Richard Sykes - Harden Pumps & Tanks
“Although Harden Pumps & Tanks was an established business, the change in ownership in July 2007 meant that we were effectively a new company. As such Merridale were very supportive and prepared to help, not only with continuing technical support but also from a commercial point of view. They were confident that we would be able to fulfill our obligations to them – and this has paid dividends for both parties.”
Richard Sykes, Managing Director, Harden Pumps & Tanks.
Harden Pumps & Tanks specialises in the supply and maintenance of commercial fuelling installations. Now in its fourth year under ‘new’ management, the company has more than doubled its customer base, taking its core business – the service contracts – from around 80 up to over 180 clients now on its books. The scope of activities has also increased and Harden Pumps has started taking on full responsibility for project management covering the civil works through to final installation and commissioning of fuelling facilities.
The ever increasing costs of diesel means that security, stock control and reports are of paramount importance to the fleet operators and we are finding that most customers come to us with very specific requirements for depot fuel dispensing equipment.
New environmental regulations have also led to new business opportunities as existing installations are being upgraded to fit better fill controls and ground drainage interceptors to capture any diesel spills.
Customers include vehicle rental, road transport operators, local authorities, police and ambulance services in Yorkshire as well a several major network operators with depots throughout the UK .
“Ultimately our success depends largely on our ability to deliver reliable operational systems and back these up with maintenance and service support,” explains managing director, Richard Sykes.
“The ever increasing costs of diesel means that security, stock control and reports are of paramount importance to the fleet operators and we are finding that most customers come to us with very specific requirements for depot fuel dispensing equipment.
“Obviously if the buyer specifies a particular pump, we will buy it for him but if they have no preference we always recommend Merridale as first choice. The main reason being we are confident in the build quality and we know that we will have the least amount of issues with the implementation.
“We talk to other fuel management companies and whilst they may be offering similar solutions, it is usually their response to our enquiries and attention to customer care which differentiates them.
“I believe that Merridale understands our role as a business partner, which is a big bonus for us. Should we have an issue while on site, we know that we can get hold on an engineer who will talk us through on the phone. Others we can name, have simply insisted that we hold off and wait for their own service engineers to attend, which can be frustrating and it adds further delay.”
“Basically it is about building these relationships, which I think is the most important aspect of our business. As the principle contractor we want to build positive working relationships within the sector, so we can help each other out.
“They supply us and we will help them with support and service for their equipment. I see that as an integral part of building our business – building those relationships and partnerships with the equipment manufacturers.
Looking forward
Harden Pumps & Tanks has a strong order book and Richard Sykes is very upbeat about future business. He concludes by saying.
“Although competition is tough, the last 12 month have been good for us and although perhaps this coming year will be tight, I am confident that we can keep improving on our turnover. As long as we make sure we protect the margins, I can’t see any reason why we can’t move our business on to the next level.
