New appointment as aggregates haulier TJ Transport expands

Aggregates haulier TJ Transport has signalled fleet expansion in the South West with the appointment of a business development manager.

Paul Woolveridge heads up TJ Transport’s growth from a new depot in Avonmouth, close to the M5/M49 intersection.

The independent company now has 24 eight-wheeled tippers and one artic at its base due to increased demand from multi-national aggregate suppliers across the region and South Wales.

TJ Transport and its waste management arm, TJ Waste & Recycling, have eight locations in southern England, with Avonmouth the latest addition.

Paul, 51, a married father-of-three, joined TJ Transport from Gloucester’s Allstone, where he worked for seven years as part of a 30-year career in the construction industry.

He said: “TJ Transport’s liveried trucks are becoming a familiar sight on roads in and around Bristol, where we collect and deliver aggregates and asphalt for highways maintenance and construction projects, as well as in South Wales.

“Customers are also increasingly requesting our services in Gloucestershire, Swindon and other parts of Wiltshire, Somerset and up to Birmingham.

“We anticipate growing the fleet further here in Avonmouth, providing a hiring solution for aggregate suppliers who require professionalism, reliability, safety and operational flexibility.”

There are currently 25 drivers working out of the depot, with Kevin Longland the transport supervisor.

Steve Grant, TJ’s commercial manager, said: “Paul’s appointment signals our intention to grow the business and jobs in Avonmouth because of the commercial demand across the South West and South Wales.

“Our customers all have exacting demands, with safety paramount, and we look forward to forging new working relationships with local companies large and small. The Avonmouth commitment is a reflection of our ambitious growth plans.”

TJ, now in its 21^st year, aims to be among just 200-plus companies in the UK with silver status in the highly-regarded Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

Currently the firm is among 2,700-plus companies with bronze accreditation. FORS accreditation helps where there are rigorous procurement conditions which haulage operators must meet. It is already a mandatory requirement by Transport for London.

Earlier this year TJ Transport won a national award for leading the way with a cycle-safe campaign.

TJ Transport was presented with the accolade by CEMEX, a multi-national building materials company which runs quarterly health and safety awards for hauliers across the UK.

Each lorry is equipped with latest vehicle safety technology and can carry a range of construction materials and wastes such as soil, hardcore, asphalt, aggregates road planings, rock armour and contaminated waste.

Founded in Portsmouth in 1995 by chairman Terry ‘TJ’ Higgins, the company has 200 staff, 120 mixed-use bulk haulage vehicles and is a member of the Mineral Products Association.

TJ Transport’s vehicles are available to hire for waste collection and disposal (muckaway), haulage per load, per day, or on a contract mileage basis.

Paul said: “In addition to safety systems, such as audible left turning warning, 360-degree camera systems and new innovative wheel nut indicators, each vehicle is equipped with GPS tracking and cab telephones, ensuring we can locate and communicate with our drivers immediately.

“For specialist requirements such as road planing, some vehicles are equipped with load facing cameras to ensure an even and safe load.”

Road safety initiatives implemented by TJ include annual driver inductions and assessments, toolbox talks, vulnerable road user courses with a focus on motorbikers and cyclists, and public interaction events, called Exchanging Places, with TJ vehicles and drivers.

TJ also runs Environment Agency-licensed waste transfer stations in Hampshire and West Sussex, where recyclable materials from workplaces and public events are collected and processed by the firm or delivered to site by trades.

Materials include aluminium cans, paper, cardboard, plastic, fluorescent tubes and obsolete IT equipment. Upwards of 70% of commercial waste, including trades skip waste, can be recycled.

Earlier this year TJ Waste & Recycling completed the purchase of a new waste transfer station at a two-acre site at Portsmouth with a £5.5m funding package by HSBC.

In another recent business development, the firm, headquartered in Fareham, near Portsmouth, acquired a new Volvo FL Scarab M65T Twin-Drive road sweeper for hire.