(openPR) - Rhys Davies Freight Logistics has become a specialist within the steel industry, handling and transporting coated steel, corrugated steel, warehouse cladding, lintels and profiles for numerous companies across the country; no mean feat considering the size, shape and weight of many of these products. Doing so requires careful handling and planning but, as with any product the company transports, Rhys Davies goes that extra mile to make sure not only that the product is delivered on time and in perfect condition, but also that its customers don’t waste money on half-full loads.

Handling
On first look many would consider steel to be a tough and durable material and, to some extent, it is. However, handling steel, whatever form it takes, is a tough job at best. One dent can damage a whole pallet rendering it useless.

When transporting pre-finished steel, Rhys Davies can be handling sheets of up to 20 ft long and 4 ft wide on a pallet. Gary Phillips, Commercial Manager of Rhys Davies, said that it is essential that these steel sheets aren’t damaged. “If you dent one sheet this can have a knock-on effect across the whole pallet, not only costing the company money but also delaying transportation while a replacement is loaded.”

And, in construction, timing is everything. “A crew of cladders will normally be on-site for two days,” Gary continued. “If a product gets damaged before it reaches the site and needs replacing it adds to their downtime and deadline to get the job done. That’s why it is so important to handle the steel with such care.”

House Packs
In years gone by delivery of steel lintels and profiles to construction sites was somewhat of a drop and dash operation. Transporters would unload the product at the site entrance leaving it to the builders to sort out what was needed for each individual plot and distribute them across the site themselves. But times are changing and Rhys Davies is at the forefront of this change, picking and banding individual house packs in their yard before delivering the product to the correct plot on each construction site.

“We put the packs together depending on what each plot wants. One house may have two small windows, four double windows and a garage so we would pick the different lintel lengths to suit.”
This service has led Rhys Davies to adapt its trucks to include a butterfly deck. This is a second deck which drops down to give extra space. Rhys Davies can load the longer lintel lengths onto the deck to make sure they are not damaged. Gary said that delivering directly to building sites is a service that many hauliers can’t or don’t want to do. “It’s a great step forward and it has got to be a selling point that our customer has over their competition that we deliver in this way.”

Multi-User Operations
It won’t have gone unnoticed by many that the building trade has suffered at the hands of the economic downturn. This has led to some manufacturers sending out carriers with half-full loads as the number of product orders has dropped. “That model doesn’t work anymore,” said Gary.
Rhys Davies’ ‘multi-user operations’ have created an efficient and viable solution for a large range of customers.

Gary explains that Rhys Davies picks products destined for the same area and loads them all onto a lorry together. “This way the trailer leaves our yard with it’s capacity maximised so the customers get best density, lowering the cost for them.”

Not only does this operation save companies travelling hundreds of miles for a single delivery, but one vehicle fully loaded rather than ten vehicles running to the same location part loaded is clearly a great benefit environmentally as well.

‘More than just transport’

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Rhys Davies Freight Logistics is a national network employing 400 staff, operating 170 vehicles through eight operating centres throughout the UK. It offers a uniquely tailored warehousing, distribution and handling service that extends to much more than just transport. These services include: re-working, re-packing, quality control, auditing and across-the-threshold deliveries to businesses and private residencies.

Further editorial information from:

Charlotte Freestone
The Words Workshop Ltd,
26 Swanwick Lane, Milton Keynes, MK10 9LD.
Tel: 01908 695500 Fax: 01908 690099
E-mail: charlotte@thewordsworkshop.co.uk
Web: www.thewordsworkshop.co.uk

All business enquiries to:

Gary Phillips
Rhys Davies Freight Logistics
Moy Road Industrial Estate
Taffs Well
Cardiff, CF15 7QR
Tel: 029 2081 0587 Fax: 029 2081 5109
E-mail: gary.phillips@rhysdavies.co.uk
Web: www.rhysdavies.co.uk