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Contents

Publisher Sean Moloney

Media Director Jean Winfield

Assistant Editor Andy Pierce

Advertising Sales Karen Cray

Sales Support Martine Frost

Research Director Roger Morley

Accounts Irene Morley

Production & Design Phil Macaulay

Written and edited by Andy PiercePublished Summer 2007Hutton & Co. (Ship Chandlers) LtdJames Bell HouseConnaught RoadKingswoodHull HU7 3AQUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0) 1482 324093Fax:+44 (0) 1482 580588E-mail: [email protected]

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www.elabor8.co.ukAcorn Farm Business CentreCublington Road, WingBedfordshire LU7 0LBUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0) 1296 682051Fax: +44 (0) 1296 682156

4 ForewordWelcome to Hutton’s 180th Anniversary

6 HistoryHistory in the making

8 Anniversary CelebrationsCelebrating in style

10 Office NetworkBranching outOpening up

15 Alex TaylorBreaking the mould

18 Inside Hutton’sIn the mixNew website launchPower to the peopleMoney mattersPassage to India

22 Industry InsightDefying the doubtersA healthy relationshipRaising the standardEazychem: A formula for successSize matters

26 Future FocusForward thinking

180th Anniversary Supplement

W e are very proud to celebrate thiskey event in our long history. But,at the same time, we are also keen

to look to the future and focus on the challengesand opportunities we will encounter in anincreasingly commercial market.

With a history going back to the 1800s,Hutton’s has provided a quality service toships calling at UK ports. The journey has notbeen an easy one and we overcame many dif-ficulties along the way. However, todayHutton’s boasts first class facilities and a fleetof state-of-the-art climate controlled vehicleswhich deliver a full range of food and techni-cal products to our customers.

We are also one of the UK’s longest estab-lished marine suppliers with a history goingback almost 200 years.

Hutton’s is the UK’s leading supplier to themaritime industry. We offer a wide range ofinternational food items, technical productsand services to the international shipping andoffshore industries, and operate across a net-work of six strategically located branches.

It’s our aim to ensure our supplies are deliv-ered in optimum condition to many of theworld’s best known shipping lines

In addition, our investment in warehousingand modular freezers has allowed us toincrease our range of products held in stock.This enables us to offer our customers a wideselection of products including chemicals anda variety of multicultural foods.

We aim to continue to assist our customerswith the most appropriate and cost-effectivesolutions for marine supply by combining ourskills, experience and extensive industryknowledge.

This anniversary event is of tremendous sig-nificance to us. It demonstrates our compa-ny’s survival over some tumultuous periods inhistory and is a tribute to the support wehave been given by our customers who havebenefited from our forward-looking approachin all that we do. Our aim has always been tokeep our customers’ ships moving and ensurethey have all their required productsonboard.

4 180th Anniversary Supplement

Foreword

Welcometo Hutton’s 180th Anniversary Supplement

Dear friends and colleagues

Our facilities are among the best in the UK and our staff are highlytrained to meet our customers’international requirements. We make sure that all orders aredelivered in optimum conditionand to the highest quality

Alan TaylorChairman

Hutton & Co (Ship Chandlers) Ltd

We’re now entering a new phase in ourdevelopment. With 95% of UK ports withintwo hours drive of a Hutton’s branch we areable to offer:• An increased range of products held in stock,

offering customers a wide selection of productsincluding ethnic and specialist items.

• A larger stock holding of products which ensures that the goods are constantly avail-able for customers and also provides Hutton’swith better buying power. This undoubtedly passes savings onto our customers.

• Rapid supply and distribution through our national network to all UK ports and continen-tal Europe in temperature controlled vehicles.

• Fully Customs approved order processing for the storage of bonded products.

At Hutton’s we place quality at the heart ofour operation and aim to make it everybody’sbusiness.

Our facilities are among the best in the UKand our staff are highly trained to meet ourcustomers’ international requirements. Wemake sure that all orders are delivered in opti-mum condition and to the highest quality.

We’re pleased to be able to celebrate our

Anniversary with the production of this sup-plement and I would like to take this opportu-nity to personally thank all of our customers,suppliers and partners who have supportedus. Additionally, we are launching a new prod-uct catalogue in the autumn which will con-tain our full product range, details of our newwebsite and literature to support our market-ing functions.

We also look forward to inviting many of ourkey customers and colleagues to ourAnniversary dinner in September. It will be

held at the Savoy Grill with food prepared byGordon Ramsay. We’re sure this will prove tobe a highly enjoyable and entertainingevening for all.

Finally, and perhaps most critically, I wouldlike to thank the staff at Hutton’s for their sup-port and professional commitment to all thatwe do. Without them we would not be therespected company we remain today.

I’m looking forward to taking Hutton’s to thenext stage in its long history. I recognise thechallenge before me, however, knowing that Ihave dedicated staff and customers who fullyunderstand and appreciate the difference thatHutton’s brings to their businesses is a real assetand comfort to me.


Foreword

We’re pleased to be able to celebrate our anniversary with theproduction of this supplement andI would like to take this opportunityto personally thank all of our customers who have supported us

Hutton’s range of products& services includes:

• Provisions, janitorial and bonded stores

• Technical & consumables

• Catering services

• International storage, handling and

distribution

• Service provider of international

products

We also look forward to invitingmany of our key customers and col-leagues to our Anniversary dinnerin September. It will be held at theSavoy Grill with food prepared byGordon Ramsay. We’re sure this willprove to be a highly enjoyable andentertaining evening for all

A company born at Hull’s Queen’s Dockwas always destined to have strongties with the sea. And so it proved for

Hutton’s, which started life as Hull’s first iron-mongers (known then as Metcalfe’s) way backin 1820. At the time Hull was a thriving portwhich served as a prime landing stage for fishcaught in the North Sea. It was also a majorreceiver of cargoes flowing in from ports in theBaltic and Scandinavia.

The British Empire was in full swing andthere was plenty of business to be done at

port cities around the UK. The large number ofships, barges and trawlers sailing in the RiverHumber had a great appetite for goods.Hutton’s entered this vibrant market in 1827and Hutton & Co Ship Chandlers was born.

Following the outbreak of World War I theneed for ports to have a reliable bank of shipsuppliers became even more pronounced.Hutton’s was one of an army of local chandlersworking overtime to meet the needs of Q-ships and naval auxiliary vessels visiting theRiver Humber.

Hutton’s was again called upon to aid thewar effort in 1939. But with the return ofpeace in 1945 the company was given freshimpetus when a group of influential local shipowners joined forces to buy the company.They appointed Allan Marshall, who hadserved with 10 Commando during World WarII, to run to company.

