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Nikki King – Isuzu Truck UK’s Managing Director – Awarded Honorary Doctorate By Staffordshire University – Tachoblog Adds Our Congratulations!

Tachoblog — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:51:42 +0000

Tachoblog has had the pleasure of meeting Nikki King several times and always knew she was something special, so it’s good to see that Staffordshire University agree with us and have awarded her an honorary Doctorate in recognition of her vision and leadership and, in particular, her focus on customer service and care.

Nikki was one of several inspirational figures from the business world to be honoured as part of Staffordshire University’s 2010 Awards Ceremonies.

Click below for the whole story…

Alongside national and international high achievers such as TV’s Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meadon, Eden Project Founder Tim Smit and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Nikki King became an honorary Doctor of Staffordshire University.

During the ceremony, Professor Susan Foreman, Dean of the University’s Business School paid tribute to Nikki King’s “determination and fortitude” and her reputation as a “no-nonsense, straight-talking, business woman.”

She added, “The award of honorary Doctor of Staffordshire University was bestowed upon Nikki in recognition of her vision and leadership and, in particular, her focus on customer service and care. She is an outstanding role model for all business people and in particular women in management.”

Nikki King received her Doctorate during the university’s week-long graduation ceremony programme, where over 3000 graduates in total received their final degrees.

After receiving her Doctorate, Nikki King told Tachoblog, “I am so very honoured to receive this accolade and I promise that I will support this university to the best of my ability in the years to come. If winning such a wonderful award can persuade just one woman that she is not consigned to the corporate dustbin if you take a career break, then I will feel I have achieved my goal.”

With customer service and care being clearly recognised with this Doctorate, Nikki took the opportunity to encourage the successful graduates to develop their interpersonal skills, saying, “the customer is vital to every business and in the modern world of increased automated communication; the human touch with regular contact should never be overlooked.”

Go Forward For A Double Benefit From Isuzu Truck And Gray & Adams Says Tachoblog

Tachoblog — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:22:45 +0000

An impressive payload in excess of 9-tonnes, together with an unlimited mileage 3 year warranty on the body, the refrigeration system and the chassis/cab, are the main attractions of the new Isuzu 18-tonne refrigerated demo vehicle that has just gone into service.

Built in conjunction with leading refrigerated bodybuilder Gray & Adams, the Isuzu 18-tonner confirms the company’s growing appeal within the refrigerated transport sector.

As Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck UK told Tachoblog, “When we originally launched the new Forward range, the food distribution sector was an instant success for us especially at 7.5tonnes. Last year, we operated a fridge demo truck at 11tonnes and now this year we are showing customers the benefits of our even larger 18tonne range for controlled temperature distribution.”

Click below for more…

The new Isuzu F180.260 18tonne rigid demo truck features a Gray & Adams 24ft dual compartment refrigerated body, fitted with a moveable bulkhead for operating both chilled and frozen goods within the same vehicle. Refrigeration is provided by a Carrier Transicold Supra 750MT system and the vehicle is also fitted with a 1.5tonne tuckaway taillift.

“With the current success of our 7.5tonne range in the refrigerated sector, we now want to show customers the benefits of running our higher weight vehicles for temperature controlled operations. This 18 tonner achieves over 9 tonnes of payload, which is a respectable weight for this type of vehicle and what’s more this package includes a comprehensive 3-year warranty,” commented Keith Child.

The new Isuzu 18-tonne demo truck can be booked by contacting your local Isuzu truck sales dealership or by calling Isuzu Truck (UK) directly on their demonstrator hotline – 0845 226 7983.

The 18-tonne 4×2 Isuzu features Isuzu’s own turbocharged and intercooled 4-cylinder diesel engine, providing 191Kw (260bhp) power output at 2400rpm, peak torque (761Nm) from 1450 rpm, EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) matched to an Eaton 6-speed manual transmission.

