Owens Group

OWENS GROUP CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF SERVICE!

To honour a landmark year for South Wales based haulier Owens Group, Search Impex are pleased to announce the release a 1:50 scale Volvo FH 460 Globetrotter (6×2) with 3 axle, curtain trailer, customised in their new striking livery.

The models have been produced exclusively for Search Impex by WSI Models as a certificated Limited Edition (305 pieces) and have been commissioned by Owens Group to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2022.

1972 saw the launch of a light haulage operation based in Llanelli, South Wales, starting with a single van and the ambition of Huw Owen. Working within and for the local community, transporting and moving a range of goods from furniture to piano parts, excellent service and honest reputation enabled rapid growth and the addition of two small lorries to the new business. With the assistance of his brother Eurof, the Owens Brothers became Owens (Road Services) Ltd and the iconic blue liveried trucks started to cover the length and breadth of the country, servicing local and national accounts, that they are still working with present day.

By 1985, Owens (Road Services) Ltd operated a fleet of more than 30 trucks and in the early 1990’s, the company expanded further by starting to undertake haulage journeys into mainland Europe. With the continued successes within transport and the strong base that provided, the brothers diversified and strategically developed into warehousing, allowing them to offer further services to both existing and new customers alike. Opportunities kept presenting themselves through the acquisition of additional depots along the M4 in South Wales, and by 2010 saw the inclusion of ancillary support service businesses. To mark their 35th year, Owens (Road Services) Ltd introduced a smart new look livery to its ever-growing fleet of trucks, and the inaugural circular logo which incorporated Owens traditional blue and red colour scheme, an eye catching and distinctive design still dominating the roads today.

The last decade has witnessed impressive and continuous growth throughout the business, with the emergence of transport hubs with integrated warehouses in both Wales and England, as well as opening an in-house Authorised Testing Facility near Llanelli. The acquisition of BTS Haulage in Manchester cemented the market dominance held by Owens (Road Services) Ltd and a great achievement to measure the scale of which the business had grown.

In 2016, Owens (Road Services) Ltd became Owens Group, incorporating all areas of the business in order to reflect the services offered. The Group now employs around 1,000 people across the UK and offers its customers a dedicated and professional 24/7 service, 364 days a year, whilst maintaining and upholding the key family values on which it was built.

Their most recent achievement came when company founder and now Group Chairman, Huw Owen was awarded an MBE, (Member of the Order of the British Empire), in the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours for services to Employment and the community in Llanelli and South Wales, a testament to the humble beginning and the continued improvement made within the local community.

Now Wales’ largest, family-owned, independent logistics & transport company and with depots in Llanelli, Port Talbot, Bridgend, Newport, Droitwich, Wrexham and Carrington, the company also operates 2.5 million square feet of warehousing space to help support its logistics, pallet distribution, bulk haulage and express & home delivery operations. Last year saw the opening of its new headquarters based at Bynea, Llanelli, this flagship new depot has been completed perfectly in time for celebrations across 2022 to mark 50 years in business. Three generations of the Owens family currently work within the business and with the support of a strong and capable senior leadership team, everyone is extremely proud of the history but retains, nonetheless, a keen eye firmly on the future.

The Volvo FH truck on which the model has been based is one of 60 Volvo units which will be delivered to Owens Group. Based primarily at their North West Depots, the new trucks are being vinyl wrapped in their striking livery by Owens Group’s in-house team before joining a fleet of approximately 550 vehicles and 850 trailers. They will be used for general haulage throughout the UK, providing high quality transport services to their customers.

Models, available from Search Impex, are priced at £154 each (including UK delivery & VAT). For details of availability of this and other models, collectors can visit the Search Impex website at www.search-impex.co.uk or call on 01332 873555.