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HAZE UK (LIVERPOOL) R ay Hazlewood used to be transport manager
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for a Liverpool operator who was in general haulage. But he knew the industry and reckoned there were opportunities elsewhere. "1 could see the potential of getting into more specialised sectors," he says.
In 1988 he followed his instinct, resigned and bought his own truck. Now he's managing director of Haze (UK) and Bill Boyd, who was in at the beginning as his sole driver, is a director.
These days HazIewood runs seven tractive units and two rigids, and the equipment he fields is certainly specialised: his trailer fleet includes a swing-lift, step-frames and a tanker.
Haze is based is at Huyton, some 16km from Liverpool. We can't help noticing that his office is a little unusual. There it stands, a suburban semi in the middle of the extensive depot, it looks more like someone's home than the headquarters of a transport firm.
Apart from that one house there are few signs that this is the nucleus of a busy haulage firm. Hazlewood chooses to dispense with in-house truck maintenance, which eliminates the need for other buildings. "All our servicing and fitting is contracted out," he says.
Work mitts
Haze (UK)'s work involves carrying portable work units and containers across Britain, as well as transporting plant for construction firms. It's a role that demands some impressive equipment, and pride of place goes to a Hammarlift swing-lift trailer which can lift 3o tonnes.
Hazlewood explains: We bought this for a specific customer. It means we can deliver a
iden container, even if there crane at the drop point. It us to deliver containers to e locations."
two step-frame trailers are aposing bits of kit—both are ped with 561m cranes. The ilso runs a tanker, two curlers and two flatbeds. Trucks might second-hand but, in line with HazIewood's commitment to providing a specialist service, trailers are bought new so he can have them tailored to his needs. Despite all that lifting power HazIewood's vehicles are plated at a maximum weight of 41 tonnes. "It's unnecessary for us to run at 44 tonnes," he says.
Eight drivers
With canny vehicle utilisation he can supply his customers with the trucks they need without overstretching the company. Hazlewood makes sure his nine trucks and eight drivers have enough breathing space—one vehicle is generally kept in reserve. "We never push the company to its limits: he explains. "I always like to keep my options open in case there's an urgent job to be done. Too rnaii hauliers are being pushed to the limit to provide the service, but we prefer not to let this happen." For years Hazlewood avoided formal business agreements: he used to prefer the freedom this gave him. But this philosophy has changed. In
lower Not disclosed.
February he signed his first long-term contract. It runs for one year and gives him a guaranteed return on his investment. "I think that every haulier would prefer a contract," he says.
Outside the contract-based business, if the demands on his firm become too much, Hazlewood turns down the work. "If there is too much pressure on us I won't take the job." he says. Neither will he consider hiring an extra pair of hands as a solution. "We don't use subcontractors because we have no control over them," he reckons.
Apart from the carriage of plant and mobile work units, Haze (UK) operates in the niche market of chemical haulage.
With just the one tanker, this work is a spin-off from the firm's core business, but all his drivers are ADR-trained and the zo,000 litre trailer is kept busy. Hazlewood reports: "We carry undiluted timber preservative which is picked up on Merseyside. Then we send the tanker on what we call the milk run once or twice a week. We deliver the preservative to timber yards located from Devon to Aberdeen."