DONNELL & ELLIS: CARRYING THE LOAD FOR TRUSTED PARTNERS

Plant and Civil Engineer talked to Michael Gibson, Transport Coordinator for Donnell & Ellis to find out how heavy haulage and abnormal load transportation differ from general haulage and what makes for heavyduty haulage success.

Donnell & Ellis was founded by William Donnell some 30 years ago in Omagh, adjacent to the Finlay’s site and, from the very beginning, the two companies worked closely together. “As Finlay evolved, we evolved with them, becoming their trusted partner for all their heavy transportation needs,” says Michael, “We still work very closely with Finlay and they would account for more than 60 per cent of our business today.”

Donnell & Ellis is a company very much grounded in its local community and that is reflected in its customer base. The heavy haulier works regularly with local companies like Sandvik in

Ballygawley, which serves the mining, rock excavation and metal-cutting sectors, Tesab Engineering in Omagh, again focused on the mining, quarrying and recycling sectors. Although the primary focus of the Donnell & Ellis business is on working closely with long-term customers, the company also undertakes one-off projects for a wide variety of user needs. “Our longstanding customer base is our priority, but we will always take on single jobs when we have the capacity. We would never like to see anyone stuck and will always help when we can,” says Michael.

Powerhouse Lorries

The 30-strong lorry fleet at Donnell & Ellis is dominated by Scania, with two Mercedes trucks, one MAN and one Volvo. Michael Gibson commented: “We have trucks in different specifications suitable for varying types of load and the fleet comprises 65-tonne, 120-tonne and 150tonne hauliers. These trucks are designed to haul heavy loads and are geared differently from general-purpose trucks.

“We’ve worked with Scania for a long time and are very happy with the specs, the capacity and the driver comfort. Our latest purchase was two Scania S 770 lorries. But we are open to other brands and we’ve been impressed by the Mercedes, MAN and Volvo trucks in our fleet.”

Scania S 770

The mighty Scania S 770 hp engine is the world’s strongest commercially produced truck engine, combining amazing driveability with outstanding performance, increased uptime and fuel efficiency. With an impressive torque of 3700 Nm, hills will never be as steep as before. Scania’s V8 engine family provides the power needed for the job. As Michael pointed out, trucks for heavy loads need to be differently geared and Scania S770 comes with the company’s new Opticruise gearbox, which features improved gear shifting in combination with better fuel consumption and excellent comfort. These gearboxes are designed for both driveability and sustainability. The wider gear ratio spread and fewer internal losses provide up to 1% fuel-saving potential. It also delivers higher uptime with an oil change interval of up to one million km (c. 621,000 miles).

Trailer Fleet

When it comes to trailers that make the truck’s pulling power with load capability, Donnell & Ellis has over 100 trailers.

These are mostly, but not exclusively, low loaders and, as Michael says, of the 100+ trailers, no two are exactly the same, we have different specifications for differing types and weights of load.

“We work directly with the manufacturers to buy customised trailers, designed and built to our requirements but carrying the guarantee of the big names in the business, like Faymonville, Nooteboom and Broshuis.”

People Power

Having the right people on the team is crucial to transporting heavy and abnormal loads and Donnell & Ellis has an in-house team of around 25 employed drivers and two full-time escort drivers (and escort vehicles). Drivers don’t have to have specific qualifications beyond the standard HGV licence, but Michael says it helps if the driver has a background in heavy haulage. To this end, Donnell & Ellis utilises in-house mentoring and avails of training courses offered by equipment suppliers.

“When it comes to abnormal loads, the driver has extra responsibilities and needs to be actively involved in loading and unloading as well as transporting. Drivers also need to be versed in the paperwork involved, be able to route plan, particularly if, for some reason, the load is diverted, and be good communicators, keeping in touch with escort drivers and the office during the operation”, says Michael. “Where a load involves an escort driver, the journey is a team effort, in terms of a smooth drive and in dealing with any unforeseen circumstances. In short, there’s a fair bit more involved in heavy haulage drives and our team of drivers and escorts is a key to our continued success.”

All About Relationships

Whilst Donnell & Ellis has a proven track record of excellence in highly specialised transportation services, longterm relationships are central to its success, whether that is with colleagues in the company, customers or suppliers. Michael Gibson concludes: “We have always fostered strong, longlasting and evolving relationships at all levels and this is the key to our success. Our team genuinely works as a team, our suppliers work with us to deliver the best equipment and our customers have total confidence in our capabilities and our trustworthiness is a core element of our business growth and success.” www.donnell-ellishaulage.co.uk