A Brief History ...

The company was first formed in 1936, operating as Heanor Coal & Haulage, the business continued to the outbreak of World War II, when the vehicles were compulsory acquired for military purposes.

After the war Jack Searson and elder brother Ken, bought the dormant company, with its three 'Open A' licenses and five 'Short Term B' licenses, Heanor Haulage Company Limited was born.

The company operated in Langley Mill, and progressed steadily mainly engaged in tipper work, in the early 1950's the company outgrew its operating location, and moved to the rear of the social club on the Marpool estate in Heanor.

At this time Ken's son, Peter joined the company as its fleet engineer, with Peter's influence the company progressed from tipper work, to be engaged in six wheeled rigid flats, and as the opportunity arouse a new Dyson low loader was purchased and a six wheeled Scammel rigid flat lorry was converted successfully in a 4 x 2 arctic tractor unit.

A few years on, expansion was the watch word, but to obtain additional 'Open A' licences was virtually impossible, and this could only be achieved by buying other hauliers, the first was Buckland Haulage, business prospered, and Peter commissioned a local engineering company to build 40' long trailers from his own design. The introduction of these trailers provided extremely successful and in 1963 with the increase in business the company decided to look for new premises.

At the time the National Coal Board announced the closure of New Langley Colliery, the colliery duly purchased and with its 28 acres remained the operating centre until 1996, the new yard lent itself to open storage, and it wasn't long before every conceivable square foot of space was used to store gas pipes prior to arrival of North Sea gas, managing this huge storage facility was the introduction into the transport world of Jack's 16 year old son Ian.

'Open A' licences were still very difficult to obtain so the decision was made to purchase Graham & Brown Transport of Coventry, and Thamesmouth Transport, along with surplus British Road Services licenses, during the 1970's the introduction of the present 'O Licence' played a major part in the moulding company structure as we know today.

1978 saw Heanor Haulage enter into a joint venture with Zahid Tractors in Saudi Arabia, a heavy haulage company known as Zahid Heanor Heavy Transportation emerged, with Ian Searson appointed the resident operations manager in the Kingdom.

In 1996 the company moved once again, this time to Wesley Street, Langley Mill, Nottinghamshire, the company continued on the site until early 2010, when the company moved once again to Hallam Fields Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

What does the future hold ?

Ken and Jack are no longer with us but their sons, Peter and Ian are following in their footsteps keeping their feet on the ground and quietly building on the previous success of this family business.