Tell me about how you got into the freight industry... Same as most people 30 years ago, I drifted into it. No one ever left school wanting to work in logistics in the early 80s. I worked at Fedex and then another courier company before leaving to go to travelling in Australia. When I returned, I worked for Gefco on the European desk. That was me hooked – I’m here doing the same job 25 years later, but it's, instead, at my own company and I love it.
RETAIL TRANSPORT SERVICES
WITH DAVE HUGHES & DAVE LEWIS
COVER FEATURE
FOUNDED
1999 (RTS Manchester in 2014) EMPLOYEES
14
SPECIALISMS
European road freight MODES
Express vans, groupage, part and full loads, Frigo vans & trailers MILESTONES & AWARDS
GDP compliance in 2016
ISO9001:2015 in 2018 Year-on-year growth for 20 years SALES INCREASE
17%
MAIN TRADE ROUTES
Export/ import- every country in Europe EXPANSION
Definitely. The success of the Manchester office means we’d love to do it again somewhere else.
RETAIL TRANSPORT SERVICES, WITH DAVE HUGHES & DAVE LEWIS
DAVE H SAYS... We are a company staffed by freight professionals...
S
Tell me about how you got into the Freight industry... ame as most people 30 years ago, I drifted into it.
to travelling in Australia. When I returned, I worked for
No one ever left school wanting to work in
Gefco on the European desk. That was me hooked – I’m
logistics in the early 80s. I worked at Fedex
here doing the same job 25 years later, but it's, instead, at
and then another courier company before leaving to go
my own company and I love it.
COVER FEATURE Q A
What’s your background in shipping? My background has been almost entirely European road freight. After working for Gefco in Coventry, I moved to a small forwarder in Milton Keynes, of which I then became a director. In 1999, I left to start up Retail Transport Services (RTS). Retail Transport Services quickly evolved. From consolidating furniture and distributing into UK depots, to changing direction when the demand for time-critical express transport became apparent, something that is still at the core of the business today.
Q A
What do you think you offer as a company that sets you apart from your competitors? It would have to be our knowledge & experience. We are a company staffed by freight professionals. Each person on the desk, no matter what age now, started their career in their teens or early twenties like myself, and we’re all still doing it now. We have a combined total of more than 250 years in the business... that’s a lot of knowledge & experience from a varied range of logistical backgrounds! Transport has been a lifelong career for everyone that works here and we use that expertise to benefit our clients.
DAVE H SAYS... This year is our 20 th anniversary, which is quite an achievement...
Q A
What has been your biggest challenge in the role? Maintaining the bar we’ve set for ourselves and ensuring we all deliver a high standard of service to preserve the integrity that we had from the very start. Making sure
Q A
How do you get the best out of your team? By leading from the top. Even after all these years in the business I still enjoy running a desk and getting involved in the day to day moving of freight. By setting
this remains top of everyone’s list is a challenge I relish
an example of how I expect the clients to be treated,
and enjoy. It’s a delight to see the philosophy we had at
what level of service that needs to be provided it
RTS from the beginning is still taken on board today and
allows me to expect the same from our colleagues.
consistently delivered.
We have a great team at RTS, each person giving the best they can each day has become the norm.
Q A
Your biggest achievement? This year is our 20
th
anniversary, which is quite an
achievement, especially when I think about how I started out in a box of a room! Dave Lewis (Director) joined me in the box in 2007. To think of where we are today; 14 of us in a brand new development located in Coventry city centre, plus a very successful office in Manchester, RTS has
Q A
What’s the most important thing you are working on right now and how are you making it happen? Quality standards. No matter how much you say or preach how good you are, sometimes it can help being audited to a standard that officially tells people what you
come a long way. We have continually developed and grown
do. We’ve been GDP compliant 2013/C 343/01 for two
into a company that we are very proud of. To still have the
years now, which demonstrates our conformity within
same clients/companies that believed in us at the very start
the pharmaceutical supply chain; in November we gained
through all these years, this alone proves our dedication to
ISO9001:2015 UKAS status. It shows that we can back
the original ethos.
up the promise we make to our clients regarding the level of service they demand.
Q A
How would you define your company culture? An honest and open approach to transport. We don’t sell something we can’t do. It’s a simple business model and we stick to it. It’s one of the many reasons why we’ve had
Q A
What are your thoughts on the new alliances? As a freight forwarder, we have an entire company based on alliances with suppliers all over Europe. Having the ability to forge these alliances, to develop relationships
the continual growth. People appreciate being fully informed,
and then in turn offer more services to our client base gives
they’ll always respond to an open & honest service provider.
us the ability to stay one step ahead of the competition. We started our GDP quality standards with this in mind: with GDP 2013/C 343/01 compliance we can demonstrate a proven robust platform for Good Distribution Practices by ensuring transparency and security of data within the pharmaceutical supply chain.
COVER FEATURE Q A
What about market disruptors – how do you see outsiders changing the industry? The industry has continually evolved over the years, new technologies and new ways of working have always entered
DAVE H SAYS... At RTS, we have always developed along with our clients needs.
Q A
How do you decide which new business to go after? We try to target freight that is part of our core make-up: European freight from small pallets up to full loads – standard or express. This is the work we do well, and it enables us
the market place and that’s not going to change. Politics
to offer a service level that our clients can completely rely
seems to be the biggest challenge we’ll face in a generation
on. That’s not to say we do not enjoy a challenge, should
but it’s those companies that are prepared to meet the
someone need special equipment. Deep sea, waste licenses
challenge, that have to ability to adapt that will continue
or specific routings - we have freight professionals with a
to succeed in what could be a difficult or thriving arena.
wide range of knowledge and contacts.
Q A
What are some of the common challenges you face? The biggest challenges are the ones outside our control. Exchange rates, market capacity and increased operational costs set by governments in tolls and taxes. Managing these and delivering what our clients expect has become something that is now part of the job.
Q A
What are your expansion plans over the next 12 or 24 months? The next 12-24 months are going to be an interesting time not just for the transport industry but for everyone. At RTS we have always developed along with our clients needs. We have the ability to adapt, the training and technology to support and the infrastructure in place to deliver on our promises.
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