Allan Marshall, who was later dubbed “MrHutton”, became the driving force behind the


History

History in the making

History of HSS International

1896Brothers Arthur and Frank Taylor estab-lished a high class grocery business whichcommenced trading as Taylor Bros of Hull.Within two to three years it was supplyinga number of ships in Hull

1920Frank Taylor died of anthrax poisoningfrom a shaving brush. The following year,Arthur Taylor changed the business nameto Hull Ships Stores and concentrated onsupplying ships. Within ten years HullShips Stores became the major supplier toBritish ships in the Hull area

1922Hull Ships Stores undertook it’s first exportorder, supplying the four-masted barque“Bellands” in St Nazaire (France). Thestores list included over 5000 square yardsof sail canvas and 80 barrels of salted beef.The order was dispatched from the com-pany’s premises in Dock Street, Hull byhorse and cart to the local goods railwaystation. From there it headed to the southcoast of England, was loaded on a ship forFrance and then transported on the Frenchrailway network to St Nazaire

1987-Hull Ships Stores became HSSInternational. HSS International acquiredHutton’s in the year 2000 and in 2001 HSSInternational and Hutton’s were amalga-mated and have since traded as Hutton &Co (Ships Chanders) Ltd

In 1971 Hutton’s ceased being aprivate company and became amember of the Fitch Lovell Group.The extra financial clout broughtabout by its membership of a largegroup gave the company greaterfinancial muscle

company’s post war growth. A move to largerpremises at Mytongate was followed by a peri-od of accelerated growth and prosperity. MrMarshall, who had enjoyed a successful part-nership with Eric Wright, brought the thenhardware-orientated concern and led thecompany into the fresh provisions field follow-ing the purchase of C.W. Hewson. This movealso helped Hutton’s expand its geographicalcoverage as it gained control of the erstwhileHewson’s branches at Hull, Immingham andMiddlesbrough.

In 1971 Hutton’s ceased being a privatecompany and became a member of the Fitch Lovell Group. The extra financial clout brought about by its membership of alarge group gave the company greater finan-cial muscle. And following Allan Marshall’srise to the chairmanship of Fitch & Son Ltd,its London, Liverpool and Southamptonbranches entered Hutton’s control and further widened its ability to serve major UK ports.

The company later changed hands again andjoined the Booker Group. However, it returnedto private ownership in 1996 following a man-agement buy out. By this time the Hutton’sname was firmly established and the company

was able to boast customers worldwide. Alan Taylor’s acquisition of Hutton’s in 2000

proved to be another significant move in thecompany’s history, as he brought over 100 yearsof family ship supply experience with him.

His son Alex Taylor, a fifth generation shipchandler, arrived as Logistics Manager in2001, having served as a Second Officer withthe Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and quickly pro-gressed to become Sales and MarketingDirector in 2003.

In January 2005 Marine & Offshore MedicalSupplies, a specialist medical supplier, wasadded to the Hutton’s portfolio, broadeningthe company’s expertise in the increasinglyimportant area of medical provisions. In thesame year Hutton’s increased its UK coveragewith the acquisition of the Edinburgh-basedship chandler, Beruldson’s. Hutton’s presencein Scotland was further heightened in 2006with the opening of premises at Aberdeen,headed by Bruce McIntosh.

In the same year Alex Taylor succeeded hisfather, Alan, as Hutton’s Managing Director.Now, with three record years just passed, anda unique branch network firmly established,Hutton’s is well placed to move forwards andwrite another chapter in its proud history.


History

Key dates in Hutton’s history

1820Metcalfe’s is established as an ironmonger atNorth Dock Walls, a continuation of Queen’sDock, Hull

1827Metcalfe’s develops into Hutton & Co (ShipsChandlers)

1914 – 1918Hutton’s helps the war effort by supplyingnaval ships visiting the River Humber

1945Following World War II local ship ownersacquire the company and appoint “MrHutton”, Allan Marshall, to run the business

1970sA period of major growth for Hutton’s withnew premises opened at Hull, and newbranches at Liverpool, Southampton,Middlesbrough, Immingham and Rotterdam

1971 - 1996The Fitch Lovel- and later the Booker Groupassume control of the company

1996Hutton’s returns to private ownership following a management buyout

2000Hutton’s is acquired by the Taylor familywhich had 100 years experience of ship sup-ply. Alan Taylor appointed Managing Director

2001Alex Taylor joins Hutton’s as LogisticsManager before rising to become Sales &Marketing Director in 2003

2005Specialist supplier, Marine & OffshoreMedical Supplies, added to Hutton’s portfolio

Hutton’s opens in Scotland following purchase of Edinburgh-based chandler,Beruldsen’s

2006 Hutton’s opens a branch at Aberdeen, headed by regional expert, Bruce McIntosh

Alex Taylor becomes Hutton’s ManagingDirector, succeeding his father, Alan Taylor,who becomes Chairman

Alan Taylor’s acquisition ofHutton’s in 2000 proved to be another significant move in the company’s history, as hebrought over 100 years of family ship supply experiencewith him

Hutton’s will be the spriteliest 180 year-old in the house when the company’sstaff and customers rub shoulders at

London’s Savoy Grill in September to officiallymark the anniversary.

The company may not be receiving atelegram from the Queen to mark this historicoccasion, but those lucky enough to attendthe event will be in for a memorable experi-ence and one fitting of such an occasion.

The Savoy Grill is one of London’s leadingrestaurants, with a seasonal menu prepared bycharismatic celebrity chefs, Gordon Ramsayand Marcus Wareing. Whether the attendeeswill be treated to an audience with the “F-Word” star remains to be seen. However, any-one who gains a seat at the Captain’s Tablecan be sure of a culinary treat to beat all oth-ers. The Savoy Grill steak comes with a person-al recommendation of Hutton’s ManagingDirector, Alex Taylor.

The Hutton’s boss has an eye for quality andis looking forward to the event with greatexpectations. “It should be an amazingevening. We expect to have between 40 and50 guests attending. We have hired out a pri-vate dining room for everybody to make itextra special. And, as it’s Gordon Ramsay’splace, it will prove to be a fantastic venue. Thefood is certainly of the highest order.”

Mr Taylor continued: “It is certainly some-where a little bit special. This event is a cele-

bration and the Savoy Grill is the perfect place.It is a quality venue and it will be an interest-ing experience for everybody who attends. Itis one of the best restaurants in London atwhich to stage such an event.”

The Hutton’s 180 year anniversary dinnerpromises to be a corporate event to match noother and has been strategically timed toensure that the vast majority of the company’svalued customers are able to attend.

“Most of our customers are international,”Mr Taylor said. “The date was chosen to co-inside with the IMPA exhibition when many ofthem will be in London, naturally. It’s mucheasier to meet up in a central location, withLondon the obvious candidate.”


Anniversary Celebrations

Celebratingin style

One hundred and eighty years is no ordinary birthdaycelebration. It calls for something out of the ordinaryand at the Savoy Grill, London, Hutton’s guests can be sure of a memorable experience

“We expect to have between 40and 50 guests attending. We havehired out a private dining room foreverybody to make it extra special.And, as it’s Gordon Ramsay’s place,it should prove to be a fantasticvenue“

Gordon Ramsay’s choice of words may notsuit everybody’s taste, but his presence at theevening should blend in well with Hutton’sstar-studded line up of maritime luminaries.And the TV chef is at his best when he is infront of a stove rather than behind a camera.

“I don’t like his vocabulary,” Mr Taylorexplained. “But I have been to some of hisother restaurants and the food is certainlyexcellent. The service is also good and it has agood image. It is a sign of quality which goeshand in hand with what we are trying toachieve for our customers.”


Anniversary Celebrations

Anniversary catalogueHutton’s will mark its 180 year anniversary bylaunching its first product catalogue.

The new directory, which is designed tocompliment the existing ISSA catalogue, willbe made available to current and potentialcustomers in hard copy and online.

As the first in what Hutton’s hopes willbecome an annual publication, the cata-logue will be an invaluable point of refer-ence and help to ensure customers orderthe perfect product to meet their needs. The catalogue will be full of additionalinformation to help Hutton’s customersmake a more informed decision, beforedeciding which product to buy.

