In this episode, Mark Brett, Owner of Anglo French, discusses how he began within the industry nearly 40 years ago, after being brought up around trucks due to his father’s haulage business.
Mark’s father’s haulage business branched into removals, firstly providing local moves in Kent and then progressed to specialising in Spain, forming Anglo Spanish where Mark learned his removals trade. During Thatcherism, moves to Spain dried up and coupled with his father’s health, Anglo Spanish closed. After a short spell (5 years) of owning and running a fishing tackle shop (his boyhood dream), Mark sold up, bought his first truck, and returned to removals, forming Anglo French (approximately November 1998), which specialised solely in France, where Mark even relocated himself too, for 5 years.
Mark’s biggest challenge has been staff and finds that the younger generation are insecure.
Mark would like to change two things from his moving past, being braver at times (should have brought his own warehouse), and to have spent more time enjoying some of the fantastic places he’s delivered too.
Mark’s highpoint of being within the industry is getting Anglo French (starting from nothing) to where it is today.
The one thing Mark would like to change within the industry is regulation, and does see it being part of our industry, but is still a long way off.
The advice Mark would give himself just starting out within the industry again is not to change the path he’s been down.
In the next 5 years, or sooner rather than later, Mark sees himself out of the industry as his exit plan comes to fruition. Industry wise, Mark sees a lack of experienced drivers and porters coming through being a concern, domination from the larger nationwide companies as they continue to purchase established family businesses, and key exchange will only improve as the current system cannot continue.
Outside of the industry Mark enjoys his carp fishing, and even competes in the British Carp Angling Championship. Mark also enjoys watching his beloved Liverpool FC and helps out with coaching at grass-route level for his daughter’s team.
And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story, but not just one, three!
Enjoy!
Links to Anglo French:
Special Guest: Mark Brett.