The ‘Forward’ F180.260 also features Isuzu’s new ‘Hexapod’ design day/rest cab which has to be one of the roomiest day cabs at this weight range on the market in the UK today. It is so large that some operators convert the cab into a sleeper cab simply by fitting curtains and a night heater. The cab also offers excellent cross-cab access and it is packed with ‘standard’ equipment such as an air suspended driver’s seat, dual SRS airbags, cruise control, exhaust brake, keyless door entry, immobiliser and radio/CD player.

“We believe that this Isuzu/Gray & Adams 18-tonne ‘package’ is a serious contender in today’s tough commercial environment, giving operators of temperature controlled transport an opportunity to make major savings in long-term operating and whole life vehicle costs,” concluded Keith Child.

Full details of the 2010 Isuzu Truck product range can be viewed and downloaded from the company’s website www.isuzutruck.co.uk

Isuzu Score 70 Trucks In 7 Years At Reynolds

Tachoblog — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:20:06 +0000

Seven years after the first Isuzu joined the all-refrigerated fleet at Reynolds in 2003, the company now runs almost 70 Isuzu trucks. Following the recent arrival of a further 31 new Isuzu Forward 7.5t rigids, the Waltham Abbey based catering company now predominantly specifies Isuzu for all their 7.5t distribution truck requirements.

45% of the 164 strong Reynolds vehicle fleet runs at 7.5 tonnes GVW and as Commercial Director Paul Collins told Tachoblog, ”Originally we were attracted by the Isuzu’s payload potential for our intensive multi-drop distribution routes. Over the years though, the Isuzu’s have given us additional benefits, as they have proved to be extremely reliable and they offer really low operational running costs, all of which is backed by a superb working relationship between the two companies.”

Click below for more…

The latest 31 Isuzu Forward N75.190 rigids have been specified with the popular Easyshift transmission, which is proving to be ideal for the Reynolds stop/start delivery journeys. The trucks are also all fitted with the latest single compartment Solomon’s refrigerated bodies which feature Carrier Transicold Xarios 600 direct drive refrigeration systems.

Working out of the five Reynolds distribution depots nationwide and with an estimated working life of between 5 and 7 years, the Isuzu’s are worked hard on intensive daily delivery routes involving between 25 and 30 drops per truck journey.

Established over 60 years ago and still a family business, Reynolds has grown to become one of the UK’s leading independent distributors of fresh produce and ambient goods to the foodservice market. Reynolds now has strategically located depots in Scotland, Leicester, Manchester and Bristol as well as its national distribution centre and head office at Waltham Cross.

Speaking to Tachoblog, Keith Child, Marketing Director, Isuzu Truck UK said, “The success of the 7.5t Isuzu’s at Reynolds is testament to the strength of the relationship between the two companies. Intensive multi-drop food distribution is a challenge for any vehicle and the Isuzu’s have proven to be consistently good performers and up to the job over the years. We have worked closely with Reynolds now for seven years to ensure that our vehicles provide them with unquestionable reliability and good service, day in, day out.”

Full details of the 2010 Isuzu Truck product range can be viewed and downloaded from the company’s website www.isuzutruck.co.uk

Scoop! First Two UK 12t Isuzu Crew Cabs

Tachoblog — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:25:29 +0000

Once again Tachoblog can bring you a scoop, this time it’s the news thatthe first two production 12t Isuzu Forward crewcab trucks have recently joined the 28 strong fleet at West London recovery company Automania Group Ltd, operating in the Heathrow and Slough areas.

Fitted with tilt and slide bodies manufactured by Worldwide Recovery Systems, the 12t F120.240 4×2 rigids join the Heathrow fleet where 28 out of the 42 recovery vehicles operated are based on the Isuzu marque.

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“As longstanding operators of Isuzu trucks, we have complete faith in the product. Solid and robust, the vehicles are ideally suited to the intensive recovery operations in this part of London. For the type of recovery contracts we have recently gained, we need two new heavier weight crewcab vehicles and we had no hesitation in specifying the new Isuzu Forward 12 tonners,” Richard Goddard, Managing Director at Automania Group Ltd told Tachoblog.