“It should be an amazing evening“

S hip supply is a dynamic industry. Shipchandlers in the UK have witnessed a lotof consolidation and shrinkage in the

market. Their world has become a smaller place,with the number of chandlers in each portdecreasing dramatically. European ports haveseen the number of independent ship chandlersmore than halve over the past decade.

However, while others have struggled,Hutton’s has progressed and cemented itsposition as an industry leader. “You have gotto diversify and move with the times,”explained Alex Taylor, Hutton’s ManagingDirector. “You can’t stay localised. You’ve gotto look at the market internationally and aimto develop contacts and a customer baseworldwide. Then look at supporting thatworldwide customer base on a national scale.”

A five year process of acquisition and enter-prise has allowed Hutton’s to develop a ‘branchnetwork’, with local offices supported from theHead Office and distribution hub at Hull,Yorkshire. This unique operating structureenables Hutton’s to deliver high quality service

to 95% of all UK ports within two hours. “Through our branch network we can offer

full UK national support to a customer basedon the other side of the world. Our branchnetwork stretches from Southampton in thesouth to Aberdeen in the north. We can lookafter vessels docking at every single port in theUK and give the operator full coverage,” AlexTaylor said.

The system allows Hutton’s to stand headand shoulders above its rivals when it comesto service and support. “Anyone can claim tobe able to deliver to a vessel at any port world-wide. But are they really going to offer fullsupport to that vessel when it’s got samplesonboard, it needs to change something over

or the agent requires an item to be picked up?We can offer that support,” Alex Taylor added.

The full support offered by the Hutton’sbranch network extends way beyond deliver-ing a shopping list of items to a vessel. “Fullsupport involves liaising with the local agents,port authorities and the personnel onboardthe vessel to make sure that the delivery iscompleted at the correct time. For deliverieswe also liaise with the local agents to ensuregoods are supplied according to local regula-tions,” he said.

By structuring the Hutton’s organisation inthis way, Alex Taylor believes he can offer cus-tomers an international service, complimentedby local expertise. “Each office has a tailored


Office Network

Branching outShip supply is extremely competitive but with Hutton’sbranch network the company can offer the same highquality service at every port in the UK

local knowledge and is able to feed into a net-work which allows the branches to liaise witheach other. The computer system speaks to allof our branches in real time. Hutton's staff canlook at an individual job and know exactlywhat’s going on in a precise matter,” he said.

A local presence allows the company todeliver supplies to a vessel on time. Havinglocal staff on site also provides customers witha recognisable face and a reassuring personallink to the company.

Hutton’s locally based staff are versed in therhetoric of regional legislation. They also offerflexibility and can cater for individual require-ments in a fast and efficient manner. “We canbe flexible and apply that final touch to adelivery,” said Martin Kemp, Hutton’sOperations Manager. “If a ship needs 24 litresof milk and some electrodes our local repre-sentative has got a van. He can go and collectlast minute requests from local sources andfinish the order off.

“We’ve got people on the spot at each of themajor ports who can go onboard the ship tosatisfy the customers, let them know when we


Office Network

“Through our branch network we can offer full UK national support to a customer based on the other side of the world. Our branch networkstretches from Southampton in the south to Aberdeen in the north. We can look after vessels docking at every single port in the UK and give the operator full coverage”

“We’ve got people on the spot at each of the major ports who can

go onboard the ship to satisfy the customers, let them know when we

will be arriving and what samples we will be able to provide”

will be arriving and what samples we will beable to provide. We’ve got the ability to bepersonalised, to go to our customers and find out what they want. A face provides the human touch. I.T. is great but customersstill need a person to deal with. That’s commitment to the customer,” Martin Kemp added.

Hutton’s branch network is a real unique sell-ing point for the company. It’s capable of sup-plying specialist goods and, due to efficient

UK-wide communications and logistics, is able to forward any desireditems on to a vessel’s next scheduled port of call. Alex Taylor said:“These are the extra-added bonuses that we offer to our customers.Through the branch network we can supply vessels with niche itemsquickly, certainly at its next UK port. This service is unique for a UKchandler.”

And the efficiency of supply is not confined to the UK. “We can for-ward items onto other ports worldwide,” he continued. “A vesselcould give us something that needs to be specially made. We cantake it ashore, arrange the fabrication, and then forward it on to thevessel’s next port, wherever it may be in the world.”

Providing this raft of services requires an efficient and carefullyorchestrated logistics operation. Supplying the correct spices to theIndian crew of a tanker calling at Middlesbrough, or the desired vol-ume of sausages and baked beans to hungry offshore workers around

12

Providing this raft of servicesrequires an efficient and carefullyorchestrated logistics operation.Supplying the correct spices to theIndian crew of a tanker calling atMiddlesbrough, or the desired volume of sausages and bakedbeans to hungry offshore workersaround Aberdeen, requires a greatdeal of precision


Office Network

13

Head Office – HullSituated in the industrial heartland of the UKthis modern facility is at the heart of theHutton’s network. It arranges all national andinternational distributionTel: +44 1482 324093 Fax: +44 1482 580588Managing Director: Alex Taylor

SouthamptonSpecialising in container, tanker and cruise shipsupply, the Southampton branch provides serv-ice to all southern UK ports including London,Bristol and PembrokeTel: +44 2380 331355 Fax: +44 2380 223219Sales Manager: Eddie Newman

ImminghamLocated close to the Humber ports, this estab-lished base also supplies ships at GreatYarmouth and FelixstoweTel: +44 1469 571123Fax: +44 1469 572166Sales Manager - Mark Lenham

MiddlesbroughA leading supplier of tankers and cargo vessels,the Middlesbrough branch is well equipped tomeet the multicultural needs of today’s mod-ern seafarersTel: +44 1642 438406Fax: +44 1642 438476Sales Manager - George Carmichael

Leith/EdinburghAcquired by the Hutton’s brand two years agoto supply all Central and Southern Scottishports, supplying both cargo and cruise ships Tel: +44 131 538 6655 Fax: +44 131 538 7655 Branch Manager - Gaidis Griva

AberdeenThe latest addition to the Hutton’s network, it’sideally located to serve Aberdeen, Peterhead,Montrose and all northern UK portsTel: +44 (0) 1224 594668Fax: +44 (0) 1224 594870 Branch Manager - Bruce McIntosh

COMPLETE COVERAGEAberdeen, requires a great deal of precision.What’s more, all of the effort would be in vainif the order isn’t delivered on time.

“Logistics is the most important factor insupplying stocks to ships. Being in the rightplace at the right time is the most importantthing. With modern ships the turnaroundtimes are very fast. Some of the regular shipswe supply spend only 10 hours on the berth.If they berth at 5 o’clock in the evening, theywill be gone at 3 o’clock the following morn-ing. We’ve got to adapt to that,” Alex Taylorsaid.

“You can’t adapt to that if you are at theother end of the world. And we couldn’t dothat if we were just a one branch operation.But our branch network gives us the logisticssupport and allows us to have local people onsite,” he added.

Hutton’s branch network also gives the com-pany an advantage when dealing with largeorders. “We have the transport and infrastruc-ture here to support mammoth jobs and one-offs from this office [at Hull]. We can load atruck tonight at 5 o’clock and it will be sat inFalmouth or Rotterdam at 8 o’clock tomorrowmorning,” Alex Taylor said.

The branch network has enabled Hutton’s todistance itself from the “sign here, there’s yourgear” mentality and given customers addedvalue. Until now many operators used price asthe only criteria for selecting a supplier. “Wehave moved away from the model of justpumping out order after order,” he said.

