60 | State of roads a concern Greaves Bulk Haulage now runs two trucks, iincluding this 2018 DAF 510 horsepower truck and trailer unit. TRANSPORT Greaves Bulk Haulage T T Russell Fredric As the owner of Greaves Bulk Haulage, Tim Greaves loves his work, the people he meets and the many business relationships he has developed. Tim is also happy about where his Gisborne-based business has settled after seeing it through several cycles in the 17 years since he established it and for him, bigger is not always better. The business originally emerged from Tim working on forestry roading when he was aged 25 and bought an existing business. “I did that for nine years, and as we were going along, we added a bulk truck that carted the [roading] metal in and then I added a couple of logging trucks to the mix, and then I sold the roading business back to the guy I bought it off, for his son, and I carried on with the logging trucks and the bulk trucks.” The organic growth of the business, which also included earthmoving at the time, was underpinned by the “wall of wood” created by the many forestry plantations that were maturing at the time, Tim says. In 2016 he also added an owner-driver arm to the business as a means of diversification, which involved transporting foodstuffs alongside his own company’s services. “One truck ran six nights a week, the other ran seven; it was guaranteed cash flow.” At the time, the business was running seven trucks directly including the two owner-driver units. Greaves Bulk Haulage now runs just two trucks, a 2018 DAF 510 horsepower and a 2007 630 horsepower Kenworth tractor unit which are driven by Tim and an employee. With a solid client base, simplified operation, a steady workflow and Tim’s wife “...I sold the roading business back to the guy I bought it off, for his son, and I carried on with the logging trucks and the bulk trucks.” Rochelle handling administration, he is more than happy to get behind the wheel each day. “Things couldn’t be better to be fair. I’ve always been surrounded with excellent staff.” “I wouldn’t have come as far as I’ve come without Rochelle’s support. She has supported us through every different part of the business we’ve moved and changed, and working behind the scenes, she’s done all this while raising both of our children and working full-time; she’s been brilliant.” Greaves Bulk Haulage business today is largely centered around long haul and cartage work. This includes transporting a wide variety of cargo from concrete pipes to timber posts and significant quantity of export timber along with carting grapes for vineyards and maize stockfeed. The company also transports Permaloo’s sturdy but aesthetically pleasing concrete toilets around New Zealand, including for the Department of Conservation. While Tim enjoys his work, he is concerned about the state of the roading network. “The roads are probably the worst I’ve seen them, just the condition of the roads are deteriorating rapidly and they are not getting on the job quick enough to repair them, and the repairs they are doing are very sub-standard.” “A lot of extra time is being added to our journeys because of the way it is.” Also crucial to the industry is recruiting and training new drivers in an industry where truck driving is today a skilled profession rather than just a job. Tim regards his training as having started when riding along with his father when he was a boy and he is pleased another generation, his son, is developing the same passion.
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