Keltruck Limited, Scania Distributor for the Midlands and South Wales, celebrates three 25-year service awards for veteran workers in its commercial vehicle accident repair centre at West Bromwich.
Paul Talbot, Bodyshop Manager, Duncan Catmur, Bodyshop Supervisor, and Trevor Dolby, accident repair specialist, all received 25-year service award watches from Keltruck Scania West Bromwich Manager, Andrew Pryjmachuk and General Manager, Steve Hughes, in the presence of their colleagues at Keltruck Limited head office at West Bromwich.
Duncan Catmur commenced his service with Keltruck back in 1995 with the thought of both developing himself and being part of a new and growing commercial bodyshop venture that Chris Kelly, founder of Keltruck Limited, had created to work alongside the existing Keltruck Scania workshops.
Duncan remembers Chris working alongside him in his overalls “as he was never afraid to muck in when required”. Thinking back to the mid-1990s Duncan remembered Chris saying that “he wanted to establish the best commercial bodyshop in the UK.” At the time there were five members of staff. Today Keltruck has four times the floor area to support vital accident repairs for customers nationwide and considerably more staff to be able to make that happen. Duncan comments that “Chris has certainly ticked that box!”
In 2004 the company acquired a second bodyshop and paint facility in Newark, Nottinghamshire with Chris’ acquisition of the balance of the shares in East Midland Commercials Scania, leading to its takeover by Keltruck and driving service provision from strength to strength.
Duncan spends his spare time keeping fit by running over ten miles every weekend, owns and carefully rides a superbike and plays a bass guitar.
Paul ‘Toby’ Talbot decided he wanted to work for Keltruck, or ‘Kelly Trucks’ as the business was named at the time, because it was a family run business. He started at the age of 24 and remembers meeting Chris Kelly for the first time.
Paul has assisted with the theme of a family run business as throughout his employment he has had a fair share of his own family members working at Keltruck including a brother-in-law, three nephews, his own son and two family friends!
Paul enjoys life in general outside of work with the family and in his spare time frequents various lovely parts of the UK in his VW camper van.
Trevor, who is hearing impaired, received his award in front of colleagues with an interpreter present to assist with the celebrations. Trevor was hired after Chris Kelly had heard on local media that Trevor was struggling to find work due to his disability. An interview was arranged and Trevor promptly joined the Keltruck Scania bodyshop team. Russ Warner, Aftersales Director, commented. “It’s lovely to see another member of the team achieve 25 years’ service – it couldn’t be for a nicer chap.”
Andrew Pryjmachuk, Keltruck Scania West Bromwich Depot Manager, commented, “My congratulations go to Paul, Duncan and Trevor for 25 years’ service. It’s clear that the wealth of knowledge and skill built up over half a century between them has contributed to high quality service delivered through our bodyshop. Keltruck are proud of our long-established workforce with many in the team approaching or exceeding the 25-year service milestone.”
In December 2019 Keltruck Scania West Bromwich bodyshop played host to then Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon. Sajid Javid MP, for a major speech on the economy.
scania.truckaccidentrepairs.com
Article by Andrew Bentley, Keltruck Limited
