The winners of the latest crop of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle aftersales apprentice awards, Kane Hindmarsh and William Stewart, can now look forward to a week’s work with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team in the run up to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Hindmarsh, who is based at the Sheffield branch of Northside Truck & Van, took the trophy for commercial vehicle parts operations specialist apprentice of the year, while William Stewart, of City West Commercials, Avonmouth, claimed the commercial vehicle technical apprentice of the year title – following in the footsteps of a former trainee with the same dealer won the corresponding prize last year.
Commercial vehicle safety product firm Sentinel Systems is in new hands. Following several months of negotiations, private investor John Little has acquired the business founded by Bill Paulson in 1986. Qualified as a mechanical engineer, Little has built up 30 years’ experience in design, development, manufacturing and sales of commercial and specialist vehicles, latterly as MD of Fluid Transfer International, an aviation refuelling vehicle supplier.
Jim French, past chairman of the Road Haulage Association, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The citation reads: “James Anthony French - For Services to Young People in the Transport industry.” During his time as chairman, French supported the formation of Road to Logistics – a charitable organisation launched to offer a route into logistics for diverse groups including veterans, reformed offenders, women, the disabled and young people leaving care. He started his career as a traffic office trainee before becoming a driver, and then moving into management with BRS (British Road Services), then to Exel Logistics and finally PD Ports on Teeside, where he still works part-time.
Intelligent Telematics has expanded its business development function with the appointment of Ian Hoskins as UK sales manager. Hoskins brings almost 25 years of fleet-and telematics-related experience within the sales environment to his new role. He joins Intelligent Telematics from driver risk management company Lytx, where he spent more the four years working in the enterprise business development team.
Vehicle axle weighing system manufacturer Axtec International has appointed Alasdair Littlejohn as export sales manager, confirming the company’s intention to establish the Axtec brand in markets throughout Europe and beyond. He assumes responsibility for sales of the complete Axtec product range overseas – including dynamic, static and portable weighing equipment and its new range of on-board load indicator products. Littlejohn worked for 23 years for one of the world’s largest load and force sensor manufacturers.
Bibby Distribution has appointed Marcus Torincsi as its continuous improvement director – a new boardroom role focused on enhancing customer service and maximising efficiency. Torincsi, 48, has more than two decades’ experience working across the distribution, logistics, retail and supply chain sectors and joins the 3PL from Eddie Stobart, where he managed continuous improvement and network development programmes across its transport and warehouse networks.
With the technological advances in vehicle safety systems and the demands of an increasingly connected world, Brigade Electronics Group has appointed Rachel Hutson as group IT and communications director to support the company’s rapid growth. Hutson is the company’s first IT director, which shows the requirements for greater digital expertise, not only internally, but also in terms of the development of future innovative products.
vGroup International, a provider of motor accessory essentials, has appointed Ryan Godfrey to head up its one-stop shop vComms division as the company bids to expand its national mobile car and van accessory fitment service across the fleet and leasing industries and to franchise dealer groups. Godfrey was most recently vGroup International’s customer services manager for three years. He has devised a three-year plan to expand vComms in the end-user fleet and contract hire and leasing sectors.
CoolKit has strengthened its UK presence by recruiting a sales representative in the South East. Kevin Letham, who has spent most of his career in the transport and logistics industry, has joined the refrigerated vehicle specialist as sales consultant.
Sean Jones has joined VisionTrack as hardware manager, bringing 20 years of experience within telematics to the role as well as knowledge of IoT and machine learning. His previous positions with leading telematics hardware providers, have involved integrating hardware devices into customer applications, finding solutions to communication issues and working with internal development teams in the US and Far East to improve product features. Jones commented: “We use technology from all over the world and my focus will be on improving functionality and development, working directly with the hardware manufacturers so that we can improve and adapt our bespoke firmware, creating world-leading solutions.”
Allison Transmission announced today that David S. Graziosi has begun serving as the US company’s CEO. He previously served as president and chief financial officer since January 2016. He succeeds Lawrence E. Dewey, who retired May 31 as Allison’s longest-serving executive in its 103-year history. Graziosi joined Allison as executive vice president, CFO and treasurer in November 2007, shortly after the sale of Allison by General Motors to The Carlyle Group and Onex Corp. which ultimately led to an initial public offering in March 2012.