With a working life of up to 5 years, customer support from their vehicle supplier is another factor that is so important to Automania. This is, in the opinion of Richard Goddard, where Isuzu scores highly on a consistent basis.

“The customer care we receive from Isuzu is second to none in this industry. In the rare event of a problem, we can rely on Isuzu 24/7, which is what we have come to expect from them through experience,” comments Richard Goddard.

Speaking to Tachoblog, said Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited, said “These are the first two Isuzu crew cab Forward models in the UK at 12 tonnes, and it is fitting that such a loyal customer as Automania has taken delivery of them. The recovery industry is a key market sector for Isuzu and we believe that our current product offering leads the market in terms of overall performance, reliability and customer support.”

Scoop! First Two UK 12t Isuzu Crew Cabs is a post from: Tachoblog

Tachoblog Gains Weight…With Isuzu And Systematic

Tachoblog — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:35:22 +0000

Now there’s yo-yo dieting for you! Only minutes ago in our last post, Tachoblog was telling you about weight loss, now some good news about weight gain!

Following the success of the first three 7.5 tonne Isuzu trucks into its 21-strong pallet-distribution fleet, Systematic UK has now moved up the weight range with Isuzu, with the addition of two brand new 11 tonne Isuzu ‘Forward’ F110.210 rigids.

Working on local collection and delivery operations as part of the company’s Palletways business, the new Isuzu 11 tonners have blended effortlessly into the Colchester-based company’s expanding vehicle fleet.

Click below for more…

Speaking to Tachoblog, Andrew Triolo, Managing Director at Systematic Logistics International Ltd said, “Having previously experienced the reliability and proven performance of the Isuzu range at 7.5 tonnes, we’ve been extremely pleased with how easily the 11 tonne Isuzus have integrated into our fleet.”

“Fuel consumption is in-line with our expectations from brand new vehicles and our drivers are particularly pleased with the plentiful cab features and overall performance of the new higher weight Isuzus, out on the road,” added Andrew Triolo.

With an anticipated working life of 4 years covering in excess of 50,000 miles per annum, the Isuzu F110.210 4×2 rigids feature Isuzu’s popular ‘Easyshift’ transmission system, which Systematic find to be ideally suited to their localised Palletways collection and delivery work.

Supplied by local Isuzu dealer Norfolk Trucks in Ipswich, both Isuzus feature a standard curtainsided body and have been specified with rear underslung taillifts.

“Systematic are following a path now being taken by so many of our existing customers. Having experienced the practical advantages of Isuzu trucks at 7.5 tonnes, we’re finding that they’re keen to move up the weight range with us and take advantage of the proven performance characteristics of our higher powered, higher weight models,” Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited told Tachoblog.

Tachoblog Gains Weight…With Isuzu And Systematic is a post from: Tachoblog

Isuzu Reigns Supreme at Hales

Tachoblog — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:55:31 +0000

Gloucestershire builder’s merchants Hale & Co have taken delivery of their first Isuzu 18 Tonner 300bhp, 4×2 rigid.

This means that six of the company’s nine distribution vehicles are now Isuzus and, co-incidentally, this is the first 300 horsepowered 18 tonner that Isuzu has sold in this country.

The impressive 9 tonnes payload of the Isuzu ‘Forward’ 18 tonner, in comparison with only 8 tonnes achieved by the vehicle it’s replacing, attracted Hale & Co to Isuzu once again.

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As Transport and Sales Manager Martin Nealon said to Tachoblog, “Having run Isuzus at 7.5 tonne for some time, we were well aware of their proven payload advantage that has become so important to us for our delivery operation. When the time came to replace our old 18 tonner we had no hesitation in specifying our first Isuzu at this weight.”

The recently delivered new Isuzu F180.300 4×2 rigid, supplied by local Isuzu dealer Walls Truck Services in Newport, features the high performance 300bhp Isuzu turbo intercooled 6 cylinder diesel power unit, matched to a 9-speed ZF manual transmission.

