Originating in 1999, Hinks Haulage is a prominent transport firm fast approaching its 25th anniversary. The Oldbury-based general haulage company operates a fleet of 22 vehicles and offers a nationwide service, moving anything from food to chemicals to steel. Their versatility has often set them apart from their competitors. Recently the company made a major change to their processes by moving Transport Management System provider, supporting them in “future-proofing the business.” In this article, we speak with the company’s director, Brian Hinks, to discuss his firm, its success and the changes he’s made to its operations.
HaulTech: Brian, can you talk to us about your role at Hinks Haulage?
Brian: I’m the Director of the firm and I like to take a hands-on approach. Wherever I am needed in the business, I will assist. It doesn’t matter if it’s driving the forklift and loading the trucks or helping the admin team to plan work. I find working this way helps me to understand the team and be there for them when they need help. After all a business is only as good as the people in it, so if my team needs me, I am there.
HaulTech: Hinks Haulage is entering its 25th year in business, can you tell us about some of the things that have helped you to grow and maintain a successful business for so long?
Brian: From the get-go with the business we wanted to be ahead of the curve and use technology to support us so we have always used Transport Software to make sure we aren’t clogged up with paper and lost in Excel Spreadsheets. The idea of a system was to ensure we were future-proofing the business and true to the idea, it’s done exactly that. Thanks to transport software the business has lean processes that allows us to grow and give the best care for our customers.
HaulTech: You recently moved Transport System provider, can you tell us a bit about that?
Brian: It wasn’t really a choice for us, our provider was sold to another company and the system we were using is to become discontinued, so we had to decide where to take our business. Having been so successful with a Transport Management System, we needed to make sure we were going with a provider that could help to either continue or build on top of that success and that’s when we found HaulTech’s Transport System.
HaulTech: What made you go with HaulTech as a provider?
Brian: I like to think of Hinks Haulage as a down-to-earth, friendly company and we wanted a provider that could match that ethos. We found that with HaulTech, whenever I pick up the phone and need help one of the team are there to assist us and they’re happy to be doing that. Perhaps the biggest reason we chose them as a provider was the fact they didn’t want to change the way we work, they chose to work alongside us and adapt the system to our needs.
HaulTech: Where do you see the largest benefits from using a Transport System?
Brian: Scheduling loads is so simple and rapid. I couldn’t imagine doing it any other way. Scheduling work is one of the largest parts of any haulage operation and getting the process behind it right is difficult but with our HaulTech Transport System, it’s so easy. Another thing that I have noticed with the system is how much the Accounts team love using it. Because the system links with our accounts packages, it’s streamlined the way they work and now we get invoicing done faster than we did with our previous system. It’s a win-win, our team loves it and it helps to improve the company’s cashflow.
HaulTech: Would you recommend using a system to other hauliers?
Brian: Absolutely! I appreciate there is a fear when either moving provider or moving to a system for the first time but once you bite the bullet and put the time in, you won’t look back.
HaulTech are incredibly proud to be supporting Brian and the team at Hinks Haulage. If you are looking to make your processes lean like Hinks Haulage then contact HaulTech today by clicking here, calling 01782 662244 or saying hello@haultech.co.uk.
