Shout! Newsletter Issue 18 - Winter 2022

Alan R Jones

Reflecting on an exciting year

It’s no secret that businesses in our industry have felt the pinch this year due to rising energy and fuel prices. Whilst it hasn’t always been an easy ride, we’re proud of how we’ve handled these challenges and are confident that we’re stronger and more resilient because of them.

As 2022 draws to a close, we would like to reflect on a year that has brought us a series of new changes and opportunities and, despite its obstacles, has given us plenty to be proud of.

In February, our acquisition of Alan R Jones & Sons Ltd. was completed, bringing with it a fleet of 39 new commercial vehicles, 40,000 extra sq ft. of warehousing space, and a strategically located distribution depot in South Wales. It’s been a pleasure getting to know and work alongside our new colleagues, and we’re grateful for this opportunity to expand our services throughout a wider UK network.

This year also saw us successfully open our brandnew Frontier Park warehouse and distribution

Fagan & Stephen Fagan, CEOs

centre in Blackburn. Having gained an AA-grade BRCGS accreditation, this warehouse is also kitted out with the latest Linde Material Handling forklifts and VNAs - and serves as an amazing location for our future developments.

Finally, let’s not forget the fantastic success of our in-house driver training scheme, Future-bound - as well as the seemingly endless truck show successes and community events we’ve been involved in. It’s certainly been a busy one!

We’d like to thank each and every member of our team for their resilience, dedication and enthusiasm this year. We certainly couldn’t have done it without you. A huge thanks also to our extended family at Alan R Jones down in Wales - it’s been a pleasure working alongside you, and we can’t wait to see what 2023 holds.

Enjoy the read, and we hope you all have a fantastic festive season with your loved ones.

The RHA visits F&W to celebrate National Lorry Week

This October, we were visited by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) as part of their annual National Lorry Week. The visit was centred around our innovative driver training scheme, Future-bound!

Despite the fact that 85% of all goods bought in the UK are transported by lorry – the efficiency and success of the logistics industry are often overlooked. In a bid to combat this, throughout October, the RHA travelled across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in order to celebrate the very best of the UK’s road transport industry!

The visit was a fantastic success and a great opportunity for our team to demonstrate the amazing opportunities there are for young people within the transport sector.

Launched in order to make driving careers more accessible, our Future-bound scheme invites applicants with a full UK driving licence to work towards their professional HGV qualifications, beginning with one of two F&W 3.5-tonne vehicles and receiving training to progress onto 12-tonne, 18-tonne, and eventually 44-tonne vehicles.

only to pass their test but for the ins and outs of their future day-to-day roles. Over the last year, the scheme has seen an incredible 90% pass rate.

“We’re honoured to have been visited by the RHA as part of this year’s National Lorry Week. The day was a tremendous success and a great opportunity for us to shout about the outstanding success of our driver training schemes! We’re proud to be doing our bit to help tackle the national HGV driver shortage, as we help to make driving careers more accessible!” said F&W Business Strategy Director, Sam Fagan.

Unlike other driver-training schemes, Future-bound emphasises ensuring students are equipped for a lifetime of success on the road as a driver, preparing them not

Graham

Winter driving tips

Driving during winter can be a challenge for even the most experienced drivers - and with long dark nights, snow and ice, rain, and fierce winds, it makes good sense to drive with caution! Here are some of our top tips for driving safely this winter…

Keep your distance

In snow and ice, your stopping distance can be ten times longer than it usually is. We advise keeping a sensible distance between yourself and the car in front of you - and being mindful that what is usually a 2-second stopping distance could become 10+ seconds. Doing this will increase the time you have to react should an incident occur.

Driving with reduced visibility

With shorter days and more chance of rain, sleet and snow, there is often poorer visibility when driving in winter. We recommend ensuring that your vehicle lights are working, cleaning your lenses, and remembering to use headlights when they’re required. It is also important to ensure your number plates are clean, too.

Check your tyres

Ensuring your tyres are in good condition is essential during Winter. Whilst the law requires you to have your tread depth at a minimum of 1.6mm, the AA recommends at least 3mm of tread depth during Winter. It could also be worth investing in ‘winter tyres’, which will give you better grip and traction during the colder months.

Take your time

When driving in wintery conditions, we recommend giving yourself as much time as possible to get to your destination. This should help you avoid unnecessary stress or pressure whilst driving and decrease the likelihood that you’ll make risky decisions or manoeuvres on the road.

Pack a ‘winter car survival kit’

No matter how safe your driving is, there is always a chance you could end up stuck somewhere in poor weather. Consider carrying a fully charged mobile phone, an ice-scraper, hot drinks and snacks to keep you going, warm clothes and blankets and anything else you may need if you do end up waiting to be recovered.

