22 insight into family businesses
120 years on, Williams Shipping holds its course
Journalist John Burbedge sat in on a RSM Tenon client contact meeting and discovered that despite the business storms, Williams Shipping continues to hold its course
The Williams family name has been linked to Southampton docks since 1894 when George Williams bought a sailing barge and founded his marine business.
Williams Shipping has survived the business storms for nearly 120-years, and though the world has undergone vast social and technological change, the company has maintained its traditional values of high standard professional service, fairness to customers, support for suppliers and the caring involvement of its staff, explained Michaela Johns, director of audit for RSM Tenon.
Today Williams Shipping Group has a £12 million turnover, operates in Southampton and Pembroke dockyards and Liverpool, and has stretched its coastal credentials far inland.
Williams Marine Services – from bonded warehousing to environmental clean-ups, multi- purpose workboats and dockside cranes to tugs, barges and fast launches – remains the company’s founding bedrock, complemented by specialist services delivered by subsidiary Williams Marine Lubricants.
Williams Transport – boasting some of the south’s largest lowloaders and articulated lorries – is one of the group’s four trading subsidiaries. WillBox offers nationwide hire or sale of containers, often innovatively converted into workspace cabins.
Fourth and fifth generation Williams still manage the company. Joint managing directors are Colin Williams (finance and administration) and older brother Eric (operations), Eric’s sons head up the subsidiaries as operations directors – Philip (marine), Jonathan (inland).
“Eric and I have a very definite succession plan in place, and its known within the company that we are gradually handing over more and more to them,“ says Colin Williams.
www.businessmag.co.uk Colin Williams and Michaela Johns at the wheel
Luck has also kept the business growing for five generations. “It’s fortunate that Philip and Jonathan have embraced the business, and the whole family get on together incredibly well. We have healthy disagreements but we are all agreed on the sort of business we want to be.“
Actually, the Williams ’family’ extends throughout the 80-strong workforce. The company has an enviable friendly culture in which teamwork has evolved into a single concept of personal pride in the performance of the corporate ’family’, adds Johns.
Staff turnover is “incredibly low“, around 5%, with local families working long-term within the company. “We’ve had three generations working together at one time.“
During downturns the company’s main aim (after survival) has been to retain its workers. “We’ve invested in our people and they are our most valuable asset. It’s an old cliché, but so true. We made no-one redundant during the 2008 recession, and have taken on people since then,“ said Williams, with pride.
People care about each other within Williams Shipping. When one valued employee announced he was moving to South Wales, the
company helped find him a job. Ironically, that job led to Williams’ extensive business links with Pembroke Docks.
“We run the business properly, comply with the laws, and invest heavily in ensuring our people are as safe as possible.“
The Williams’ fair and caring family culture extends well beyond its own worksites. “We value all our suppliers because without them we don’t have a business.“ Paying bills promptly is a Williams Shipping business hallmark, adds Johns.
An open management style encouraging staff initiative and two-way communication has engendered trust, loyalty and commitment within Williams Shipping, Johns notes.
Economic ’storms’ have taught Williams Shipping to be master of its own destiny. “Our four subsidiaries may overlap and inter-trade but they are far more focused now, have more direction and strategy for their individual and collective futures. That’s been the big step forward for us in recent years. We used to be reactive, but now we are pro-active, stronger in our marketing, talking to our customers more often, and developing our own business opportunities.“
Colin Williams credits much of that transformation to RSM Tenon. “We have had enormous input from RSM Tenon, they have focused us on the importance of carrying the business forward; running the business, not letting it run us.“ He recalled a recent full-day strategy meeting with RSM Tenon “which really set the agenda for us on all the key future issues“.
“Recognition of the need for outside help is often a failing of family businesses,“ he commented. “There are certain elements of business where you won’t have expertise. It’s naïve to think otherwise. I am a qualified accountant but employ RSM Tenon because, for example, they understand tax planning better than we do.“
With RSM Tenon providing its impartial view, expert knowledge and innovative ideas, it was “like having an extra member on the Board“, said Williams.
Getting work-life balance correct in a family business can be difficult. “It tends to become a 24/7 thing, and a family dinner can easily turn into a board meeting.“
Separating business and family attachments is not always easy. “The decision to buy a new vessel could take 15 minutes, but naming it might take hours.“
So, how big does Williams Shipping want to be?
“We are more interested in becoming stronger than bigger, so we can withstand future challenges,“ says Williams.
“We are an interesting size at present; big enough to be robust and retain skilled staff, but small enough to duck and dive around problems, be nimble when an opportunity arises.
“With no external shareholders to satisfy“, adds Johns, “Williams Shipping can make rapid decisions, adapt quickly, and confidently make long-term plans.“
Details for RSM Tenon offices
Southampton: 023-8064-6464 Basingstoke: 01256-312312 Bournemouth: 01202-204780 Reading: 0118-9530350
www.rsmtenon.com
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – APRIL 2012
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