Keltruck Ltd
A company built on history
Keltruck, founded by Chris Kelly in 1983, celebrated 35 years in business in 2018. On this page we present some of the history behind the company in pictorial form.
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Welcome to our company history page.Scrolling through the pictures tells the story of Keltruck Scania since before our founding by Chris Kelly in 1983 to the present day.
HKB SteelsLee MacMillan handing over two DAF DKS tractor units to steel stockholder HKB Steels at Westmid's premises in Willenhall.Westmid was Chris Kelly's company before founding Keltruck.
Westmid units with Tautliner trailersWestmid DAF & Scania tractor units with Tautliner trailers, quite probably delivering cast iron baths from Glynwedd Vogue Bathrooms, Bilston on to Northern Ireland in the capable hands of Alfie Lovell and Micky Perrott.
First introduction to Scania with this LB111Westmid's first introduction to Scania with this LB111, seen here on a heavy haulage trip from Scotland to South Wales with a Hudsons of Dudley trailer.
First introduction to Scania with this LB111Westmid's first introduction to Scania with this LB111, seen here on a heavy haulage trip from Scotland to South Wales with a Hudsons of Dudley trailer.
First introduction to Scania with this LB111Westmid's first introduction to Scania with this LB111, seen here on a heavy haulage trip from Scotland to South Wales with a Hudsons of Dudley trailer.
First introduction to Scania with this LB111Westmid's first introduction to Scania with this LB111, seen here on a heavy haulage trip from Scotland to South Wales with a Hudsons of Dudley trailer.
First introduction to Scania with this LB111Westmid's first introduction to Scania with this LB111, seen here on a heavy haulage trip from Scotland to South Wales with a Hudsons of Dudley trailer.
Morgan Transport, TiptonKeltruck's David Morgan writes: "This DAF was sold new by Westmid to my family business, Morgan Transport of Tipton. Prior to this Chris Kelly had sold mom & dad a new Atkinson Borderer tractor unit with a Gardner 8LXB 240 engine."
Westmid's famous DAF trucksOne of Westmid's famous DAFs before we saw the light in favour of Scania.
Ex-Avis rental box-vansOne of many ex-Avis rental box-vans bought from Joe Brandrick.
Steel stockholder Tipton SteelsFord D Series. One of many trucks sold to steel stockholder Tipton Steels.
Recovery truck 'On a mission'DAFs again piggy backing the recovery truck 'on a mission'.
Recovery truck 'On a mission'DAFs again piggy backing the recovery truck 'on a mission'.
Recovery truck 'On a mission'DAFs again piggy backing the recovery truck 'on a mission'.
Recovery truck 'On a mission'DAFs again piggy backing the recovery truck 'on a mission'.
Christopher KellyChristopher Kelly (aged two) at the Westmid yard in Neachells Lane, Wolverhampton, in November 1980.
Barretts & Baird meat wholesalersThis Westmid Scania P82 tractor unit went on rent to Barretts & Baird meat wholesalers of Hill Top, West Bromwich for a couple of years.
Barretts & Baird meat wholesalersThis Westmid Scania P82 tractor unit went on rent to Barretts & Baird meat wholesalers of Hill Top, West Bromwich for a couple of years.
State of the art sliding deck recovery trailerWestmid tractor unit with state-of-the-art sliding deck recovery trailer (well it was state-of-the-art at the time). Note it is carrying three tractor units as the trailer had a technical dispensation on overall length, discovered by Chris Kelly, and exploited to the full to benefit the company, collecting multiple trucks bought at auction etc, especially from Scotland. The trailer was fitted with an incredibly powerful diesel driven remote control 'donkey' winch which was fitted underfloor between the landing legs. This was designed by Chris and John Plant (of PCM, Northants), an incredibly talented engineer.
Express & Star editorial, 1983Express & Star editorial in 1983 about West Midland Trucks (precursor to Keltruck) supplying recycled lorry cabs.Today recycling is online at shop.keltruckscania.com.
Chris KellyChris Kelly has been consistently pressing the case for enterprise for more than 30 years
Chris KellyChris Kelly has been consistently pressing the case for enterprise for more than 30 years
November 1982Chris & Sonia Kelly with Anders Siewertz, Managing Director, Scania (Great Britain) Limited, at the Scania Distributor signing ceremony
Authorised Scania DistributorKeltruck Limited becomes an authorised Scania Distributor, April 1983.Pictured: Chris Kelly & Anders Siewertz (Managing Director, Scania (Great Britain) Limited).
Christopher Kelly at TruckfestChristopher Kelly in front of a Keltruck Scania V8 tractor unit at Truckfest in 1983.
UK Scania Dealer PrincipalsUK Scania Dealer Principals & partners at Scania Group, Zwolle, Netherlands in the early 1980s with Chris Kelly, founder, representing Keltruck.
1,000th new Scania truck, 1986Chris Kelly (Managing Director & Dealer Principal), Anders Siewertz (Managing Director, Scania (Great Britain) Limited) & a Laura Ashley company representative celebrate the delivery of Keltruck's 1,000th Scania truck in August 1986.