“The person who controls an operator’s sup-ply budget doesn’t see the end product. Sothe only variable that could differentiatebetween us and another supplier was price.

“We’re offering quality and that will reflectbetter in the long run. Customers know thatthey’re going to get their goods delivered on time. They know that the correct goodsare going to be supplied. So it takes a lot of the pressure off them and it means thatwe’re doing our job correctly,” Alex Taylorconcluded.


Office Network

“Customers know that they’regoing to get their goods deliveredon time. They know that the correct goods are going to be supplied. So it takes a lot of thepressure off them and it meansthat we’re doing our job correctly”

How successful has the Hutton’sAberdeen branch been during itsfirst year? We believe we have been very successful sincewe opened in January 2006. We offer a onestop shop to vessels calling at local ports uphere. The majority of the competing shipchandlers in the area tend to stick to one spe-cific area of supply. Some of them simply sup-ply food; some specialise in technical sup-plies, while some only stock deck and engineproducts.

You have a strong reputation forsupplying the offshore industry.What challenges does this marketpose? From this office we focus on supplying theoffshore industry and its supply vessels.Quality service is paramount as we rely verymuch on repeat business, with the same ves-sels coming in and out of the harbour all thetime. Establishing trust and a strong relation-ship with each customer is very important.We understand the way each customer worksand what their specific needs are.

How competitive is the local market? It’s very competitive. The customers demanda high standard of service. At present we havea large number of Norwegian customers. As aresult we stock a hefty quantity of Norwegianbrands. I’m not aware of any other ship chan-dler in Aberdeen who does that.

How important is the Hutton’sbranch network to your survival?We’re supported from the Hutton’s HeadOffice at Hull. Therefore, if we get an orderwhich would ordinarily be too big for us, wecan get the products delivered from Hull. Thatsupport is very important, but we all work veryhard up here. Most orders we receive can becovered using the stock we carry here. Alex

[Taylor] and I are in constant contact and talkeveryday. We get a lot of support from ourDistribution Centre at Hull.

What is your vision for the future ofthe Aberdeen office?I would like us to expand our operation here.Most business we do is adhoc. We’re not con-tracted to anybody. But because we’re a newface locally, a lot of the big companies shiedaway from us to start with. We had to proveourselves, initially. Now, with this year’s con-tracts due out soon, we’re in a much betterposition to tender for the available business.Hopefully we’re now in a much stronger posi-tion than we were last year. Every month wecan see the operation growing. We’re certain-ly moving in the right direction and establish-ing the Hutton’s brand.


Office Network

Opening up

Bruce McIntosh brought a wealth of ship supply experience toHutton’s when he joined in November 2005. He had identified anopportunity in the Aberdeen area and put his 15 years of industryknow-how to good use to establish the Hutton’s name in the area.He talks openly about Hutton’s growth in the region and theimportance of a strong support network.

Quality service is paramount as werely very much on repeat business,with the same vessels coming inand out of the harbour all thetime. Establishing a trust and astrong relationship with each customer is very important

We’re now in a much strongerposition than we were last year.Every month we can see the operation growing. We’re certainlymoving in the right direction

Sporting fashionably spiky hair, brownshoes and a loose necked shirt, minus atie, Alex Taylor is, perhaps unintention-

ally, making a statement. He may be the fifthgeneration of the Taylor family to head up thefamily business but he‘s clearly intent ondoing things his own way.

He admits he’s younger than his ship supplypeers. But this is hardly surprising consideringhis speedy graduation through almost everyarea of the Hutton’s business en route to themanaging director’s seat he holds today.

His quick progress through the ranks hasgiven him a full appreciation of the innerworkings of the company and the industry.But he’s not a man prone to following and hassuccessfully stamped his authority on theHutton’s success story. “Why do we have todo things in exactly the same way?” he asked.“I’ve been able to bring in new ideas to themarket place and give a fresh outlook onmany things.”

Having studied at Trinity House NauticalSchool, South Shields Nautical College andserved as a Second Officer with the Royal FleetAuxiliary, Alex Taylor joined the family ship sup-

ply business at the age of 21. He was thrown inat the deep end as Logisitics Manager, allowinghim to deploy his logistics expertise at the hubof the business. Having absorbed and con-tributed all he could, he quickly moved upwardsinto the post of Sales and Marketing Director.

His progress was as fast as it was successful.And he has maintained this momentum asManaging Director. His fresh faced approachhas increased Hutton’s turnover, driven amajor expansion in its regional and interna-tional coverage and streamlined operations tomake the company more efficient.

In whatever role he has filled, Alex Taylor’ssuccess has been built on one simple princi-pal. “I always ask myself, ‘How can we do thisbetter?’ not just for us, but also for our cus-tomers. We’re constantly developing systemsinternally and striving to make things betterfor us and better for the customer,” he revealed.

“We export goods to the far corners of theworld. We deliver products with our owntransport throughout Europe. That’s achievedby having the hunger and the drive to go offand do it,” he added.

The desire and the means to succeed wereimplanted into Alex at a tender age. “Thebiggest lessons my father taught me werethat hard work didn’t hurt anyone and to getanything out of life you’ve certainly got to putthe effort in,” he explained. And this coach-ing from his father isn’t the only family influ-ence visible in Alex Taylor today. He’s veryproud of the family’s tradition in ship supplyand was actively involved in the business him-self as soon as he was able to be.

“The family business is something I’vealways been involved with, even from the ageof 10 or 11 when I was being dragged in tocount nuts and bolts during stock takes. I wasbrainwashed from quite an early age. It’ssomething that I’ve always been interested in


Alex Taylor

Breakingthe mould

“I always ask myself, ‘How can wedo this better?’ not just for us, butalso for our customers. We’re constantly developing systemsinternally and striving to makethings better for us and better for the customer”

and a legacy that’s certainly still very impor-tant to me,” he reveals.

He admits that carrying on the family busi-ness brings extra responsibility and pressure.“The responsibility isn’t just to my family andmy forefathers but also to everyone whoworks with me. I’m responsible for their wel-fare. It’s how you react to this pressure thatdetermines how successful you are. In thisindustry there’s a lot of pressure becausewe’re always working to very tight dead-lines,” he explained.

However, despite the pressures, Alex Taylorstill has a childlike enthusiasm for the indus-try, a passion which extends into wider mar-itime circles. “I’ve always been interested ineverything to do with shipping. The idea ofships travelling to exotic destinations andtransporting products and raw materialsaround the world is fascinating.

“If you’re involved in this industry – I don’tmean just being a ship’s chandler but in ship-management, in agency, in anything to dowith shipping – it gets into your blood. And,in fact, it’s not a job that you can leave behindwhen you walk out of the office at the end ofthe day. You travel abroad to visit customersand to go to exhibitions. It’s work, but it com-pletely takes over your life,” Alex Taylor said.

“When I leave the office to go home, work isconstantly at the back of my mind. I can’thelp but think about the job to the pointwhere I wake up on a Monday morning and Ican’t wait to get into work,” he added.

He jokes today that the Hutton’s business is“my little baby,” and is visibly a hands-onmanager. He is clearly conscientious andspends much of his time walking around thesite and talking to his staff on the shop floor:checking everything is being done correctly,that people are happy and freely offering hisadvice where it’s needed. After all, followinghis experience in many positions across thecompany, the Hutton’s boss has a very clearidea of how things should be done. However,this eagerness to be involved stems from agenuine enjoyment of the dynamic and fastpaced business environment.

