Trucking Magazine – July 2019

OPERATOR PROFILE HAWKINS LOGISTICS

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62 TRUCKING Summer 2019 http://www.truckingmag.co.uk

thought we’d have a fleet-leader with a

more visual livery. It started with a little

work on the back of the cab, but once

we’d started it just seemed to grow.”

The second truck was due to a local

airbrush artist who, having worked on

motorcycle helmets, fancied trying

something bigger. That ‘something

bigger’ turned out to be a brand new

DAF XF530 FTG. “We thought we’d have

something very up-to-date and popular,

and Deadpool fitted the bill,” says Paul.

Starting with a slump

The company began nine years ago.

Father and son were both driving for a

living when their employer decided to

cut back because of the tough economic

times. The pair were offered the two

trucks they were driving, if they just took

over the finance payments. Though at the

time they had no intention of starting on

their own, it didn’t take them long to

decide to do exactly that, and with

O-licences in place they started looking

for business.

“At the time,” recalls Paul, “we said

we’d never have more than 10 trucks;

and because we were starting out and

doing most of the work ourselves, we

didn’t rush.” They may not have rushed,

but progress was solid, based on a

clear customer-focus, a fast-growing

reputation for reliability and their

willingness to work across the UK

and Europe.

Today, they have 100,000 sq ft of

warehousing, over 40 trucks (all Euro 6),

a variety of some 60 trailers and a

‘same-day’ courier service of 11 vans,

also covering the UK and Europe.

“When you start something like this

you have to listen to your customers.

They’re all that matters – without happy

customers you don’t have a business,”

continues Paul. “It’s led us to having our

own core logistics team; a carefully

selected solutions team of sub-

contractors moving up to 400 loads a

month; the van operations; and our

Driver John Nicholls at

the helm of the DAF

Super Space Cab

On the road, the XF 6x2

mid-lift tractor is the

undisputed fleet leader We thought

we’d have

something very

up-to-date and

popular, and

Deadpool fitted

the bill.

Paul Hawkins