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operation,” John Herting growls wryly. brand programs like
Woodscrews are imported direct but with Bosch power tools and
considerable care. “We have been out to China accessories. Hertings
several times and we don’t buy the cheapest are also one of the
by any means. You can’t supply household biggest fischer fixings
name builders with something that risks distributors in the UK,
getting rejected.” Market circumstances have remarkable in itself
driven other own-brand developments, notably given the company
high volume wood glue. “At one stage the does not go after large
house builders bought all this stuff. Then they contracts. “It’s a couple
told the sub contractors they would have to of boxes of through-
supply the materials – and incidentally there bolts here, a couple
wouldn’t be any more money for it. That more of hammerfix
meant we had to watch what we were doing. there,” says Mark
These guys weren’t going to pay for top brand Washington. “There’s
glues – so we had to bring in a product that no money in the big
did the job and was affordable.” Bulk contracts,” adds John
purchasing of other commodity items, silicone Herting emphatically,
sealant for example, 50,000 cartridges at a “and with the
time, is equally important. overheads in this
“We’ve been known for years as the nails business we are not
and screws people,” says Mark Washington, interested in single
issues: “We specialise in doing next day
“which is certainly true but is only half the digit margins.”
deliveries which most of the market can’t,
story.” Hertings publishes a comprehensive set Ten salesmen cover the UK mainland by
because they don’t have the money, the stock
of catalogues for an equally comprehensive region. Mark Washington recalls a time when
or the infrastructure. That means they have to
range. Over 7,000 ring bound sets are convincing the boss they should have a mobile
use carriers. Carriers are poor at delivering to
distributed annually including, as well as a vast phone was an uphill battle. Each now has, as
building sites. The driver wants the first
range of construction consumables, major well as the phone, internet connected laptops
signature he can get – which could be any
that allow direct order transfer
Tom, Dick or Harry – so the bloke that needs
from site. Cost conscious John
the stuff often doesn’t get it or has to go
Herting undoubtedly is – but
hunting for it. Our drivers deliver to the right
when the decision is made,
guy. If the goods go astray, they lose their
commitment is absolute. Mind
weekly bonus – it’s that simple.”
you, the return on investment
All of the vans are replaced on a regular
in terms of efficiency and
schedule – which makes Hertings a favoured
service is also demanded
Ford commercial customer. The load
without fail. There are similar
compartment is separate, the cab
examples in the systems area.
air-conditioned but, then, the drivers work
Hertings uses Coins, the
maximum permitted hours. Six tonne ‘trunking’
construction industry
vehicles leave Southall at one or two in the
procurement and
morning to transfer loads to regional site
management system –
delivery vans. Every vehicle is fitted with a
something else that sets them
tracking device, so the company knows exactly
apart. “We also have a big
where each load is at any time of the day.
deal with American Express
“Customers are amazed that we do it all from
for one national account,” says
here,” says John Herting. “There’s no secret to
John Herting. “If the idea’s
it – it just has to run dead efficient. We’ve got
good we’re prepared to invest
a good transport manager and good blokes,
in it and get it done.”
paid proper money, out there delivering the
Wherever you look, the
gear. It works.”
approach to the business is
There is also no illusion about the customer
direct and uncompromising –
relationship. “As long as we are giving the
and so is the service to the
service and doing the price we’ll get the
customer. Hertings will literally
business.”
deliver a single tube of
No question the UK construction market
sealant to a site in London, or
faces extraordinarily tough conditions. John
just as easily Glasgow, next
Herting admits his own business will end the
day. Key to this commitment,
year down for the first time in its history,
which regularly startles
including previous UK recessions. “The whole
customers 300 miles away by
situation is not good, in fact you could get
delivering earlier than a local
depressed about it,” says John Herting. “Except
distributor, is a fleet of 60
we don’t work like that, we just keep cracking
modern vans as well as the
on.”
investment in inventory.
A statement that is hardly likely to be called
John Herting crystallises the
into doubt.
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