We discover that after 8/9 years Paul’s father had built the company into Fox The Mover building a couple of warehouses along the way. Paul joined the company working weekends and school holidays to fund his motorcycle habit and started fulltime at the age of 16, starting as a porter and in the garage, and at the young age of 18 through the RTITB (Road Transport Industry Training Board) gained his HGV licence. Before turning 20 Paul was shipped off to run the Cardiff branch (William Flay Removals) under the guidance of Stuart Fitton.

We discuss that when Roy took on the BAR Presidency in 1984, Paul (aged 23) was transferred to run the head office in Cwmbran, which consisted approximately of 8 trucks on removals and 8 trucks on distribution.

We discover that Roy, together with John Court, Mike Banks, Mike Devereux and a few others formed a co-operative called Britannia Movers International, which was based upon American Van Lines, but Roy left, amicably, in 1986. In 1987 The Pantechnicon (established 1830) was purchased but was an absolute disaster which nearly cost their own business.

We discuss that today Fox Group turnover approximately £10m, 40-50 trucks, 120 staff and 14 business units.

We discover Paul’s challenges have been the turmoil years after buying The Pantechnicon, the recession in 1992, the subprime mortgage crisis in 2007, and of course Covid.

We discuss that the one thing Paul would change from his past would be to get an education, however this is not a regret but merely an observation.

We discover Paul has several highpoints of being within the industry, BAR (which has been Paul’s university from an educational point of view), following in his father’s footsteps and taking up Presidency in 2004, eventually getting all the shares of the company and becoming the owner, and building new & refurbishing old premises.

We discuss the one thing Paul would change within the industry is yet again 3.5 tonne vans as it is a low entry into the industry, but that may be changing with European Union legislation insisting that vehicles over 2.5 tonne are registered on your operators licence.

We discover that the advice Paul would give to himself starting out in the industry again would be to work smarter not harder.

We discuss where Paul sees himself and the industry in the next 5 years, for himself he does not see himself retiring, even though his father retired at 60, and industry wise he does hope that 3.5 tonne regulation is enforced, but also believes it is up to the younger generation to be professional and develop their businesses, perhaps becoming better salesmen.

We discover that outside of the industry Paul does try to discipline himself and switch off, and is a frustrated sportsman participating in long distance running, cycling and triathlons! And living in a barn conversion with a couple of fields there is always something for Paul to be doing.

And as always we end Moving Matters with three funny moving stories, one involving a piano, one involving a bicycle during an institute study tour to Frankfurt, and one involving Mike Devereux and a minibar!

Enjoy!

Links to Fox Group (Moving & Storage) Ltd:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Linkedin

Special Guest: Paul Fox.

We discover that after 18 months full time in Exeter, Mark was sent to Stockport for 4 weeks to manage John Bradshaw, which was jointly owned by Derek Blatchford and Burt Waddington. However, 4 weeks turned into 4 years and Mark returned to the Exeter depot after John Bradshaw was sold to Malcolm Halley, before moving to the Bristol depot for a couple of years.

We discuss that in Mark’s latter years of his time at Blatchpack Bristol, he got quite heavily involved in antique shipping to the States. Upon leaving Blatchpack in 1988, Mark started antique shipping for Mike Bell (based in Chicago), which he did for 6 years. In 1994 he expanded into antique shipping for others, and although Mark did not want to do removals, however a change in the antique marketplace (with 911, the advent of the Internet, and the aids virus), meant that in 2003 Mark ordered his first removal truck!

We discover that having had experience of the BAR during his early days at Blatchpack, Mark joined the BAR in 2003, and on his second BAR area meeting became National Councillor for the Western Area, which was the start of Mark’s interest in BAR matters.

We discuss that approximately 12 years ago Mark met the Morton family in Cyprus, and started a working relationship offering imports and exports, which now accounts for a third of Mark’s business.

We discover that Mark has had a few challenges, in the early days it was financial, in 2008/9 it was the recession, but the most difficult was an accident that involved a fatality. Mark’s current challenge is trying to find drivers!

We discuss the change Mark would make from his past, especially the early days, was to take a few more chances rather than being too conservative.

We discover Mark’s succession plan was going to be his son Adam taking over the business. However, due to a very serious accident to a family member Adam switched industries to ensure continuation of that family business. Due to this Mark decided to look into selling the business and was in discussion with one of the larger groups, and then Covid hit which scuppered everything, but coincidently at the time an approach was made by Paul Fox, and today Chudley Moving & Shipping is now part of The Fox Group.

We discuss Mark’s high point, and it is that he succeeded in business, the respect earned, and working with his family.

We discover that Mark is BAR President Elect (BAR President from June 2021), and hopes to continue the theme of BAR being there for its members, supporting the Director General (Ian Studd) and to be active on committees.

We discuss what Mark would like to change within the industry and it is regulation and 3.5 tonne vans having an affect on the professionalism of the industry.

We discover that Mark’s advice to a younger self would be to have more confidence, but on the whole he is pretty happy with what he has achieved.

We discuss that over the next 5 years Mark has his 2 years of BAR Presidency, he is not ready for full retirement and is looking forward to opportunities within The Fox Group. Industry wise, Mark does not see any change in regulation and therefore smaller movers will continue to dominate the industry, and he also sees more consolidation.

We discover that outside of the industry Mark never switches off, but does find time to visit his caravan in Cornwall in the Summer, enjoys cooking and restoration, which he learnt from his early days working with Mike Bell.

And as always we end Moving Matters with 3 funny moving stories including a European trip via Switzerland, and another involving radiator covers!

Enjoy!

Links to Chudley Moving & Shipping:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter

Special Guest: Mark Chudley.