“The difference between this industry andany other industry is that we’re working tosuch tight deadlines. It’s our personal respon-

sibility to make sure that a vessel gets what itneeds. That vessel could order a load ofmaterials required for an urgent repair. If itdoesn’t get those materials, then we’re lettingthat customer down, personally. The timepressure is something I really enjoy.

“Sometimes I will go home and think, ‘Whyam I doing this?’ But, at the end of the day,the reason I do it is for the adrenaline and thekick. When we have got tight deadlines, wehaven’t simply got to turn things around butalso make money out of it. That’s where thepressure comes in and that’s fantastic. Whenwe’ve got a big order that you’ve got to turnaround within 24 hours, that’s a big task.When we do it, as we always do becausewe’ve got no other option, it’s a big pat on


Alex Taylor

“I’ve always been interested ineverything to do with shipping.

The idea of ships travelling to exotic destinations and transport-

ing products and raw materialsaround the world is fascinating”

He is clearly conscientious andspends much of his time walkingaround the site and talking to hisstaff on the shop floor: checking

everything is being done correctly,that people are happy and freely

offering his advice where it’s needed

the back and that’s the buzz for me. Wesometimes perform miracles for our cus-tomers,” he said.

This dedication and commitment to get thejob done often extends beyond the tradition-al nine to five. Alex Taylor describes this as“something that has to be done” but admitshe sometimes has to be firm with himself – orrather others are firm with him – to make surehe takes a break.

Returning recently from a business trip toHamburg, Germany, he suffered a number ofdelays. Diverted to a different airport he tooka coach to collect his car and finally arrivedhome at 2 o’clock on a Saturday morning. Hestill went into work that same morning andwas keen to go in again on Sunday. At thispoint his wife ‘politely’ suggested that it wasnot such a good idea. “I never did go in thatSunday morning,” he said.

On the odd occasion Alex Taylor allows him-

self to get away from work he admits to likingthe finer things in life. “If I have got any timeoff, I will quite happily go away for a weekendto a lovely hotel and go for a fantastic mealsomewhere with a quality bottle of wine. Thatto me is bliss. If I’ve worked for two or threeweeks non-stop, to get that moment away ispriceless. I love the countryside. I live out inthe country, about 25 miles from work. It’s abeautiful drive and when I get home it’s likemy own little paradise,” he said.

But no matter where Alex Taylor is in theworld, you can be sure the goings-on atHutton’s are never very far from his mind.He’s likely to be plotting the company’s andhis next forward move. Even with the 180year anniversary land mark passing this year,

the young Managing Director prefers to look tothe future. “We’ve got the knowledge and theexperience,” he said. “Our product knowledgeis extensive and we’ve maintained that over theyears. I know we’ve certainly brought forwardlots of traditional values: The customer is alwaysright and hard work never hurt anyone. Theseare the core values we believe in. But lookingforward, we’ve got to adapt. Shipping is con-stantly evolving. We’ve always changed, we’vealways evolved with it and we’re always taking itforward. We keep things simple and ask, whyare we here? We are here to supply ships. Weare here to look after the customers’ require-ments. That’s something that we’ve alwaysdone and something we always will do. That’swhat keeps us going.”


Alex Taylor

“Sometimes I will go home andthink, ‘Why am I doing this?’But, at the end of the day, the reason I do it is for the adrenalineand the kick. When we have gottight deadlines, we haven’t simplygot to turn things around but alsomake money out of it”

T he operations room at Hutton’s HullHead Office is a hive of activity. Staff inhigh visibility vests come and go

under a whirlwind of shouted conversation.Others sit at desks which are half buriedbeneath a blanket of paperwork. They alter-nate their time between telephone conversa-tions and relaying messages. The room is fullof energy. The conversation is loud and thelanguage is occasionally colourful.

“It appears like chaos in here sometimes, butthe operation is actually very well organised,”explained Martin Kemp, Hutton’s OperationsManager and a ten year veteran of the compa-ny. “It’s got to be appreciated just how speed-ily we’ve got to do our job. The ships don’tstand around, they’re not like a supermarketsituated on the street corner. They actuallymove around and there’s nothing we can doonce they’re gone. We all appreciate the lim-ited number of hours we’ve got to turn a jobaround. We have got to be organised to makesure that the right people are in the right placeat exactly the right time.”

The operations room is at the heart of theHutton’s organisation. From here orders aretaken and processed, stock purchased, thetransport coordinated, customer enquirieshandled and every job carefully monitored tobe sure the operation remains profitable.

This fast-paced hub is also awash with shipsupply know-how. The areas of specialistknowledge dotted around this generic squareroom are the envy of many ship supply rivals.Expertise ranges from the nuts and bolts ofhardware to the finer points of bonded stores

and chemical supply. From this central pointthe know-how is filtered out into other areasof the company.

Every staff member – from the truck driversto Barry Wilkinson the eccentric warehouseforeman – must havefirst rate knowledge intheir selected areas inorder to keep the con-veyor of supply runningsmoothly. However, it’steamwork that under-pins the success of theHutton’s operation. Thismay sound a littlecliché, but with timepressure the only com-mon thread runningthrough each order, theability of the staff towork together shouldnot be underestimated.

“Teamwork and coop-eration between our-selves and our suppliersis the only thing thatkeeps us going,” saidMartin, who is in nodoubt who sets theteam work ethos withinthe company. “It stemsfrom the top; from theinput that the boss hasand the intensity andthe knowledge that he wants.

“He is only young, but he has got an inten-sity that he uses to get the job done from startto finish. We all feed off from that. If he waslaid back and played golf everyday, this won’twork. In this trade the boss has got to behands-on. He has got to be inside, in thecogs, doing it. He’s an intensive part of thebusiness and another member of the team.


Inside Hutton’s

In the mix

The operations room is at the heartof the Hutton’s organisation. Fromhere orders are taken andprocessed, stock purchased, thetransport coordinated, customerenquiries handled and every jobcarefully monitored to be sure theoperation remains profitable

He’s not just the managing director. Whenhe’s away we miss him greatly, because he’spart of that operation. A massive part,”Martin continued.

Alex Taylor, Hutton’s Managing Director,was quick to pay tribute to the skills andteamwork his staff display every day. “Wehave a very tight and close team. We all workon a trust basis. If I give someone somethingto do I will trust that it will be done,” he said.

“I look for everyone being an integral part ofthe company, whether that is the truck driver,the picker in the warehouse or a top manag-er. They’ve all got a real part to play. We’re allpart of a team – we’re all part of the family.

We all know each other and work with eachother. There are no walls or boundaries here.We all work as a unit to get the job done welland right. And, to be fair, everyone hereworks very, very hard. They all put in a lot oftime and effort. That to me is the most impor-tant factor in making sure the job is doneright first time,” he added.

Teamwork may be the key ingredient inkeeping the Hutton’s operation runningsmoothly, but Alex Taylor has a way of mak-ing the staff feel valued.

The operations room is an open plan set upwhere communication is easy. But upstairsthe boss works with an open door policy toencourage all staff members, regardless oftheir job title, to share ideas and make a gen-uine contribution.

“If I see something in my area that I thinkcould be improved then the scope is there forme to be open and say, ‘Look, if we were todo things this way it would take the pressureoff elsewhere’.

