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How is success measured?
An order encompassing 4,500 axles and air suspension and brake systems for 1,500 trailers, placed by the trailer rental company Hireco at the beginning of 2018, ranks among the largest single purchases by the UK transport industry from BPW Limited. It reflects not only sound budgeting, but alos long-established mutual trust.
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A SUPERLATIVE TRAILER SPECIALIST
As a company that manages a fleet of 6,500 tr ailers across the UK and Ireland, Hireco is a superlative rental, financing and leasing specialist. It engages in procurement and financing, and takes care of maintenance, inspection and registration procedures. Hireco purchases at least 1,000 new assets every year and also resells ex-rental trailers. At the start of 2018 Hireco hit the headlines in UK by placing its largest single order of all time, encompassing no fewer than 1,500 trailers, including curtainsiders, low loaders, box vans and refrigerated trailers – all equipped with BPW running gear. Telematics systems supplied by the BPW subsidiary idem telematics also form part of the purchase order.
“Hireco has accumulated unparalleled expertise and established an exceptional network of partners over a period of 40 years – we work with more than 50 percent of the top 100 transport companies in the UK,”
comments Hireco managing director James Smith. “As a leading finance company, we are acutely aware of the impact of technical decisions on companies’ balance sheets. And in view of the major role we play in maintenance and service, we know all there is to know about trailers. The key factor is the total cost of ownership or TCO – the operating cost over the vehicle’s entire service life is the figure that determines whether a trailer is a viable proposition for us and our clients. We don’t simply trust our instincts in this respect. For the last twelve years we have been monitoring in detail how the product and service quality delivered by BPW affects costs, customer satisfaction and resale value. In consequence we have raised the complement of BPW solutions in our trailers from 80 to 100 percent.” For James Smith, prudent budgeting and mutual trust are two sides of the same coin, as he explains, “Alongside experience, good personal chemistry is very important for us in relation to both our customers and our suppliers and partners. Our relationship with BPW has been
developing exceedingly well for eight years. Its customer care and support are second to none, including in the aftermarket. For our customers, that translates into excellent availability and, quite simply, less stressful everyday transport operations.”
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“TCO is a key factor for BPW as well. By way of our new ECO Air suspension we are once again driving down operating costs while enhancing ruggedness and reliability at the same time.”
MORE ABOUT TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP
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Many years ago the aviator and poet Antoine de Saint-Exupéry wrote, ‘What is essential is invisible to the eye.’ His observation is especially relevant for the transport industry – and for trailers in particular, whose purchase price accounts for only 15% of their cost. The actual return generated by a trailer over its operating life is determined by its invisible components.
