STATE OF THE NATION
What a great moment in time to grab a quick comment from Icon’s Tony Gare, someone with scads of experience, operating at supply chain’s import and export frontier as Covid-19 toys with its fragile homeostasis.
“The general public has no idea what’s going on, not a clue, and won’t do until their stuff doesn’t turn up at Christmas. Then it’ll be in the media for a bit, and then it’ll die out and again.
“I’ve never known it like this before. The shipping times are all over the place, the ports are full, and containers can be hard to get. There’s huge cost being driven into business as producers relocate containers while they wait for ships. Some refrigerated containers are moving long distances just to get on a plug and wait. Customers with loaded containers are often having them rolled onto the next ship.
“Some of the big players have started chartering ships to get things going.
“In terms of imports, we’re seeing an increase in inventory holdings to buffer shipping delays.
“It’s all cost businesses hadn’t banked on having, and it will end up at the consumer at some point. We’re already noticing it with things like car parts and people may get a shock soon at how much things like a new TV go up in price.
“It’s difficult to see when it’s all going to calm down.”
In terms of stability and surefootedness, however, it was exemplary and Kenworth to the T.
“It’s not bad, is it?” says Neil. “I love it. I really do.”
We arrived at the Haakman facility on Matai Road East and backed onto the dock. Manager Darren Cripps welcomed us and gave us free rein to get our snaps. Just like the crew at Rainbow Park in April, it appears flowers make people happy.
It has to be said Grant and Neil are both great Icon account managers, as well as drivers. Whether Grant at Fonterra, and the scrap yard, or Neil here at Haakman, they were both polite, engaging, and professional.
Summary
With the end of the day a couple of hours up the road, Neil and the 410 headed away from the setting sun.
We love having a look at trucks pitched exactly where the vendor intended, and in terms of the T410, this was perfect placement. It’s a mantra we’re well-known for voicing, but correct truck specification in 2021 is more critical than it’s ever been if optimal returns are to be met. The T410 is a regional/ metro haulier, and the validity of PACCAR Australia sales director Brad May’s comments at the launch in March 2019, about a recalibration of the range, are borne out in these machines. Power-to-weightwise, they’re bang on, fueleconomy wise they’re bang on, and in terms of being a delight to operate … they’re bang on. With the Icon 410s in the hands of two very convivial and sensible blokes, that should all equate to a balance sheet that’s … bang on.