Stay calm - you’re not alone!

If you do find yourself in a challenging situation, one of the best things you can do is to remember to stay calm. Doing this will allow you to act rationally and make the safest decisions possible.

If you would benefit from having a chat with a member of our team, be sure to pick up the phone and share your concerns with your plannerwho will always be ready with advice and guidance.

Customer focus: Farmhouse Biscuits

Whilst our commitment to innovation and operational improvements has served us immensely over the last 95 years; we recognise that the driving force behind our success is our links with the local and national community surrounding us.

With that being said, we wanted to shine the spotlight on another local business that shares many of our same values - and is an absolute pleasure to work with, Farmhouse Biscuits!

Established in 1962, Farmhouse Biscuits are a family-owned business that have been baking award-winning biscuits in their Lancashire HQ for over 60 years. From humble beginnings in a Barrowford farmhouse kitchen, the company has grown into one of the leading names in biscuit manufacturing - employing over 400 members of staff and enjoying a stellar reputation nationally and worldwide.

Fagan & Whalley have been lucky enough to be the sole distributor of Farmhouse Biscuits since 2015. However, we have enjoyed a close working relationship with the business for over a decade.

It is a great privilege to work so closely with Farmhouse Biscuits, and we take great pride in supporting their business and distribution requirements.

– Graham Clare, Business Development Director

“Their factory is based just on the outskirts of Burnley, which means we’re able to collect their biscuits straight from the factory, and transport full and part loads of products through to some of the most famous retailer names right across the country”.

“We absolutely love working with the Farmhouse Biscuits team. They’re a great company, full of great

people, and the biscuits certainly go down well too! We both take great pride in our Lancashire heritage and our family-led roots, and it’s a pleasure to work with such a fantastic team!”

Daniel Turner, from Farmhouse Biscuits, said… “Working with Fagan & Whalley has been a huge breath of fresh air for our business. We couldn’t think of a more well-established and professional company to work with, and their dedication to excellence shines through in every aspect of their work.

“We’re particularly impressed with their commitment to demonstrating their capabilities through their various accreditations and accomplishments, including their recent AA-grade BRCGS accreditations as well as the BSI ISO 9001. It’s a real delight to work with a local business that takes such pride in what they do, and it certainly makes our operations much easier!

“Furthermore, the image of our distributor is a direct extension and representation of our own brand. This is never a concern when working with Fagan & Whalley. They take pride in the appearance of their fleet, and each member of the team is polite, courteous, and well-dressed in a smart uniform.

“It’s rare to find another local company that shares the same values that we do, with a real focus on family-led values and their heritage. Tradition and heritage mean a lot to us here at Farmhouse Biscuits, and Fagan & Whalley exemplify this, too.”

In the community

Burnley’s Christmas Light Switch-On

If you hadn’t noticed by now, community spirit and celebrating our local heritage is of utmost importance to us here at Fagan & Whalley - which is why we didn’t think twice when we were asked to donate a trailer for use as a stage at this year’s Burnley Christmas Light Switch-On.

Thousands of people flocked to St James’s Street on the 19th of November for the festivities, where our stage saw fantastic performances from the local Burnley Youth Theatre, Burnley Dance School, and the children’s entertainer, Louby Lou.

“It was amazing to see Burnley town centre buzzing with crowds and excitement; the atmosphere was truly magical,” says F&W Brand and Marketing Executive, Chris Corrigan, “We’re always honoured to be involved in community-led events, and see this as a great testament to the fantastic reputation we’ve built across Lancashire. A huge thank you to the event’s organisers and to the wonderful people of Burnley for coming along!”

Proud sponsors of Bedworth Eagles Superstars

As an organisation that values our colleagues and the communities they live in, we were over the moon to have been approached by the talented Bedworth Eagles Superstars to sponsor their kit for the upcoming season.

Bedworth Eagles JFC are a thriving football club based in Bedworth, and their Superstars team is made up entirely of boys under the age of 10.

Excited as ever to get involved in anything football related, our Coventry Depot Manager, Chris Webb, wasted no time in getting the team in for a guided tour of our Coventry Depotcomplete with the opportunity to get their photographs taken in our special 95th Anniversary Truck.

After the grand tour and some celebratory photos, the team warmed up in our offices with some delicious pizza, along with some exclusive Fagan & Whalley goodies!

“We’re honoured to be supporting such a talented local team,” says Chris Webb, “Good luck to the boys for this upcoming football season; you’ve got this!”

Winners

Northern Livery of The Year Award!

We were thrilled to have been announced winners of the Northern Livery of The Year Award at this year’s Transport News Northern Rewards Breakfast on the 7th of October.

