OPERATOR PROFILE WH BOWKER LTD
56 TRUCKING Summer 2019 http://www.truckingmag.co.ukIn addition to its 44-tonne artic
combinations, Bowker also
uses 18 and 26-tonne rigidsScott Jackson (left) and Jim Hayden
drive the company’s centenary vehiclesSpreading wings
On December 14, 1961 Bowker undertook
its first delivery into Europe, before the
advent of the roll-on/roll-off ferries. A
significant growth in European business
was achieved during the 1960s and
1970s. This led to the opening of Bowker
depots in Hull and Zeebrugge, Belgium
in 1973 and 1976 respectively.
The mid 1970s also saw Bowker join
the overland odyssey to the Middle East
by road, when ports in the Far East were
counting delays in months rather than
days. Around the same time, Bowker
ceased its involvement with fruit
transport, as the dawn of major
supermarket chains and the cost of
refrigerated trailers both brought major
changes to the sphere.
The firm’s first contract hire deal
arrived in 1978, when it provided
vehicles in dedicated livery and drivers
for food packing manufacturer,
Huntsman. That arrangement operated
successfully for 24 years.
Back at its Lancashire headquarters,
by 1989 Bowker had outgrown its
original site. This prompted relocation to
Preston. Unsurprisingly for a company
that has always treated its staff
members as part of a valued team, only
one person did not make the move from
Blackburn to Preston.
Starting out with a seven-acre site,
steady growth saw neighbouring land
purchased (when available), and
nowadays Bowker’s presence stretches
to 15 acres at Bamber Bridge.
Geographically this base sits at a
crossroads, giving easy to motorway
access to all points of the compass.
Multiple award winners in bothbusiness and warehousing standards, in
the early 21st century WH Bowker was
also recognised in the Top 20 Greatest
British Hauliers of all time. The
company is also FORS Silver accredited
and a member of Palletline and The
Hazchem Network.
Another notable milestone occurred in
2016, when Bowker acquired Potter
Logistics. This acquisition was the first
of its type for over 40 years, when the
company bought out hauliers Jess B
Woodcock during the 1970s.Nationwide service
Today, with the fourth generation of the
Bowker family actively involved in the
business, a fleet of 160 vehicles and 300
trailers is operated from seven UK
distribution centres plus two satellite
depots, complemented by a total of over
one million sq ft of warehousing.
Benefitting from extremely low staff
turnover rates, many of the company’s
450 loyal employees have accrued long
service, and a number are second-
generation family members who have
followed either their parents or close
relatives into employment here.
Nowadays Bowker’s operations are
split into two separate business➤
identities, with WH Bowker Ltd fulfilling
the company’s UK distribution and
warehousing requirements, and WH
Bowker International covering European
distribution and warehousing. Transport
services offered include shared user
distribution, contract distribution and
European transport services – all
encompassing volumes from 1 kg to a
full load.Making its marque
Loyalty to its local commercial vehicle
manufacturers was a key factor in WH
Bowker’s purchasing policy for its first
50 years in operation. From 1919 to the
1950s, this fleet was almost entirely
Leyland. Then from the 1950s to the
1970s, Atkinson vehicles were used.
WH Bowker Ltd began operating Volvo
trucks in 1972 and used the newcomer
on its twice-a-day Liverpool to London
‘flier’ runs. Since then, this fleet has
consisted almost exclusively of trucks
from the Swedish manufacturer.
Indeed, in what was to become a
tradition of being the first to operate
the latest truck technology, the
company purchased the first F88 in
the country to be fitted with a
16-speed transmission.