“Since I joined earlier in the year I’ve intro-duced a couple of things into our computer

system that has helped us to log everythingmore efficiently. This has made it easier at theend of the month when we have to do ourreturns. It’s there in black and white and itmakes filling our forms out much easier. Ithink the company is open enough for every-body to have their say if they believe theirideas are going to help us,” explainedCustoms Clerk, bonded stores specialist andpart-time sports photographer, Paul Brook.

When the heat is on the staff – as itinevitably is in the pressure-cooker atmos-phere of the operations room – the teamwork ethic and appreciation shows its trueworth. “It’s a team scenario, you’ve got to putyour arm around somebody who is havingtrouble and help them,” Martin explained.“It’s easy to see when people are sufferingwhen you work in close proximity. If we seesomebody struggling, we assist them withtheir workload. We certainly don’t let eachother suffer in silence if somebody is strug-gling with a task. The main priority is for usto have just a little bit of jollity all the waythrough the day.”


Inside Hutton’s

It’s teamwork that underpins thesuccess of the Hutton’s operation.This may sound a little cliché, butwith time pressure the only com-mon thread running through eachorder, the ability of the staff towork together should not beunderestimated

“We have a very open relationship here. Thereis, of course, a chain of command. We have an Operations Manager who is ultimatelyresponsible for the warehouse. I’m ultimatelyresponsible for everything and will quite happilywalk down and speak to anybody who has aproblem or needs some advice. At the sametime, anybody is welcome to approach me atany time during the day”

Hutton’s is set to launch a new look website ina bid to increase its online presence andexpand its service to customers.

The new company website, which will boasta full version of the new anniversary productcatalogue, is another step in Hutton’s pursuitof customer service excellence.

The site, which will retain the traditionalcontact information present on the existingtemplate, will allow customers to search the complete Hutton’s product range. It ishoped this updated information andenhanced interactivity will be a hit with customers and help ensure their ships arealways fully supported.

Many modern vessels still lack full internetaccess. However, as onboard communica-tions become more affordable the websitewill be ready to meet the needs of ship-board staff.

“If a specific technical item were required acustomer could go online and view it on thewebsite,” Hutton’s Managing Director, AlexTaylor, said. “They could then forward theinformation onto the technical team. That sortof service is obviously beneficial to all parties.This service is going to make our productsmore accessible to our customers.”


Inside Hutton’s

New website launch

Recruiting and retaining the best talent is amajor issue affecting every strand of the mar-itime industry. At Hutton’s the emphasis isplaced upon valuing the company employeesand empowering them to progress.

Managing Director, Alex Taylor, said: “Weoffer development courses to all of our staff. Ifyou’ve got someone and they’re good thenthey need to be treasured and kept onboard.”

This theory was put firmly into practicewhen the company recently assisted driversto successfully complete HGV and HazardousGoods (ADR) training.

Helping an individual to progress and gain

new skills is beneficial to both the companyand the employee, Mr Taylor explained.

“The employee is happy because he is pro-gressing his career and getting reimbursedaccordingly. We’re getting someone who hasgot more experience, a higher qualificationand, at the same time, retaining someonewho is an integral part of the company,” he said.

“I consider each individual to be an integralpart of the company, from the drivers to thepickers in the warehouse or the managers atthe company. They’ve all got a real part toplay,” Mr Taylor concluded.

Power to the people

Many modern vessels still lack full internet access.However, as onboard communications become moreaffordable the website will be ready to meet theneeds of staff onboard customers’ vessels

When Jeff Harland answered his phone at7:30 in the morning he was surprised to hearthe voice of Alan Taylor on the line. The thenHutton’s Managing Director invited Jeff for animmediate interview and left him in no doubtas to the level of commitment demandedfrom Hutton’s staff. Jeff had told Mr Taylor hewas available for interview “at any time”, and

his boast had been taken very literally. Jeff’s enthusiasm did the trick and now, six

years later, he is still with the company asFinance Manager. In that time he’s seen athree-fold increase in the company’s turnoverand established strong relationships withmany of Hutton’s customers.

“If you know your customers it’s quite handy

to get to that person straight away. You dofind that you can build up a good rapportover the years with these customers,” he said.

With over 40 years experience in financecontrol Jeff admits recent IT developmentshave made his job easier, “with VAT returnsnow completed in seconds”, but his attentionto detail is still of the highest order.

“We’ve got to ensure our admin is right,our invoices are going out correctly, our deliv-ery notes are signed, that they’re going out tocustomers and so on. There’s no reason whypayments should be delayed,” he said. “Bydoing everything correctly the first time weare going to ensure that we get repeat busi-ness from our customers.”

With such commitment to customer satis-faction, Jeff is convinced that Hutton’s willcontinue to soar. “I foresee that I will be herefor another five years and I believe we will seethe company go from strength to strength aswe have done over the last three to fiveyears,” he said.


Inside Hutton’s

Money matters

Hutton’s showed its international reachby supplying the new SBS Marine plat-form supply vessel for its maiden voyagefrom Norway to India.

The SBS Torrent, built by Norwegianyard, Karmsund, was kitted out with afull range of frozen, chilled and ambientgoods for its one month voyage to theIndian west coast.

Hutton’s also took care of the customspaperwork and clearance procedures,which were complicated by port proce-dures in both India and Norway.

Norway has strict import regulationsand India is equally restrictive with beefand pork (halal) imports.

Alex Taylor, Hutton’s ManagingDirector heralded the success of the proj-ect. He said: “Hutton’s has been supply-ing the maritime industry for the last 180years and we’re very pleased to haveworked with SBS Marine to supply its latest vessel with a comprehensive range of international food products and otheressential hardware for its voyage to India.”

Passage to India

“If you know your customers it’squite handy to get to that personstraight away. You do find thatyou can build up a good rapportover the years with these customers”

F ew things are more satisfying than prov-ing critics wrong and Barwil Unitor hasdone just in that a year on from an

ambitious merger of two leading brands. The company, launched by Wilhelmsen

Maritime Services in May 2006, achieved areported 15% increase in turnover followingthe amalgamation of the independent Unitorand Barwil companies.

With turnover up by as much as 25% in certainareas, company President, David Tandy is con-vinced the merger has met market demand.

"The industry trend toward consolidationhas created fewer and larger shipping compa-nies seeking suppliers which can provideglobal turnkey solutions," Tandy said. "In asense, the merger was driven as much byindustry demand as the initiative of our par-ent company, Wilhelmsen Maritime Services."

Barwil Unitor Ships Service comprises theworld's leading maritime services network,with the capability to serve 2,200 ports in 116countries. Its focus is to deliver improved ves-sel operating efficiency to the merchant fleet.Last year Barwil Unitor made 175,000 prod-uct deliveries to customer vessels and handled51,000 port agency calls.

A comprehensive range of standardised

services is offered, backed by a global serviceand logistics organisation. These includesecuring an optimal cargo and equipmentmix, increasing revenue and reducing emptyequipment costs, keeping customer vessels incompliance with regulations, enhancing safeoperations and supplying a full range ofmarine products that perform reliably at seaand meet customer requirements for quality,availability and cost.

Barwil Unitor’s comprehensive offer of portservices, safety services and marine productsis based on years of experience in solving itscustomers' requirements. It’s committed tomaintaining the highest standards of qualityin all phases of its operations and continuous-ly strives to improve and offer excellent serv-ices to its customers.

Marine chemicalsBarwil Unitor offers a comprehensive range ofquality marine chemicals; including themarine market’s most extensive range of LowToxic alternatives available worldwide.Produced at its own production plant, UnitorChemicals AS, which is certified according toISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the latest develop-ment and production technology is utilised toprovide a total on board package.

