English - Nooteboom Giants on the Road Magazine English - Nr. 5 - 2018 | Page 24

GIANTS ON THE ROAD NOT ONLY ACCESS PLATFORMS IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND GOOD DRIVERS FOR THIS SPECIALISED WORK? Erwin: “Around 65 % of our turnover comes from the transport of ac- cess platforms. The other 35 % comes from special transport. We also have various vehicles with cranes, up to 135 t/m. The heaviest combi- nation is a Volvo with a Nooteboom 2-bed-4 low-loader that can carry a load weighing up to 78 tonnes. We are adding a Nooteboom 3-bed-6 to our fleet soon, good for 120 tonnes. We use these large low-loaders for the transport of drilling rigs, reach stackers and other heavy loads such as transformers.” Erwin: “Capable personnel are the strength of All Exeptional. In day-to-day practice we pay a lot of attention to training, safe working practices and escorting. For the large transports I do the escorting myself, so I stay in- formed about any problems on the way. We also have a very good, long-term relationship with our customers. They rely on our experience as specialists in machine transport. All these things – and great vehicles – make it possible for us to offer our personnel a future with job security.” Nooteboom trailers are maintenance-friendly and have an excellent residual value WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THE REGULATIONS FOR ABNORMAL TRANSPORT IN BELGIUM? Erwin: “Belgium is only a small country. We sometimes take machines of Ritchie Bros from Moerdijk to northern France. Three countries, three exemptions and a completely different set of rules on a 250km trip. A lot of paperwork and you have to watch your step, but it does have its advantages: due to the complex regulations and appropriate checks we are plagued less by colleagues who drive below cost.” 24