Fitted with an 18ft dropside body featuring a rear-mounted Atlas crane, the new Isuzu 18 tonner is involved in distribution work within a 50 mile radius of the company’s depot in Drybrook, Gloucestershire. The company anticipates that the Isuzu will be covering some 20,000 kms per annum, over a working life of approximately 9 years.

Hale and Co operates 9 vehicles within its main distribution fleet, including 5 Isuzu 7.5t rigids as well as this new Isuzu 18 tonner.

“The building trade is one industry where the Isuzu truck range stands out in terms of proven reliability and productivity. Hale & Co have, over the years, increased the proportion of Isuzu trucks in their fleet for good reason and they’ll now be reaping the rewards by operating this heavier weight, high-powered Isuzu” Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited told Tachoblog.

Isuzu Reigns Supreme at Hales is a post from: Tachoblog

Lightweight Isuzu Bin There And Done It

Tachoblog — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:27:15 +0000

Ok, it’s a dreadful pun, but there is a serious point behind it.

Mid Suffolk District Council have added a new Isuzu ‘Forward’ N62.150 refuse vehicle to its fleet with its prime role being a collection vehicle for litter and discarded rubbish by motorists on the notoriously busy A14 and A12 dual carriageways in Suffolk.

Mid Suffolk District Council already operates a number of Isuzus in its fleet and so were aware of the marque’s proven reputation for reliable performance. However, for this new operation, the Isuzu had to score highly in terms of a low chassis weight too. For safety reasons, the vehicle has to utilise the verges and these can be very soft. In order to reduce the risk of getting stuck, a light vehicle was the major requirement for the Council.

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The roadside litter collection also involves the Isuzu to be travelling at walking pace so that the operatives can collect litter and load it into the refuse body, whilst the vehicle is moving. This is where the specification of the Isuzu ‘Easyshift’ transmission was the perfect solution for this particular requirement.

As roadside litter collection is potentially a hazardous operation, Mid Suffolk decided to paint the Isuzu in bright yellow, as opposed to the council’s usual white livery. This vehicle needs to be highly visible on the road.

The litter clearance work for the A14 and A12 is part of a partnership scheme with Ipswich Borough Council & Babergh District Council. The 3 man team perform the litter clearance for all the A roads on a scheduled basis within the MSDC district as well as the partnership area boundaries.

“The high levels of traffic on these dual carriageways make clearing litter a dangerous proposition but we believe that the Isuzu specification is ideal for this job, and so far the vehicle has proved to be an effective addition to our fleet,” John Buckingham, Supervisor of the Streetcare team at Mid Suffolk District Council told Tachoblog.

Supplied by local Isuzu dealer, Peter Colby Commercials, the Isuzu N62.150 ‘Easyshift’ refuse vehicle is fitted with a Link Tip “Derby” tipping body that features Link Tip’s RS360 bin lift. The refuse body can lift 120 to 360 litre wheeled bins and features a slide door, on the near side, for hand collections.

Completing the Health and Safety measures, the vehicle has an audible warning for when the bin lift is in operation, front and rear LED high visual light bars, front grille LED’s, and high visual rear vehicle chevrons and directional arrow.

“With public safety a key issue, motorists are able to see this Isuzu well in advance and the whole specification was a team effort between the Council, Isuzu and Link Tip to ensure that the end result met with the Council’s exacting requirements,” said Keith Child, Marketing Director at Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited.

Lightweight Isuzu Bin There And Done It is a post from: Tachoblog

Isuzu And A-Plant Enjoy 10-Year Anniversary

Tachoblog — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:41:19 +0000

July 1999 was the first time that Isuzu Truck supplied a vehicle to the fleet of national equipment hire company A-Plant. With the passing of July 2009 a decade later, A-Plant has now taken delivery of its 150th Isuzu as the marque has become the mainstay of the company’s 7.5 tonne fleet.

Back in 1999, A-Plant had a total vehicle fleet of 500 vehicles. This figure has now more than doubled during this 10-year period to over 1100 vehicles, with Isuzu’s representation growing from zero to 150 trucks.

