It had been almost two years since I last visited Fly By Nite at its Redditch HQ, and, as many in the sector are aware, the company has since faced the heartbreaking reality of soldiering on after the death of founder, David Coumbe. A stalwart of the industry who founded the company in 1989, his presence is still felt at the logistics specialists’ offices and in the minds of the staff. Since his passing, members of upper management had to assume new roles and honour Coumbe’s legacy, including the newly appointed Director, Joanne Sewards and Operations Director, Paul Walker.
“It was very important for the team that Dave’s legacy lived on in all the work we do,” stated Sewards. “It took a year for everyone to settle into new roles following Dave’s passing,” added Walker. “It was a great loss and required some adjusting as a company. However, the biggest thing we miss – apart from his character – is his vast array of contacts on both sides of the pond. He’d also come across every scenario imaginable when it came to transport. We have taken the wealth of knowledge that Dave passed on, and through his teachings and values, we are able to contribute to the level and standard he set.”
A NEW CHAPTER
Like many UK-based trucking companies, Fly By Nite had to establish bases in Europe to continue operating in both the UK and Europe due to Brexit regulations. In 2021, the company formed Fly By Nite Europe in Dublin and joined forces with Saan Trucking, a Dutch trucking company, to create Saan FBN Europe, which operates out of the Netherlands.
The company also recently increased its footprint in Dublin to a two acre site, “which strengthens our capacity to serve the European market further,” stated Sewards. “We’ve had to adapt, from the way we sell ourselves through to handling the requests from the production managers,” mused Walker, referring to the tendency for more “wrangling on prices” when it came to quoting for a tour. “People seem to be driving down costs from the supplier side, which means that PMs think more savings can be made. There are some jobs that have been driven down to a stage where they’re not worth doing,” he revealed.
Despite this unwelcome trend, Fly By Nite is doubling down on providing the best service possible. “Many PMs appreciate our services and will come to us due to the calibre of our drivers, not to mention our ability to deal with those bigger tours of upwards of 90 trucks,” stated Sewards.
The company highlighted that, due to industry demand, over the past few years, the company has made significant investments, purchasing 85 new trucks since July 2023 and an additional 100 trailers. Adam Pettigrew, Workshop Manager, commented: “We’ve been looking at our business model and saw an opportunity to purchase trucks of a different configuration,” he explained. “One thing that we have struggled with is aiding the movement of generators, and we often had to outsource vehicles for these moves. But now we have invested in 6/2 axle tractor units – 44 tonne payload, meaning we don’t have to rely on sub contactors anymore.”
Pettigrew believes these investments are mission-critical to its service. “It’s always about having an overview of what trucks are going in and out on tour,” he said. “The newer trucks have inbuilt software that will send information of any fault over to the dealer, who then will contact us to look at it – sometimes even before a warning will appear on the driver’s dashboard. Over the years, we’ve increased our network of service partners across Europe, so that in the worst-case scenario, a problem can be fixed.”
Going over every detail seems to be a theme among Pettigrew and his team of mechanics, who are constantly questioning how to make things more efficient and, in turn, provide better service to customers. “We changed over to HVO recently, which heavily reduces the carbon footprint of our tour. We’ve investigated more minute changes such as tyres with less rolling resistance that then burn less fuel, as well as improving the aerodynamics of the trucks for the same reason.”
While TPi was on site, it coincided with a day when Pettigrew was looking over a new e-truck. “It’s been used on several jobs to get an idea of where this offering could sit within Fly By Nite’s overall business.”
Sewards added: “We’re continually looking at the sustainable side of the businesses. Our move to HVO is just the start, and it’s now a debate whether we should invest in electric vehicles and even implement our own electric charging station or perhaps even look at hydrogen, but it is something that we will continue to discuss.”
Recently, the company reviewed its internal processes regarding drivers’ time spent going in and out of Europe. “We’ve created our own in-house tracker which keeps tabs on drivers’ time in Europe, both for work and holidays, so when we put them on a tour, we can see the number of days they have left,” he commented.
A 360° OFFERING
Although trucking is arguably the business’ most well-known offering, there are two other major arrows in the company’s quiver, with both the large arena sized rehearsal facility down the road from the HQ, and Fly By Nite’s extensive storage facility keeping band’s equipment safe away from the road.
“We want to be a one-stop shop for customers,” stated Sewards. “Scottie [Sanderson], who oversees the rehearsal facility, has been with us for many years, but more recently, we’ve made efforts to unite, giving productions the solutions to provide their trucks, studio space and storage all from one company.”
Sanderson picked up on this closer working relationship and shared what it means for customers: “There has been increased focus, and collaboration between the studio and transport sides of the business. We’re keen for more people to know that we can do a deal together. It’s not a hard sale but more a ‘value add’ to the service.”
For both the studio and storage offerings, the company is responding to greater industry demand for infrastructure. “Currently, 95% of our band storage cages are full,” stated Walker. “A few months ago, we even had to add a mezzanine to one of our warehouses as demand was so great. Customers seem to appreciate the ease of access with the option of potential 24-hour access to their equipment and room to prep anything they might need.”
Market demand has also led the team to consider expanding its rehearsal offering. “Currently, we are seriously looking at the addition of a band rehearsal facility as that seems to be one of the main things we are missing,” shared Sewards.
THE ROAD AHEAD…
“Unquestionably, last year was busy and the touring season has elongated,” said Sales Manager Tom Curtis, reflecting on the past 12 months. The trucking company has had firsthand experience at the sharp end of the touring market, having provided logistics for five of last year’s ten highest-grossing tours. “It’s a stat that we are particularly proud of,” stated Sewards. “As we move into another busy year, our goal is to continue listening to clients, understanding what they need from us, and finding ways to make things easier for them.”
With a glance at the calendars on the wall, it’s clear that 2026 is set to be more of the same for Fly By Nite, with an increasingly elongated touring season. What is equally clear, however, is that the company’s new senior team has a firm grip on the wheel.
Words: Stew Hume
Photos: TPi Magazine
