The founder of a family-run firm says the dedication of the staff was crucial in clinching a deal with Europe’s biggest trailer maker.
According to Matt Scott, the managing director of AEG York Ltd, his team had gone “above and beyond” to secure the agreement to become a distributor for Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT).
He hopes the move will help create new jobs and fuel growth at the company based at Barmby Moor, about 10 miles from the historic city of York.
The well-respected firm already provided plant hire and specialist transport services to the agricultural and construction industries.
Matt established AEG York Ltd in 2007 and now employs 23 people.
He was delighted his company had teamed up with a world renowned firm like Ifor Williams Trailers.“We went through quite a rigorous process to get here,”
He said: “We had to explain who we were, basically prove that we were the best option for them.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with them.
“I think there will definitely be an opportunity for us to either offer, within the current staff, good career progression, which we are always keen to try to do, or open the opportunity of increased local employment.”
IWT has global reach with its market-leading products – made in its six factories in Denbighshire and Flintshire, in North Wales.
They are sold in outlets across Europe and as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.
First established in 1958, it is Britain’s largest manufacturer of trailers up to 3500kg gross weight, delivering trailers for a wide variety of purposes.
It invests heavily in research and development to produce the most sought after trailers designed to meet the needs of real people doing real jobs.
Its network of UK distributors is bolstered by a growing number of overseas distribution agents with exports now accounting for about a quarter of IWT sales.
Ifor Williams Trailers Head of Manufacturing Richard Bull is delighted that they have signed up AEG York Ltd as a distributor.
He said: “AEG York are an excellent fit for us because they too are a family firm and have a similar ethos that’s based on high quality products and providing excellent customer service.
“We’re looking forward to working closely in partnership with Matt and his first class team and we are confident our current and future customers will be very well served.”
According to Matt, part of the reason for the firm’s success was it was run in a family environment.
He said: “The site where AEG is, that is my family’s old farm which my parents ran until they retired.
“Because I took a different route away from animals, away from farming, we’ve sort of taken over just about the whole of the premises now.”
The Ifor William trailers will be sold from the firm’s site at Mohair Farm.
Matt said: “We are creating a show area in part of one of the fields adjacent to the yard.
“We have created a showroom area as well which has all the stock and the parts available for people to see.
“The vision there is to create a bespoke experience for people coming in where there is an actual showroom for people to sit and talk and look through the brochures.
“We are looking to create a prestigious set-up for people to enjoy when they come to chat about the trailers.
“Becoming an official Ifor Williams Trailers distributor dovetails nicely with everything else we are about, our existing customer base is a perfect match for the IWT range and it is a big draw for new customers.
“We are really excited about this new partnership because there is so much potential to build on.”