31 metres.

It is driven by single engine, and is equipped with a ZF automatic transmission, which has 8 gears; two for reverse and six forward. The smoothness of the mobile crane when it travels is ensured by the hydropneumatic suspension. The steering capabilities include the ability to operate from the crane cab. The control systems are of the LICCON 2 genus, which is an on-board computer system that optimises the performance of the vehicle. It features a touch screen display system and a BlueTooth terminal. Julian Spence, of Spence Crane Hire, commented on the the company's new Liebherr, This is our tenth Liebherr and is equipped with the latest technology from Liebherr. We believe that it is the first mobile crane based in the West Country to have the optional BTT-Bluetooth remote control unit, which allows us wireless control of all crane superstructure functions. We are confident that this will make the set-up procedure safer and quicker and, if required, the operator can be close to the load to be lifted or placed.