2020 is set to be a big year for Totalkare. The supplier of heavy-duty vehicle lifting solutions will celebrate a big birthday this year. But that is just one chapter of its story.
40 years on from Somers Handling supplying its first lift in the UK, the company is using this milestone moment to press the button on a five-year expansion plan. That will see more than £750,000 invested in the business.
“It is the right time to lay the foundations for our next four decades,” says Managing Director David Hall. He is joined by Chairman Mike Lord, Sales and Marketing Director James Radford and Finance Director Peter Geobey in the company’s new look leadership team.
In a short space of time, David has overseen a 25% increase in sales and the introduction of new testing solutions.
“The business will always be based on the founding principles of customer care and being experts in our field. We want to put a marker in the sand for the next stage of our development,” he adds.
“We have already started the process of implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning system that will give us lots of internal and external efficiency improvements, and that will pave the way for our relocation to a new purpose-built site in the Midlands.”
Totalkare starts building for the future
David continues: “In total, this is a significant spend for us. We are in the final stages of negotiations on a great location that is close to our current home in Halesowen.
“It’s a necessary move to give us the ability to optimise the workflow on the shop floor and to increase our capacity to hold stock of mobile column lifts, brake testers, headlamp testers and other future products.”
Previously known as Somers Handling, Somers Vehicle Lifts and Somers Totalkare, the company is respected throughout the UK for being an industry leader in the supply, service and maintenance of two- and four-post lifts, mobile column lifts and forklifter ramp systems.
Many of Totalkare’s clients have benefitted from its lifting solutions for 40 years.
Those businesses cover some of the biggest names in the coach and bus, commercial vehicle and heavy haulage sectors.
A range made up of more than just lifts
James knows more about the Totalkare appeal, having joined the company back in 1992 as a trainee in sales.
When asked about the key moments, he points to the launch of the first cable free lift in 2009 that added new flexibility to workshops, the introduction of the hydraulic column lift in 2016 and, last year, a move to offering Totalkare’s first non-lifting products.
“The introduction of brake and headlamp testers has been a real gamechanger for us. There is no doubt about that,” says James.
He goes on to add: “Our customers had been asking us about the possibility of us supplying them with those products. We came up with the highest quality mobile and in-ground brake testers and a range of headlamp testers.
“That was the first stage. We then had to replicate our approach with lifting solutions to ensure that we became a respected expert in the testing field. The easiest way of achieving that quickly was by recruiting two experts in Graham Simmons and Luke Simmons.”
Sales have outstripped the management’s initial projections and contributed significantly to driving the 25% increase in orders in 2019.
Brake testing another string to the Totalkare bow
Mobile brake testers have led the way thanks to their flexibility. The galvanised finish means that they can be used as effectively outside as inside, giving customers maximum workshop utilisation.
“The operator cannot afford the time and cost delays involved in getting vehicles in for brake testing. If there is significant downtime, it will find that it creates problems for its business,” adds James.
“While there is an initial investment to be made, we expect that outlay could be recouped in the first year. The durability of our brake testers means that they can withstand huge workloads and can be configured to suit specific requirements.
“Headlamp aim is the most common failure item at annual test, both for PCVs and HGVs. Again, we have listened to our clients by providing manual and electronic headlamp testers to accommodate all workshop scenarios.”
Reseach and development expenditure continues
With numerous birthday celebrations planned for 2020, David has the final word on what else the year has in store for Totalkare.
“It’s about laying the foundations for the next five years. But that does not mean that we haven’t set ourselves ambitious targets. 25% growth is expected again over the next 12 months.
“R&D continues at pace. We are already planning the introduction of another new range of products and increasing the capabilities of our existing ones.
“We’ve got to stay ahead of the competition. Great products with excellent service: That’s the Totalkare way.”