Brake materials OE manufacturer, TMD Friction, has strengthened its team with the appointment of Stephen Willis as regional sales director. With more than 28 years’ experience within the automotive aftermarket, Willis has held a number of senior leadership positions at ZF and TRW, as well as being the former managing director and shareholder of Brakes Engineering, the UK caliper remanufacturer. He will be responsible for sales and marketing for TMD Friction’s northern region, including the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The Food Storage and Distribution Federation has appointed a new chief executive to follow Chris Sturman, who will be retiring after nine years at the helm. Incumbent Shane Brennan joins the FSDF from the Country Land and Business Association, which represents farmers and landowners.
Charity
Vehicle lift provider TotalKare is helping to keep an essential service for children in Scotland on the road. It has come to the aid of Glasgow Playbus by supplying a set of four mobile column lifts to help it complete its own maintenance and ensure it can continue to deliver play activities to up to 300 children every day. This means owners Mark Buchanan and his father Andy can complete their own repairs without having to use commercial garages, meaning they don’t have expensive bills and can ensure that ‘Hamish’ – a 1981 year-old Bristol – is always available to visit schools, nurseries and charities. The group is now asking industry for help locating a new engine for its other playbus, a Scania 113.
Commercial vehicle supermarket Anchor Vans is supporting dedicated cyclists taking part in the Tour de Troops challenge this summer. The event, a five-day endurance test that sees participants cycling all the way from Land’s End to John O’ Groats, is taking place in aid of military charity the Felix Fund. Anchor Vans will be loaning the organisers two large Transit 260 SWBs as support vehicles for the duration of the ride.
Activa Contracts’ sales and marketing director Lisa Temperton as she raised more than £3,000 for charity by climbing up and ‘walking’ on the wings of a biplane as it took to the skies - including completing a loop the loop. Temperton was part of a 10-strong ‘Wings of Hope’ team aiming to raise £24,000 in aid of Hope for Tomorrow. The charity is dedicated to bringing cancer treatment closer to patients’ homes by providing a Mobile Cancer Care Unit (MCCU) - previously known as a Mobile Chemotherapy Unit - to every oncology centre within the UK.
Warwick-based refuse collection vehicle manufacturer Dennis Eagle recently paid a visit to pupils at Emscote Infant School, taking along one of its trucks for the children to see as part of a special assembly linked to curricular activities. The school has an ‘Emscote Eco Code’ aimed at promoting more sustainable ways of living. As part of this, two children from each class sit on an ‘Eco Council’, which meets regularly to discuss ways in which the school can be more environmentally friendly. The vehicle’s visit provided an ideal platform to discuss the benefits of recycling, as well as an opportunity to discuss other important issues such as road safety. The visit was attended by Dennis Eagle’s sales support engineer Charlie Everitt, and chassis engineering manager Sean Carey, who gave a presentation about the vehicle in the children’s morning assembly.
With just one year to go before riders from across the transport and logistics industry saddle up to take on Transaid’s 20th anniversary cycle challenge from Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG), the international development agency is encouraging individuals and teams to secure their places and commence training. The 2019 fundraiser – Transaid’s most ambitious yet – will see the intrepid group set off from Land’s End on 11 June 2019, pedalling 972 miles over 12 days to finish in John O’Groats. The adventure will take riders through some of the UK’s top scenic hotspots, including the beautiful Cotswold countryside and up to the stunning glens of the Scottish Highlands.
Renault Truck Commercials sponsored the Dunstable & Leighton Buzzard Truck Convoy on Saturday 9 June. In its fourth year, the big haul, which raises money for military charities Scotty’s Little Soldiers, Pilgrim Bandits and Royal British Legion Riders, is a celebration of the transport industry and the armed forces. Some 160 trucks participated. Convoy organiser Graham Munt will drive the lead truck, followed by three of BMD Transport’s distinctive Renault Trucks Range Ts, each emblazoned in a charity-themed livery. Inspired by his eldest son, who served for 22 years in the forces, and his own career as a professional truck driver at FA Hawkins Transport, Munt created the Dunstable Truck Convoy in 2014 and has seen the event grow year on year.
A chef from one of Reading’s best-known restaurants was the star judge at a charity baking competition at the Reading offices of transport operator FirstGroup. Chris Prow, head chef at Forbury’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, judged the cakes, savouries, biscuits and brownies made by its in-house claims team. The baked goods were then sold, raising £486 for Action for Children, FirstGroup’s UK charity partner.