In addition, a wide range of dosing, clean-ing and test equipment is available to facili-tate the application of chemicals in an eco-nomical and trouble-free way.

The fundamental requirement for a supplierof marine chemicals is to be able to deliverthe products when and where needed. BarwilUnitor's world-wide network provides theoptimum distribution channel for the supplyof chemicals to vessels. Within the network,highly competent marine chemical specialistsprovide application and technical support tovessels globally.


Industry Insight

The Marine Chemicals range

• Fuel Oil Treatment

• Cooling Water Treatment

• Boiler Water Treatment

• Cleaning & Maintenance Chemicals

• Tank & Cargo Hold Cleaning Unipol Aquatuff High Foam Slip Coat

• Biochemicals

• Pool & Spa Products

• Chemical Testing & Dosing Equipment

• Oil Spill Kits

Defying the doubters

Barwil Unitor’s comprehensiveoffer of port services, safety services and marine products isbased on years of experience insolving its customers' requirements

Hutton’s is a Barwil UnitorService Provider

F rom humble beginnings as a high streetchemist Marine & Offshore MedicalSupplies has undergone some heavy

cosmetic surgery en route to becoming aleading medical supplier to the maritimeindustry.

The company has gone from strength tostrength since it abandoned the high streetand turned towards the maritime world. Itwas integrated into the Hutton’s group inJanuary 2005, and co-founder and ManagingDirector, John MacDonald, is convinced therelationship with Hutton’s has been a success.

“The merger of the two businesses certainlyincreased opportunities and allowed Marine& Offshore Medical Supplies to move for-ward,” he said. “There are two main advan-tages. One is the increased floor space as aresult of access to Hutton’s dedicated ware-house at Hull. This allows me to store moregoods and take care of bigger orders. Theability to store greater volumes of stock hasincreased our response time by at least 24hours. We can also supply more specialistitems than we could in the past.

“We operate as separate businesses butthere is always the opportunity to help eachother out. Hutton’s often get enquiries whichI’m able to help with. I have knowledge incertain areas which they don’t possess, andvice verse,” he continued.

Mr MacDonald is certain that bringing thebusinesses together has also proved beneficialto the Hutton’s brand. “I believe it hasimproved its overall business appearance.Hutton’s was a traditional chandler, supplyingfood and hardware. Now it can offer a muchmore complete and comprehensive service.Now there are very few items which Hutton’sis unable to supply to a ship,” he said.

The knowledge contained within the Marine& Offshore Medical Supplies office is alsoexploited by others. Mr MacDonald is oftencalled upon to advise ship owners and author-ities on how to adapt to the changing legisla-tive environment.

He said: “When regulations change we’reable to work with ship owners in an advisoryrole. In the past we’ve worked closely withowners of vessels who felt they were beingunfairly treated. In the UK we’re also advisors to the Maritime and CoastguardAgency. When changes are proposed to legis-lations we’re contacted and asked for ourinput on what the impacts of the legislationmight be.”

However, the real benefit of MrMacDonald’s expertise has been felt by hiscustomers. “The main variable which sets usapart from most of our competitors is thereare only two or possibly three other business-es like us in the UK, exclusively dedicated to

the supply of medical equipment. Quite a fewothers do it as an ‘add-on’ to their normalbusiness,” he said. “As a consequence thereare lots of people who dabble in this highlysophisticated market. However, it’s not onlymedicines that are needed onboard ship.Medical equipment is also required and that’swhere others come unstuck. They often don’tknow what the medical equipment is used foror where to get it from. We have an advan-tage here as a dedicated marine supplier.

Buoyed by the success of the merger, whichhas been followed by two years of “steadygrowth”, the outlook is bright for Marine &Offshore Medical Supplies. “The future looksvery positive,” Mr MacDonald said. “We nowhave the ability to adapt and respond to much larger clients that we wouldn’t havebeen able to deal with in the past. Now we can quite comfortably provide a service to large offshore platforms belonging to oil majors. We can now compete for really bigclients and be sure we can meet their needs.”


Industry Insight

A healthy relationship

“We now have the ability to adaptand respond to much larger clientsthat we wouldn’t have been ableto deal with in the past“

Ship operators intent on using price asthe only criteria for differentiatingbetween suppliers are driving down the

overall quality of the ship supply industry. The problem appears most acute at lines

where orders are made by the procurementofficer rather than by shipboard staff.

“If the choice of supplier only boils down toprice, the only possible outcome is that thequality can go down,” warned Alex Taylor,Hutton’s Managing Director.

Mr Taylor said suppliers who were willing tocompete on the issue of price alone and tocontinually undercut the going rate wouldalways maintain a presence in the industry.“There will always people who are willing todo the business for less and less. However, italways reaches a point where the only thingsthat can occur are a drop in service and adrop in quality,” Mr Taylor continued.

With this behaviour rife in the market, theHutton’s Managing Director has deliberately

positioned his family firm in a differentleague. He said: “We always stress that weoffer more than just a cheap supplier. Weoffer the full service and a quality product.”

The class of operator attracted to use theHutton’s services bears testament to the qual-ity of the products supplied by the UK-basedchandler. “We always do a lot of business with Scandinavian and Northern Europeancustomers. Ship operators from these regionsare much more interested in the service and quality side of the market,” Mr Taylorexplained.

Hutton’s is able to maintain its own highstandards by imposing strict internal stan-dards on the products it supplies. The compa-ny also fosters strong working relationshipswith a number of highly respected suppliers.

Alex Taylor explained: “You can only dropthe price a certain amount. We set a strictquality limit on the products that we buy. Weuse respected suppliers for our products so

that we can be sure of the quality. For exam-ple, the tools we stock are purchased fromDraper Tools, a UK-based manufacturer.Draper Tools only supply quality products,which are very competitively priced in themarketplace.

“People ask for a price and we quote for thatof course. However, we find that we’re verycompetitive in the UK,” he added.

Mr Taylor concedes that the industry’s fixa-tion with price is not likely to go away.However, as the Hutton’s branch networkgoes from strength to strength, there is a def-inite resolve that the company will continueto be a bastion of quality and ensure its cus-tomers remain happy.

“If we supply quality products on time therewill be less returns and the vessel will behappy. The ship will operate more efficiently,run more smoothly and lead to lessheadaches for the customer,” Mr Taylor concluded.


Industry Insight

Raising the standard


Industry Insight

Big may be beautiful, but for the customers ofEazychem a specialised and dedicated serviceis just about perfect.

The company, founded in 2002, has blend-ed chemicals expertise with strong customerrelations to create a winning formula.

“Having the products in place is one part ofthe equation. But, more importantly, we’revery focused on the smaller independent shipowner or manager with one to 30 vessels inits fleet. Often these companies can get leftby the way side and neglected by the largersuppliers. We’re dedicated to working withthese smaller lines,” explained, MarcSfakianakis, Eazychem, Managing Director.

“Our strengths are in dealing with smallshipping companies where we can build up astrong relationship. Some call them cus-tomers: I call them our partners. We’re not avending machine where you feed your moneyin and get the products out. We’re a partnerto them. That’s the kind of relationship wewant with our customers,” he added.

Eazychem now has a presence in 18 coun-tries globally. It’s particularly strong in Greeceand the UK where small ship owners areprominent.

