News from Volvo: Gwynedd Shipping is celebrating their 30th year in business. The company’s relationship with Volvo Trucks and dealer Thomas Hardie Commercials continues to be key, as 23 Euro-6 FH tractor units join its fleet.
Commenting on the 30th anniversary, GSL’s Managing Director Andrew Kinsella said that the company and marketplace had changed significantly during that time. A key reason that the company had continued to purchase Volvo trucks, he explained, was the close working relationship that has developed with Thomas Hardie Commercialswho supply and maintain all GSL’s Volvos.
The latest trucks were specified with Volvo’s 13-litre, D13K engine rated at 460hp. They were also supplied with Volvo’s Uptime Assurance, Dynafleet telematics and a Gold R&M contract. Thomas Hardie Commercials also provide an on-going programme of driver training.
“The support package from Thomas Hardie Commercials is very important to us,” says Kinsella. “Working with the same people over time ensures they develop an understanding of our business and also our service level requirements.”
The fitment of Dynafleet is an innovative factor in the focus on uptime and the maintaining of compliance, as it allows Thomas Hardie Commercials Deeside workshops to be aware of premature wear in a range of components on the trucks.
Dynafleet plays an active role in helping GSL to avoid incurring costs associated with unplanned downtime. In effect, Thomas Hardie Commercials are planning uptime requirements in close conjunction with GSL. The resulting flexibility is an important factor in the success of the long-term relationship with this major customer.
Thomas Hardie Commercials have their own ATF MOT lane and prepare and present GSL’s vehicles and 600 trailers for testing. Two Thomas Hardie Commercials technicians are in fact dedicated to maintenance of the GSL trailers. In addition, two DVSA MOT testers are also based at THC’s Deeside on-site ATF.
Thomas Hardie Commercials also work very closely with GSL on sharing best practice with regard to driver training. In addition to an initial seminar ‘to kick things off’, says Andrew Kinsella, driver training is regularly discussed at GSL’s ‘Toolbox Talks’. These are held on Monday mornings at the transport operating centres.
Thomas Hardie Commercials’ driver training team help GSL’s drivers get the best out of their trucks and the operator maintains a driver performance appraisal matrix to facilitate the open flow of training information.
“Engagement with our drivers is a virtuous circle,” says Kinsella. “We work hard to keep them in the loop regarding training and driving performance information.” To help achieve this, he explains, “GSL’s drivers each have their own Dynafleet log in.”
This enables them to use the Dynafleet app to check on their own performance and effectiveness of their driving techniques.” A print out is also provided and issued with the pay slips. Driver acceptance of the Volvo trucks is high, reports Andrew Kinsella. It is helped, he says, by the company’s focus on taking pride in its vehicles and individual drivers caring for their trucks.
According to Kinsella, another key factor in the long–term relationship between Volvo, Thomas Hardie Commercials and GSL, is the location of the dealer’s workshops and ATF at Deeside. This is also conveniently placed in relation to GSL’s major customers in the region.
Both Volvo Trucks and Thomas Hardie Commercials are committed to continuing to support GSL’s trucks for what we hope will be another thirty years in this important and very close working relationship.
