Add a million dollars of your own money to the equation and you have some idea how Mark Allen felt when committing to launch Central Quarry Materials.
The only, and most important advantage Mark had going for him at the time, were the industry contacts he had acquired from his previous business experiences and the fact that he also purchased the company's operational premises from his previous employer of 17 years.
Central goes about supplying quarry products to landscape firms and civil contractors and provides very competitive bulk transport services to a range of industrial and commercial enterprises. "We wholesale purchase materials such as sand, soils and aggregate from Select Quarry sites both North and South of Sydney and deliver in bulk to our customers which are mainly located in the metropolitan area. It's a fairly hectic routine usually taking up to 14 hours a day, six days of the week," says Mark.
In a given year, Central can move up to 450,000 tonnes of material, using their seven truck and dog combinations, manufactured all by Sloanebuilt Trailers. All but one tipper unit is fitted with BPW axles and air suspension.
"Even before I went into business and I found that Sloanebuilt and BPW offer a better than average return on investment with their products which are backed up by good old fashioned responsive service, which I need to remain competitive and available for my clients," says Mark.
All Central three axle tippers use Ebdro CS series hoists, again as Mark says, to allow him and his drivers to respond at all times to his customers needs.
"I'm very fortunate to have such a close rapport with our customers, I guess because I've known most for many years. However, given their trust you still have to be on your toes and able to respond to the occasional phone call you get late at night for an early morning job.
"Once you've been able to achieve those sort of customer demands there's no better feeling than being thanked for your company's exemplary efforts," he said.
Looking back over the past four years, Mark tells us he is pleased with the progress pf the business and their track record on service. The chosen truck and dog combinations allow Central good access to all quarry suites and as such enables Mark to achieve his projected productivity.
Although hesitant about his plans to establish the business in such a short period, one scan see Mark's initial calculated gamble has paid off. But Mark has no illusions about what it takes to keep the business in business.
"With the pressure always there for your competitors to take you on at every opportunity, you have to continually fight for what you've got, never being complacent. Having said that, I am happy with the company's progress and the team we have built. Believe it or not, I really enjoy coming to work each day, which is a huge bonus, especially when the financial rewards are in tune with putting everything on the line. For me it doesn't get any better than that."
