Richard Healey Removals Limited (RHR), an Ayrshire-based removal and storage business, is bucking the recession, growing its operations and expanding its workforce as demand for the company’s services continues to grow.
With the Government telling the business world to brace itself for difficult times ahead, it is gratifying to hear about removals companies who are successfully moving forward and developing their businesses.
Founded in 1965 by Richard Healey Snr., and initially trading with just a single van on the Glasgow to London route, this family business has seen its fortunes steadily improve over the last five decades.Now run by Richard’s children, Richard Healey Jnr. and Georgina Berry, and Operations Manager Barry Howitt, the business serves commercial and domestic customers nationwide and globally.
From solely providing a removals service, the company has expanded its range to include shipping, a wide range of storage solutions and other value-added services to ensure that they are a one-stop facility for all removal, shipping and storage requirements.
And while RHR continues to serve the domestic market in a wide variety of ways, it has grown its commercial operations considerably over the last few years. The company now delivers solutions to a wide range of private companies as well as to many public sector clients.
Expanding the workforce
Winning longer-term public contracts has meant further job security for staff, and RHR expects to grow staff numbers by a further 25% over the next three years, contributing even more to the economies of Ayrshire and of Scotland itself.“By diversifying and opening new business avenues, the company has been able to expand and we are encouraged by the results,” Richard Healey Jnr. says. “Our employees’ strong commitment to high standards and customer satisfaction has also helped to ensure that we continue to be at the forefront of our industry. We look forward to employing more job candidates who will embrace our company’s mission and work ethics.”
RHR prides itself on providing the highest standards of service along with a personable, knowledgeable and flexible approach to meeting all their clients’ expectations at the best possible prices. To ensure this is always the case, the company regularly holds rigorous in-house and external training for all staff. The commitment to delivering quality service is further exemplified by RHR’s accomplishment of stringent industry certifications, including BS EN 12522, BS 8522 and BS EN 14873.
In 2012, as part of their continued training development programme, all porters completed a level 2 Warehousing NVQ, and all managers completed a level 3 Logistics Operation Management NVQ, along with completion of export wrapping, fragile packing and additional manual handling training.
Awards and recognition
The company’s culture of continuous business improvement was acknowledged by the industry when RHR was awarded Scotland’s Top Training Truck Operator 2012 by Transport News, receiving the award from HRH Princess Anne. This recognition was preceded by a Certificate of Merit in the final rounds of the BAR Domestic Remover of the Year in 2012. There is no danger of the company sitting on its laurels. Georgina Berry says that “for as long as the business continues to grow we will look to continue to invest in our staff training development programmes. We would also hope to put at least two new employees through the Commercial Moving Apprenticeship programme run by BAR Training Services.”
In addition to this investment in staff training and accreditations, there has also been considerable investment in purchasing and upgrading vehicles. The company upgrades its fleet regularly, and the latest vehicle to join the RHR fleet is a newly designed DAF CF65 which aims to maximize payload and fuel efficiency by minimising aerodynamic resistance through shaping bodywork and lightweight construction.
The vehicle was specially designed by RHR in partnership with Tekbo Ltd. and supports RHR’s stand on environmental issues by reducing the carbon footprint of the fleet. All levels of the company are very aware of the need to preserve the environment, and RHR has implemented a recycling culture across the business.
As a great supporter of the industry and its future development, RHR is an active member of BAR and Georgina has held the position of Scottish Area Secretary for the last three years. RHR is committed to playing a major part in the development of the removals and storage industry and supporting any improvements and growth within the sector by working with BAR and member businesses. All told, RHR is fast becoming an industry leader in this extremely competitive sector. The future looks bright and it is encouraging to see this family business thriving, with ambitions to grow and continue the heritage started by their father over 40 years ago.
Driven by recent successes, Richard Healey Removals fully intends to continue to increase its market share by ensuring that customers always get nothing but the very best of their services and products.
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