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“A-Plant has been an integral part of the Isuzu success story over the past decade, with both companies growing significantly during that period. As one of the earliest customers to invest in Isuzu trucks, when we were little-known for commercial vehicles in the UK, A-Plant has been a shining example for us. They have proven the versatility and reliable performance of our products that are the hallmark of the Isuzu truck brand,“ Keith Child – marketing supremo for Isuzu Truck (UK) Ltd – told Tachoblog.

A-Plant cites the whole package offered by Isuzu as being the principle reason behind the popularity of the trucks at the national hire company, which has its head office in Warrington, Cheshire.

Speaking to Tachoblog, Shaun Winstanley, Director of Transport Services at A-Plant said, “From the day we receive delivery of a new vehicle from Isuzu, the service we get is second to none. The organisation is totally customer-focused with an after sales service that is the envy of its competitors. The fact that we’ve taken 150 Isuzu trucks in the last 10 years is a testament not only to the product’s superb on-the-road performance, in terms of reliability and payload, but also to the amazing support we receive from both the manufacturer and dealer on a consistent basis.”

So far this year A-Plant has taken delivery of 20 new Isuzu ‘Forward’ N75.190 7.5 tonne trucks all specified with the popular ‘Easyshift’ transmission and supplied by local Isuzu dealer – Warrington Vehicle Centre.

“The latest Forward range continues the proven Isuzu tradition of manufacturing trouble-free vehicles. We experienced a very smooth transition when the new truck range was introduced into our fleet for the first time and any issues were few and far between,” said Shaun Winstanley.

The new trucks feature a variety of body types including LWB Beavertails, LWB Dropsides with Palfinger forward mounted cranes, SWB Loo tankers. MWB lightweight Beavertails and LWB Flatbeds with tail lifts for transporting specialist portable toilets.

“The service we get from our local dealer, Warrington Vehicle Centre, completely mirrors the whole Isuzu approach as they too are totally customer driven. As part of the vehicle specification programme, we work closely with Isuzu, the local dealer and the bodybuilders. All of our vehicles feature a range of specialist auxiliary equipment including tracking, on-board weighing, hands-free mobile kits, reversing cameras and removable side posts. On delivery of each vehicle, Warrington Vehicle Centre’s staff always carry out a full vehicle handover. They’ll spending a considerable amount of time with each driver to ensure that they fully understand the vehicle and its auxilliary controls,” comments Shaun Winstanley.

A-Plant offers a vast range of plant, tools and specialist equipment to hire and is now firmly established as one the world’s largest ‘non-operated’ equipment rental companies. In the UK A-Plant employs a workforce totalling more than 2000 at strategically based locations nationwide and is listed as one of the FTSE-250 companies under Ashtead Group plc.

Isuzu And A-Plant Enjoy 10-Year Anniversary is a post from: Tachoblog

Fuel For Thought From Tachoblog

Tachoblog — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:40:17 +0000

Keith Child – marketing supremo for Isuzu Truck (UK) Ltd has grabbed Tachoblog to tell us that, after careful consideration, Oakley’s Fuel Oils took delivery of its first Isuzu within its heating oil distribution fleet that covers customer deliveries throughout Shropshire, the Midlands and parts of mid Wales.

And, as always, Keith’s sent us a great picture of the truck.

Click below to read the whole story…

The Telford-based company were looking for a more reliable vehicle and one that also offered a greater payload than the company’s previous trucks. They chose the Isuzu N75.190 (E) 7.5 tonne rigid, fitted with a specialist twin tank body manufactured by Road Tankers Northern. After the initial six months in-service, Oakley’s is extremely pleased with the performance of the Isuzu.

Speaking to Tachoblog, Martin Nicholas, Operations Manager at Oakley’s Fuel Oils said, “The Isuzu has been superb so far and its reliability is unquestioned. Now with six months practical experience under our belts, the decision to specify Isuzu for the first time has been a tremendous success.”

