Award-winning haulier always ready to go the extra mile
Shetland based company Northwards Ltd has been awarded Scotland’s Most Innovative Haulier of 2012 by Transport News magazine.
The leading freight firm transports goods to and from the Northern Isles to destinations all across Scotland and beyond.
Neil Leslie is commercial director for the award-winning firm, and he believes the innovation accolade is in recognition for the work they do to go that extra mile for their customers.
Neil said: “We always have to adapt and come up with solutions for our customers in Orkney and Shetland. It may be the rural location or the type of load that brings us new challenges.”
The main challenge facing Northwards Ltd is the island location of Orkney and Shetland which means all goods have to be imported and exported by sea.
As a result the company has a variety of trailers, such as curtainsiders; lowloaders; refrigeration trailers and live stock vehicles –all to suit the diverse range of goods that move in and out of the Islands.
Another challenge facing the award-winning haulage company is the rising cost of ferry fares and fuel prices.
In an attempt to identify more efficient resource practices, Northwards Ltd found an innovative way to keep ferry costs down, and make better use of time and space.
It developed a mafi trailer/flat rack system, which is customised specifically for use on the ferry to move certain types of product.
It can hold twice as much cargo as normal in the space used by one trailer, and freight is loaded onto flat rack containers which are then double stacked onto the mafi.
As the mafi trailer is not suitable for use on the roads, the flat racks are loaded onto two trucks at the arrival port for final delivery.
Neil said: “We move a lot of bulk cargoes but there is only so much space on the ferry. With our customised trailer, goods like animal feed and fertiliser can be double – stacked on flat racks.”
He added: “It comes as second nature to us to find new ways of doing things that will make our service more efficient and cost effective both for the company and the customer.”
In another innovative move Northwards Ltd has embraced the latest technology and installed satellite navigation and real-time tracking systems in all its lorries.
The on-board computers allow the traffic office to follow the progress of the vehicles and send text messages and work orders direct to the driver’s cab. This system is helping to improve production and increase client satisfaction.
As well as having to adapt to the needs of the customer, Northwards Ltd also has to change to meet the market demands in the Northern Isles.
Neil said: “It’s a very competitive market and we have to adapt constantly to meet customer demands and watch what the competition is doing to keep one step ahead.”
Neil believes the haulage firm’s experience and innovation ensures the company The innovative system developed by Northwards means that, with certain products twice as much cargo as normal can go in the space taken by one trailer, making transportation more efficient for the company and its customers continues to be the leading transport company in Orkney and Shetland.
Northwards Ltd has offices and depots in Shetland; Orkney; Aberdeen; Scrabster , and Inverness. With close to 100 full and part-time employees and a fleet of more than 150 modern trailers and road vehicles, the company is highly versatile.
To find our more about Northwards Ltd visit www.northwardsltd.co.uk or telephone the Shetland office on 01595 694452