Mr Sfakianakis is convinced his customer-focused approach gives Eazychem an advan-tage over its rivals. “Unlike most of our peersin the market, we specialise only in chemi-

cals,” he said. “We’re not aone-stop supermarket.We’re a specialist chemicalssupplier. Other companieshave diversified into otherproduct lines. As a resultthey lose some of the skills and some of theknowledge in applying certain products to certainorganisations.”

Eazychem’s customerdedication doesn’t stopwhen normal offices closefor the day. “We’ve a 24hour operation whichallows us to take orders andsupply them at any timeduring the day. We quiteoften get calls from cus-tomers who have contacted other companiesoutside of normal office hours and found theiroffices were closed. As a result they’ve cometo us and we’ve been able to deliver. I’d sayour deliverability is unmatched. We strive tofulfil 100% of the requisitions our customersgive to us,” Mr Sfakianakis continued.

Despite the recent rapid growth of theEazychem brand, Mr Sfakianakis has no timefor complacency. Establishing a stronger pres-ence in Norway and Germany is his immedi-

ate priority. However, he has a wider long-term vision. He said: “Within three to fiveyears we’ll be focusing our efforts in the Asianmarkets. We’re looking to open up a hub inSingapore or Malaysia which can look afterthe growing market in the Far East. There’s anaturally growing market and a migration ofskills to that part of the world. The growingeconomies of India and China should natural-ly become larger players in the shipping mar-kets as well.”

The consolidation phenomenon in the shipsupply sector may have peaked and is likelyto lead to a stable yet competitive marketwhere international brands and regional sup-pliers co-exist.

Acquisitions and mergers have been verymuch in vogue throughout the ship supplysector in recent years but the market hasreached equilibrium, Alex Taylor, Hutton’sManaging Director believes.

He said: “I think it’s got to the point where

it [consolidation] can’t proceed any further.”In the UK 50% of trade is dominated by

major brands and the remainder fulfilled bylocal suppliers.

Mr Taylor predicted that the market wouldremain competitive in the UK, with bothmajor forces and local suppliers flourishing.

“There’s still a market for both to operate.The larger ships chandlers will operate on anational level and handle the larger ordersbecause they’ve got the infrastructure and

the logistics to be able to cope. They alsohave the potential buying power to be ableto win that business,” he said.

“Locally based companies will still be ableto operate because there’ll always be shipswhich urgently require items. This type ofbusiness is usually picked up by a smallerlocal company in instances where price isn’tas important as it is for a larger order,” MrTaylor concluded.

Size matters

Eazychem: A formula for success

T he Champagne is on ice, the balloonsare being filled and 180 candles arebeing readied. However, while there’s

a trace of a party mood in the air at Hutton’sHull HQ as the anniversary year rolls around,there’s not a hint of complacency.

Preferring to focus on future opportunitiesrather than past success, Hutton’s ManagingDirector, Alex Taylor, is determined that the company takes full advantage of theunique opportunities a land mark anniversarybrings.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to highlightthat the company has a long history, is wellestablished and still going strong,” he said.“It also gives us a chance to inform customersand potential customers of our existence andwhat we can do for them. At the same timewe would like to show ship owners, shipman-agement specialists and other associates thatwe’re a forward thinking company, capable ofmeeting their needs.”

With a sixth generation of the Taylor dynastydue to arrive in October, the Hutton’s boss isin a positive mood on all fronts. “I’m veryupbeat about the future. There are people inthe ship supply sector and generally in themaritime industry who believe business will

never be as good as it used to be, and theindustry isn’t as good as it was in the good-old-days. It may be the case, but I wasn’taround in the good-old-days, so I don’t know.So I’m very optimistic about the future,” heexplained.

“The last three years have been our best onrecord. The company is growing, the cus-tomer base is developing, the turnover isincreasing and the product range is expand-ing: these are all signs of a positive future. Idon’t see any limits at all to us reaching thetargets we’ve set for ourselves over the nextfew years,” Mr Taylor continued.

A main priority on the horizon for Hutton’sis to increase its profile by widening thescope of its branch network. “The earth is ashrinking place. What we need to look at isadding additional quality services to accom-pany our products. The new operation withinthe shipping industry means that things happen a lot more quickly and owners arerelying more on an established supply net-work rather than looking for a supplier ineach individual port they visit. It’s a matter of


Future Focus

Forward thinking

The company is growing, the customer base is growing, theturnover is growing and the product range is growing

lines linking certain areas with certain suppli-ers. For us, our branch network throughoutthe UK means we can take care of vessels atany UK port.

“That gives our customers the chance ofconsolidating their processes and to just dealwith one company which can look after awider area. However, there is always room forimprovement in our services. What we’ve gotto do is look at areas where we may have aweakness within the UK,” he added.

“Certainly within the next 18 to 24 monthswe will be looking at providing what we seeas full UK coverage, and to be within twohours of every single UK port. We are going tosqueeze out that extra 5% in the moreremote corners of the UK. Within the next

two years we will be opening new offices tobe able to support these areas.

“The UK network we have is very good, but,at the same time, we currently have certainareas which are outside of our specified twohour target. These are areas we need to lookat covering and that will mean opening newbranches.”

If Hutton’s is successful in widening opera-tions on the home front, there’s also a sugges-tion that the branch network could be suc-cessfully applied in mainland Europe andbeyond. “It could spread into Europe and fur-ther a-field to create a strategic network.We’re a British company and the UK networkis where we do our core business. But ulti-mately the network could extend from there.That is one of our medium to long term goalsand is certainly something that we’re dis-cussing and considering for the future.

“Over the next three to five years we’relooking to explore new avenues and openoffices internationally. We’re in Europe andcan get to the mainland relatively quickly.We’re also looking at other markets where we

can open branches to offer support to cus-tomers there. If we can utilise an office in theMiddle East or the Far East, that we could useto offer support to our customers and also asa transit base for ship stores and forwardingspares and consignment orders, that wouldbe a major asset,” he explained.

And it’s not only geographical expansionthat is on the cards. In recent years Hutton’shas looked to expend services from tradition-al cargo ships to the growing cruise industry.“This is a growth market, not just in the UKbut worldwide. It’s projected to have growthfor many years to come. It’s an area where we

currently have a relatively small portion of themarket sector in the UK and it’s certainly anarea where we’re looking at expanding ourcurrent levels,” Mr Taylor said.

“It’s a similar trade and runs very close toour current markets. Any ship you supply willgive you demanding targets in both time andvolume. A cruise ship has the same demands,it’s a case of arranging large quantities of spe-cific quality products within the same timeconstraints. You deal with that in exactly thesame way – it’s just a different product. Thecruise market is certainly an area we’re look-ing to move into and we have the facilitiesand the structure to be able to cope. It’s justa case of applying ourselves and informingcustomers that this is a service we can pro-vide,” Mr Taylor concluded.


Future Focus

If Hutton’s is successful in widening operations on the homefront, there’s also a suggestionthat the branch network could be successfully applied in mainlandEurope and beyond

“Certainly within the next 18 to 24 months we will be looking at providing what we see as full UK coverage, and to be within two hours of every single UK port“

And it’s not only geographical expansion that is on the cards. Inrecent years Hutton’s has looked toexpend services from traditionalcargo ships to the growing cruiseindustry

“The cruise market is certainly anarea we’re looking to expand intoand we have the facilities and thestructure to be able to cope. It’s justa case of applying ourselves”

Hutton & Co. (Ship Chandlers) LtdJames Bell House, Connaught Road, Kingswood, Hull HU7 3AQ, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1482 324093 • Fax:+44 (0) 1482 580588 • E-mail: [email protected]

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