Certified to ADR Type FL specification and supplied by local Isuzu dealer Beech’s Garages (1983) Ltd in Stoke, the Isuzu N75.190 (E) 7.5 tonner with Isuzu’s ‘Easyshift’ gearbox can carry approximately 5000 litres of heating oil in two separate 2500 litre compartments, which facilitates the distribution of mixed loads. The vehicle is currently covering in excess of 3000 miles per month predominantly working on a five-day distribution operation, and the company anticipates the vehicle will have a working-life of around eight years.

Oakley’s Fuel Oils, based in Telford and Kingsbury, supplies a comprehensive range of top-quality heating oils, road and agricultural fuels and has been operating since 1970.

“This type of multi-drop heating oil delivery operation is ideal for the Isuzu truck. Its compact overall size makes the vehicle extremely manoeuvrable, especially on narrow country roads as well as in tight residential areas. At the same time, the robust manufacturing quality of the Isuzu truck will ensure that Oakley’s achieve maximum operating performance over the long working life. And of course, the Isuzu’s proven payload advantage is legendary,” Keith Child told Tachoblog.

Fuel For Thought From Tachoblog is a post from: Tachoblog

Tachoblog’s UK Commercial Vehicle News Roundup 24.6.09

Tachoblog — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:33:09 +0000

Thanks to the good folk at the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Tachoblog can bring you a roundup of the UK’s Commercial Vehicle news for this week…

Heavy van opportunity

Heavy vans have the worst MoT pass rate of any vehicle type seen on UK roads, so commercial vehicle workshops could get new business if they aim their direct marketing at van users, according to the Retail Motor Industry Federation. Data from the UK’s Vehicle and Operator Services Agency show vans between 3.0 and 3.5 tonnes had failure rate 44.7%, the worst of any vehicle in the year 2007-2008. Stephen Coles, head of the RMIF’s MoT technical operations says that high failure rate clearly shows a lack of maintenance. “Owners may not realise that prevention could be cheaper than cure in the long run. This means that with correctly targeted marketing, commercial vehicle repairers could generate new business.”

More from Alex Wells on +44 (0)2 073 073 424 or alexwells@rmif.co.uk

Red van shortage

Eagle Couriers says it may retire red-liveried vans due to a European shortage of red vans. The firm, working out of bases in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Bathgate has won lots of new business recently and needs more vans for its fleet. Eagle says it has hit a Europe-wide shortage of new red vans. After waiting more than a year for a batch of new vans, it may change to white. “Here we are, a Scottish success story, but we’re stumped for red vans,” said Jerry Stewart, director. “If we can’t find red vans soon we may have to look at changing the fleet over to another colour.

More from Craig McGill on +44 (0)1 315 612 244 or craig@holyroodpr.co.uk

Motor industry cautious over Digital Britain

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says it welcomes the government’s aim to work with the industry to deliver a smooth switch to Digital Audio Broadcast radios in new vehicles by 2013 but is not so happy about the ambitious timetable. The SMMT told the government that before it would commit to providing DAB as standard, digital coverage must be as good as FM coverage in the UK. The Society worries that only a few of the 32m on the road will have DAB radios fitted, leaving millions needing new kit or conversions in a very short time.

More from Sara Lee on +44 (0)2 073 449 219 or slee@smmt.co.uk

CV production down 73.5% in May

Recent data from the SMMT show the outlook difficult, but with some positive signs as firms restart production with scrappage schemes lifting orders. “Commercial vehicle production is severely affected by low business confidence and economic uncertainty,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive.. “Businesses across the economy are still holding back on expenditure and want better access to finance and stronger domestic demand.”

More from Sara Lee on +44 (0)2 073 449 219 or slee@smmt.co.uk

3,000 Fiat vans for Swedish Post Office

Fiat says it has recently handed over the first of 3,000 Fiorino 1.3 MultiJet vans to Posten, the Swedish Post Office.. All have six speed Comfort-matic semi-automatic transmissions. All 3,000 are right-hand control to make the postmen’s delivery job easier. The vans also have better internal lighting and other job-related modifications. Fiat says low fuel use at 62 mpg and thus low CO2 emissions, at 116 g/km, were important in winning the business.

