Tony Bailey has joined Bespoke Bodies in Warrington as the company’s Asset Management Director.
In his new role he will be responsible for working with customers to develop the right vehicle fleets for their needs and for the launch of the company’s new Fleet Management Centre that aims to manage whole vehicle fleets from purchase, through its life on the road and on to disposal and replacement. “We aim to provide a one-stop-shop to save the user money and stress,” he said.
Tony has been working with Bespoke Bodies for some time as a consultant and had placed a number of orders with the company on behalf of his own clients. However, as a director of the company he is now able to use his experience in fleet management for the benefit of the company and its customers.
He started his working life as an apprentice with L. Gardner & Sons building diesel engines, joined Smith & Robinson Tankers in 1973 as an HGV technician and for ten years ran his own company, Leston Motors Ltd, supplying fleet services. On entering the moving industry Tony served as fleet engineer for Pickfords for 18 years and managed the company’s vehicle purchasing, fuel and maintenance spend to an annual value of £13 Million.
With Whole Vehicle Type Approval coming into force in October Tony will be using all his experience to make sure everything goes smoothly for customers. With this is mind the company has already secured the VCA Conformity of Production and is a member of the VBTA (Vehicle Builders Type Approval) which is securing European Type Approval on most chassis makes and models. This will ensure that there will be no additional delays for customers, and minimise extra costs, as a result of the new regulations. VCA approval is required on all new vehicles built after 29 October, 2014.
As part of its preparation for Whole Vehicle Type Approval, Bespoke Bodies has been working closely with two of the largest truck manufacturers in the world, MAN and DAF Paccar, to help them bring European Type Approved removal vehicles to the market. As a result MAN will be marketing removal vehicles built by Bespoke Bodies in their Trucks To Go division.
As well as new Euro 6 trucks, Bespoke Bodies also offers a range of low mileage Euro5 vehicles with lightweight bodies such as the company’s 7.5 Tonne, three-container vehicle that provides a 3.1 tonne payload.
Bespoke Bodies will be exhibiting, and selling, its Euro 6 vehicles at the Movers and Storers Show at Silverstone on the 21 and 22 October. These will include a top of the range five container Euro 6 MAN TGM 290 on air suspension with full drawbar capability, and a Bespoke Bodies three Container 10-Tonne Euro6 DAF LF45.
Photo: John Sturt (left) and Tony Bailey.