Dieter Merz, Chris Kelly, Sir Eric Pountain DL & Brig. Sir Louis Hargroves CBE DLDieter Merz (Scania (Great Britain) Limited), Chris Kelly (Keltruck Limited), Sir Eric Pountain DL (Tarmac plc) & Brig. Sir Louis Hargroves CBE DL (Keltruck Limited)
Dieter Merz, Chris Kelly, Sir Eric Pountain DL & Brig. Sir Louis Hargroves CBE DLDieter Merz (Scania (Great Britain) Limited), Chris Kelly (Keltruck Limited), Sir Eric Pountain DL (Tarmac plc) & Brig. Sir Louis Hargroves CBE DL (Keltruck Limited)
Chris Kelly, Keltruck's founder (then Managing Director & Dealer Principal)Chris Kelly, Keltruck's founder (then Managing Director & Dealer Principal), in his office at our West Bromwich head office in the early 1990s.
Chris Kelly & Ray HingleyRay Hingley of A. Hingley (Transport) Limited receives the winner's cup for the Scania wheel change competition for Telethon '90 from Keltruck's Chris Kelly on 19 May 1990.
Scania R142 recovery vehicleScania R142 recovery vehicle outside Keltruck West Bromwich in the early 1990s.
Aid mission to eastern EuropeChris Kelly & David Morgan begin another aid mission to eastern Europe in Keltruck's Scania R113 Streamline demonstrator.
Aid mission to Balkans war zone, December 1992Keltruck supported the successful Benetton Formula 1 team. Here we see founder (then Managing Director & Dealer Principal), Chris Kelly and his children on Boxing Day in 1992 as one of the Benetton team F1 Scania Streamline vehicles leaves Keltruck's West Bromwich head office on a mercy mission hauling – in often sub-zero temperatures – emergency supplies to ill-equipped orphanages in the former 'Soviet bloc' as several eastern European countries collapsed into chaos following the bringing down of the Berlin Wall and the ending of the division of the continent of Europe. Chris was at the wheel all the way there & back.
Chris Kelly addresses Keltruck's tenth anniversary celebrationChris Kelly, founder, addresses Keltruck's tenth anniversary celebration in 1993 at which the Secretary of State for Transport also officially opened the company's West Bromwich depot & head office expansion.
Chris Kelly at the wheelChris Kelly, Keltruck's founder (then Managing Director & Dealer Principal) at the wheel.
With the Prime MinisterChris Kelly of Keltruck and the late Alan R. Murrall of East Midland Commercials with Prime Minister John Major at 10 Downing Street.
Chris Kelly inspects trucks at Keltruck Scania Vehicle Recycling
Chris Kelly & Betty BoothroydChris Kelly welcomes Sandwell MP & Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt. Hon. Betty Boothroyd MP, to Keltruck West Bromwich in 1994.
Scania 4 Series launch at Keltruck in 1995Sonia Kelly at the Scania 4 Series launch at Keltruck's West Bromwich head office in 1995.
Scania 4 Series launch at Keltruck in 1995The Scania 4 Series launch at Keltruck's West Bromwich head office in 1995.
Motor Transport Awards Dealer of the Year 1996Keltruck took home the prestigious 'Dealer of the Year' Award at the 1996 Motor Transport Awards.
Chris Kelly & Chris D. Kelly
Chris Kelly & Chris D. KellyChris Kelly & Chris D. Kelly in April 2008 collecting one of three (to date) Sunday Times Profit Track awards.
Alec Kokinis, Company SecretaryAlec Kokinis has been Company Secretary of Keltruck Limited since the business's inception in 1983.
Keltruck's 30th anniversaryKeltruck celebrated its 30th anniversary in April 2013.
New head office for Keltruck West BromwichKeltruck celebrated its 30th anniversary in April 2013 with the opening of a new head office building at West Bromwich.
30th anniversary celebration & opening of new head officeKeltruck celebrated its 30th anniversary in April 2013 with the opening of a new head office building at West Bromwich opened by local MP, the Rt. Hon. John Spellar, joined by Chris Kelly MP.
Chris Kelly & family at Keltruck's 30th anniversary celebrationKeltruck celebrated its 30th anniversary in April 2013 with the opening of a new head office building at West Bromwich.
Chris Kelly receives lifetime contribution to road transport awardCommercial Motor's Andy Salter presents Chris Kelly with CM's lifetime service to industry award in September 2016.Click here to watch the accompanying video.
The Next Generation ScaniaKeltruck unveiled the much anticipated Next Generation Scania in August 2016, with deliveries starting in the final quarter of the year.This all new product is the result of ten years of development work and investments by Scania AB in the region of SEK 20 billion (EUR 2 billion).
The Chairman & Executive Directors of Keltruck LimitedChris D. Kelly, David Morgan, Tracey Joynes, Russ Warner & Mike Kelly at head office in West Bromwich, September 2016.
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