Exchange programme keeps assets off road

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 21, 2008

JCB wheeled loaders, dump trucks and wheeled excavators of the type run by Neil Williams employ quality ZF transmissions and axles.

A new JCB fleet backed-up by the JCB Service Exchange parts promise in partnership with ZF GB Off Highway, will allow Neil Williams Construction Services to grow its integrated haulage, plant hire, aggregate and recycling business to GBP 50 million over the next three years.

Established in 1967 as Neil Williams Haulage, Neil Williams Construction Services is still a family run firm providing complete solutions for haulage, recycling, heavy plant hire, waste management and aggregate supply throughout Scotland's construction industry.

Diversification into waste management, recycling and aggregate supply has seen the business grow seven fold during the last six years and the company has clear aims for further rapid growth.

Craig Williams one of three brothers and MD of the company comments on how the business has changed: "The increased pace and cost of building - not just in Scotland, but across the UK, has meant that time is the most precious asset for construction companies".

"We have grown by providing fast, competitive and reliable services - building and construction companies can hand the site over to us and not have to worry about the haulage, loading and recycling of the waste on site, we will then provide finely graded aggregates for the new build process".

"We take overall responsibility for the job including the legality and safety of our equipment and personnel on site, removing yet another headache for the site manager".

Difficulties in co-ordinating suppliers is one of the main reasons for holdups on site, and any holdups eat into the profitability of a project; as the entire fleet of vehicles and machines is owned and operated by Williams it is easier for the builders and constructers to let them shoulder the responsibility.

"The time issue is then passed on to us, margins are tight and we have to have all our equipment available for as long as possible in order to turn a profit".

"This is partly why we have invested in new wheeled excavators, wheeled shovels and dump trucks from our local dealer Scot JCB".

"Scot has been extremely good at assisting us with specifying the machines, supplying and supporting them".

"The offer of Service Exchange parts direct from JCB also means that if anything does go wrong, we are not paying for the price of a new part and neither are we going to be out-of-action for long".

Scot JCB Sales Director, David Park comments: "Neil Williams Construction Services are a good customer, they currently operate a large fleet of JCB machines, and because the usage hours are high, the service and support aspect is crucial".

"When it comes to replacement parts we promote our Service Exchange programme, offering next-day supply of as-new replacement components guaranteed by the original equipment manufacturer".

JCB wheeled loaders, dump trucks and wheeled excavators of the type run by Neil Williams employ quality ZF transmissions and axles.

The Service Exchange replacement units are not only available off-the-shelf, but can also cost up to 50% less than the list price for a brand new transmission.

The benefits to operators include maximum uptime; reduced operating costs along with the reassurance of genuine OEM guaranteed parts.

The overall goal for JCB is to deliver on the company's mission to reduce the cost of ownership of its machines and ensure operators enjoy maximum vehicle availability during their usage period.

Craig Williams adds: "We don't want to have to pay for new parts if they only require a repair, neither do we want to have to wait for the original to be stripped and meticulously rebuilt while our machine stays out-of-action".

"If we are to achieve our aim of more than doubling the size of the business to a target GBP 50 million over the next three to five years we are going to need to rely on our suppliers the way our customers rely on us".

Neil Williams Construction services currently employs over 200 people and operates predominantly in the East, West and Central Scotland region.

The company processes over 5000 tonnes a week of graded building material, operates over 80 trucks and off-highway vehicles and offers anything from manned eight wheeled tipper trucks to tracked crushers and screeners from a 30 vehicle heavy-plant hire fleet.

All plant machinists are skilled operators with CITB certification.