Elddis Transport and TruckForce Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Elddis Transport the recently named haulier of the year has cause for celebration yet again, this time for its 40th anniversary with service provider TruckForce. 

. The two joined forces way back in the 70’s when Elddis Transport was just starting out and TruckForce was known as TyreServices G.B.  Now, 40 years on both businesses have seen substantial growth and the partnership has gone from strength to strength.

Nigel Cook, the second Cook family member to be Managing Director of Elddis Transport stated: “All those years ago, we started out as a small family business, with a fleet of six vehicles and 11 trailers. We first began working with TruckForce (previously TyreServices) because they are a local company and our belief has been, and still is, to support local businesses where possible and those people. Our family ethos underpins everything we do here; we care greatly about honesty, integrity and ultimately trust and we saw the same values in TruckForce, which probably explains why we have been in partnership for so long.”

Today, Elddis is a major player in the road transport industry highlighted by them being named haulier of the year just a few months ago. The fleet now consists of an impressive 155 vehicles and 300 trailers covering approximately 40,000 miles each day.

Nigel continues: “Our operation has grown considerably over time; we now operate out of nine depots in the north east, Lancashire and Yorkshire. We cover around 12.5 million miles per annum so tyre performance is essential and a big cost for our business, so it needs to be managed efficiently.”

Bob Mason, one of the original tyre technicians servicing the Elddis account and who now heads up the TruckForce network said: “Our relationship goes back to when I started in 1975 as a technician looking after the fleet. A lot has changed since then, but both of our philosophies remain the same as does our commitment to them. Obviously, Elddis has grown, they are now more than 25 times the size of when they started, and so the service we provide has had to adapt accordingly to ensure that the fleet gets the highest quality of service.”

The TruckForce network provides a premium quality truck tyre service and breakdown assistance support network, across the UK. The strategically placed Hubs and   independent TruckForce partners ensure that the biggest cities and the most remote villages can be covered. To ensure that all service providers offer the same premium service, each one is rigorously audited and assessed.

“TruckForce has really kept the wheels rolling in our business over the years,” continues Nigel. “Currently, TruckForce provides us with two dedicated fleet checkers on-site; this makes life so much easier as it takes the pressure off us. The TruckForce Technicians take a proactive approach, which ensures we get the most amount of miles possible out of our tyres. When you think about the cost that tyres incur whether it is fuel efficiency, repairs, punctures or the purchasing of new tyres it all mounts up, but when that cost is carefully managed it ultimately results in lower operating costs for our business. TruckForce are experts in their field, they catch issues, take preventative measures and solve problems so downtime is at a minimum. The very essence of our business is about being out on the road and TruckForce contribute greatly to that.”

Elddis and TruckForce are set to strengthen their partnership even further in 2014 with the recent announcement of a new three-year-deal between the two parties. Elddis are also set to be one of the first fleets in the UK to fit Goodyear’s latest innovation, KMax and FuelMax tyres. These purpose built products will be fitted to all of Elddis’ 155 tractor units and its 300 trailers and offer further assistance to the fleet in managing operational costs.

Bob rounded off by saying: “We are proud to have been working with Elddis for so long, who are a big supporter of local business in the area. To be celebrating our 40th year and to have a new deal in place is fantastic; it just shows that when two businesses are committed to working together it can produce substantial results for both sides.”