The annual event, which was held at the Mercure Piccadilly Hotel in Manchester, seeks to celebrate the achievements of road haulage-related companies and individuals across the North of England. This year was the second year of the rewards event, and it’s safe to say that for everyone here at Fagan & Whalley, it was a resounding success!

Achieving this award is an incredible honour for our team and a real testament to our rich heritage and the strong brand identity that we hold nationwide. Oh - and did we mention?

We also received an impressive 75% of the audience’s votes!

Celebrating over a decade of success

In November, we were also lucky enough to have been nominated for the ‘Logistics Partnership Award’ at this year’s Logistics Leadership Awards evening, alongside our friends and affiliates at Farralls Group, for our collaborative FF&W Ltd. partnership.

Despite not winning on this occasion, we were honoured to have our efforts and hard work recognised - and we’d like to say a huge thank you to our clients at Knauf Insulation for allowing us to manage their St Helens, Cwmbran and Queensferry operations for over 12 years now!

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We are family What’s on at

Christmas Fundraising Raffle for Velindre

Friday 18th of December saw our annual Christmas Raffle take place, where we had prizes up for grabs, including champagne, beers, chocolates and a selection of children’s soft toys! We’re thrilled to have raised valuable funds for Velindre Cancer Research Centre and to support the fantastic work they do for those living with cancer across South and Mid Wales.

New DAF trucks

Since partnering with Fagan & Whalley in February, we’ve been looking for new ways to extend our operations across the UK network. We’re therefore thrilled to announce that we’ve recently acquired two new DAF XG vehicles into our fleet.

These new-generation vehicles deliver superior safety, using stateof-the-art digital mirrors to provide an extra wide-angle view and a window positioned in the passenger side door to increase visibility. They also comply with Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) regulations, making them perfect for entering busy urban areas and reducing our overall carbon emissions. Not only this - but they come with improved comfort for our drivers and greater fuel efficiencies!

Dave King’s truck crowned DAF of the month

A huge well done to our very own Dave King, from our Coventry depot, whose truck was crowned the inaugural ‘DAF of the month’ by DAF Trucks UK!

Dave has been a long-distance driver for us here at Fagan & Whalley for almost four years and takes tremendous pride in looking after his vehicle, so it’s great to see this recognised.

To celebrate his success, Dave has been kindly gifted a very stylish DAF driver’s jacket. Well done, Dave - we’re sure there’ll be some envious colleagues of yours right now!

Mental health awareness

We’d like to say a huge well done to the following members of our team, who have recently completed their Level 2 Mental Health Awareness qualifications. Your hard work and commitment to learning is commendable, and we couldn’t be prouder of you!

Jason Beckett, Louise Kendall Michael Lord, Craig Hardman, Stephanie O’Leary, Olivia Fagan and Zara Dodd

Welcoming new staff

Over the last few months, we are pleased to have been joined by a host of new team members into both new and existing roles. Welcome to the F&W team!

Burnley Bridge Depot: Ionel Ionescu

Padiham Depot: Gary Dissington, Stephen Wood, Anthony Leone, Peter Hoyle, Frontier Park Depot: Peter Donnelly, Shaun Donnelly

Cwmbran: Robert Jones

St Helens: Jon Owens

Future-Bound: Amy Boardwell

Alan R Jones: Jon Horton

Welcome to the world...

Neave Enid Sarah Lowthian

Born: 09/11/22 Weight: 9lb 7oz

Parents: Cameron Lowthian and his partner Hannah

Going the extra mile...

A huge thank you to the following members of our team, who have been recognised by the public for going above and beyond their duties:

Gary Walton, who was praised by Durham City Transport for preventing a potentially fatal accident by making them aware that one of their drivers had a blown tyre whilst driving down the M6. The driver hadn’t been aware - and Durham City Transport was extremely grateful for Gary’s quick thinking.

Amy Boardwell, who made a lasting impression on a member of the public whilst delivering wood-burning logs via our Palletforce network. Amy was praised for how polite and personable she was!

Let’s get social

Join our online community and stay connected with friends of F&W on our social media channels!

hands on Dave Weston’s truck!

We’re really excited to disclose that Dave Weston’s ‘Heritage Collection’ truck - ‘Joan Margaret’ is the latest vehicle to be joining our collection of limited edition model trucks! Scan

This unique vehicle is a well-known staple on the truck show circuit and was originally gifted to Dave in 2020 to celebrate his 30th anniversary here at Fagan & Whalley. To commemorate the fantastic success Dave’s had at truck shows up and down the country this year, we’ve worked closely with Maguires Models to create this new collectable model truck.

We’ve

Following feedback from F&W staff across all departments, we’re excited to announce that Shout! is now also available in digital format!

Keep an eye out on your emails for a link to the digital version!