More from Puneet Joshi on +44 (0)1 753 519 591 or puneet.joshi@fiat.com

Lifetime Achievement Award for Nikki King

Nikki King OBE, managing director at Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited, won a PwC Lifetime Achievement Award at the First Women Awards in London on Thursday 11 June. King, who runs Isuzu Truck UK, was a company administrator until she was 40 years old before going on to lead a £32m management buyout of the firm in 2004. Judges at the sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers said she provided “an outstanding role model and leadership figure for women at every stage of their career”‘.

More from David Nash on +44 (0)1 614 567 870 or quadpr@globalnet.co.uk

New Multi-temperature units from Thermoking

Thermo King has launched a range of multi-temperature fridge units based on its SLX concept. Benefits include 65% less noise and up to 30% better fuel use and so similarly lower CO2 emissions Designed to for a wide range of trailer configurations, the SLX Spectrum can now drive up to nine remote evaporator blowers and can give the driver easy-to-read data on up to three compartments at once.

More from Annick Van Oosterwijck on +32 (0)2 714 57 51 or annick_van_oosterwijck@eu.irco.com

Race the original Stig

Transaid says it has 10 places up for grabs to race Top Gear’s original Stig, Perry McCarthy, in Transaid’s charity auction. “If you think you can beat the Stig, you could try on 25 August at The Raceway in London,” said Chris Saunders CEO of Transaid. “You’ll find the on-line auction at www.ebay.co.uk/transaid. It starts at 11:00 am on the 29 June.” He says the charity relies on support from the industry and is grateful to all who help. “The auction includes many more exciting prizes and is a great way to increase our awareness within companies whilst raising money for our projects in Africa.”

More from April McGhee on +44 (0)2 073 878 136 or april@transaid.org

New Citroën van carries five and a load

Citroën says its new Berlingo Crew Van, on sale on 1 July, has up to five seats, a 716kg payload potential, a 3.35m3 load compartment and can carry a 1,805mm long load length. It also meets HM Revenue and Customs requirements for a van so operators can reclaim the VAT. The new van has separate driver’s and front passenger’s seats and a folding, three-seat rear bench seat with a full-height metal bulkhead and mesh top section. “A key feature of this new van is its innovative folding rear seat and bulkhead design,” said Robert Handyside, Citroën’s commercial vehicle operations manager. “We expect strong demand for this important new model from operators involved in civil engineering, construction and utilities maintenance businesses.”

More from Phil Reed on +44 (0)2 086 684 048 or leadingpr@aol.com

Vosa gets new powers to tackle cowboys

On 1 October, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency will get tough new powers to seize vehicles in a bid to crack down on illegal bus and limousine operators. The new powers will allow Vosa to seize vehicles with more than eight passenger seats – including buses, coaches, minibuses and large limos – without a valid Operator’s Licence. This brings bring the rules on public service vehicles into line with those for trucks. “Illegal bus, coach and limousine operators put the safety of their passengers and other road users at risk as well as creating unfair competition for law abiding businesses,” said Paul Clark, road safety minister. “These new powers show that we are determined to force cowboy operators off the road.”

Tachoblog» Isuzu Archives – The Tacho Blog

Nikki King – Isuzu Truck UK’s Managing Director – Awarded Honorary Doctorate By Staffordshire University – Tachoblog Adds Our Congratulations!

Related Articles and Blog Posts…

Go Forward For A Double Benefit From Isuzu Truck And Gray & Adams Says Tachoblog

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Isuzu Score 70 Trucks In 7 Years At Reynolds

Related Articles and Blog Posts…

Scoop! First Two UK 12t Isuzu Crew Cabs

Tachoblog Gains Weight…With Isuzu And Systematic

Isuzu Reigns Supreme at Hales

Lightweight Isuzu Bin There And Done It

Isuzu And A-Plant Enjoy 10-Year Anniversary

Fuel For Thought From Tachoblog

Tachoblog’s UK Commercial Vehicle News Roundup 24.6.09