In The Company Of: Why random acts of kindness are important to RJC Plant Services director Chris Jackson

In a nutshell, what does your company do and how did it start?

RJC Plant Services began over a decade ago as a venture between friends with just two sweepers. Fuelled by trust, hard work and a shared vision, the business has grown into a thriving company with over 30 vehicles, a five-star reputation for reliability and excellence diversifying into grabs, tipper wagons, vacuum tankers and hook loaders, and aggregate supplies.

What's the most surprising thing about it?

The variety of work, as each day is different. No day is the same, and it keeps things really interesting, especially with the variety of work we are offered. From cleaning roads near building sites, to reacting at very short notice to accidents in the region. We need to be on scene asap to help clear vehicles and get motorways moving again.

What do you do in the business?

I mainly oversee the workshop and day to day running, managing stock control and paying suppliers. However I like to be hands on, so am happy to help out in the workshop or drive the trucks etc when needed but my main role is managing the business.

How did you end up here?

Both myself and my co-director, John Harrison, have worked in transport previously and both came from a farming background. We’ve been friends for many years and when an opportunity came up to try something different, we jointly decided to give it a go, and haven’t looked back.

If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing?

I am a qualified mechanic and MOT tester, so would probably still be working in the transport/recovery industry.

What motivates you?

Seeing the business grow and develop. It’s a nice feeling seeing your trucks on the road doing a great job, receiving the positive feedback from clients, and developing strong relationships over many years.

What one thing do you wish you had known when you started out in business?

The unforeseen costs of running a business. We initially invested in two trucks but were not able to get a loan or overdraft, so we have genuinely worked for everything we have achieved.

What excites you about business?

New challenges and seeing the business develop. We get such a kick seeing our trucks out and about, and how the business has grown.

What is your pet hate in business?

Dirty trucks - there is no excuse not to keep them clean when we have all the facilities to be able to. Unreliability and poor communication on any level in business also annoy me.

We are known for our ability to respond very quickly and reliability to our clients is therefore key. Whether it is an accident or dangerous mud on a road, we need to get there quickly.

What advice would you give to people just starting their careers?

Work hard and put the hours in, but make sure you can walk before you can run.

Always do your best to offer a great service and ensure that communication is key on every level.

Who in business do you most admire, and why?

Yorkshire ex-coal miner Jimi Heselden, who designed a geotextile fabric-lined bastion for erosion and flood control on beaches and in marshes, and founded HESCO Bastion Ltd. He built the company from nothing to a multi-million-pound business, and became a legendary entrepreneur in Leeds, buying Segway Inc in 2009.

What moments of your career so far stand out?

Covid made us look at things completely differently. Our business was able to continue, which we were so grateful for. This made us want to give back to other people who were struggling with the challenges they were faced with.

As a result of this we started doing random acts of kindness, which we continue to do now – we even featured on The One Show for the One Big Thank You. We held an NHS Drive Thru with the fleet during covid, making our way through the local villages, which showed great community spirit.

We also work closely with the local community to help with improvements and continue to support charities and local sports clubs. We’ve built on this now with the RJC Jolly Drive Thru at Christmas collecting toys for children in need.

Celebrating a decade in business was a milestone for us too – and we celebrated it with a naked calendar for Melanoma UK, which was great fun!

What sets your company apart from the competition?

We have grown into a big company but still have strong, personal values. We always try to build strong relationships with our clients and offer a great service.

What is the most difficult challenge your company has faced? And what challenges are you experiencing at the moment?

The continual increase in our overheads, including fuel costs, NI hikes and the price of parts.

Recruitment always remains a challenge in our industry on an ongoing basis getting good drivers.

Have you got a five-year plan for the company?

In truth no, we have always grown the business organically and continue to do so. We’ll continue to invest in our fleet, the team and how we give back.

Why is it good to do business in Yorkshire?

In order to provide a good service we like to ensure our work is within a certain radius of our head office, therefore we can keep our costs down and alleviate the need to use out of area sub-contractors. We are however proud of being able to support companies and local authorities in the area.

Factfile

Name: Chris Jackson.

Age: 48.

Birthplace: York.

Job title: Director.

Company name: RJC Plant Services.

Company address: Sycamore Farm, Brackenhill Lane, Church Fenton, LS24 9RP.

Website address: https://www.rjcplantservices.com/

Company founded: 2014.

Turnover: N/A.

Number of staff: 24.