Bardon Quarries is part of Aggregate Industries. Its UK logistics
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manager, Jeff Stobbart, is a strong advocate of the contracted ownerdriver system: "Franchisees make up 89% of our fleet. Owner-drivers have a strong incentive to earn money and look after the vehicles -and using them reduces the company's overheads, freeing up capital to invest in plant and acquisitions."
Dal and Mercedes are on BardonS approved chassis list, According to Stobbart: "Dafs are popular because they are light and strong, are reasonably priced and offer good backup."
Bardon uses its purchasing power to buy the trucks; it has a deal with Barclays Mercantile to help owner-drivers finance their investments and Bardon acts as a loan guarantor. This means drivers don't have to put their homes on the line and also gives Bardon an interest in the vehicle, ensuring it comes to the company in the event of payment default.
This in turn prevents drivers from simply upping and leaving, taking their vehicles with them to work for a competitor.
The firm's website has an induction pack for prospective franchisees.As well as an LGV, it is preferable that they have a CPC and references and credit records will be checked.
Franchisees can have more than one vehicle but unlike some other firms Bardon usually caps them to three trucks.
Driver retention is said to be good and the firm is expanding the franchisee scheme beyond its aggregates tipper fleet to include artics.