A trailer maker has honoured eight dedicated employees who have put in nearly two and a half centuries worth of service between them.<\/p>\n
Five of the eight at Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT) have served more than 31 years and three have worked more than 30 years at the award winning company\u2019s factory in Cynwyd in Denbighshire.<\/p>\n
Managing Director John Williams praised the \u201cloyal and dedicated colleagues for a job well done\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cTogether they have an incredible level of skills and I feel honoured that they\u2019ve devoted their working lives to us, particularly here at the Cynwyd plant. This is where IWT started and this is where my heart is, we are privileged to have such a loyal workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a sentiment endorsed by IWT head of manufacturing Richard Ball, who said: \u201cWhen you add their different records altogether it makes nearly 250 years. It\u2019s a remarkable statistic of which the company is hugely proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
The loyalty of IWT employees was, he said, the envy of industry rivals:<\/p>\n
\u201cResearch shows that today the average employee stays with a company no longer than four years. But, incredibly, we have eight employees in Cynwyd who all started within 18 months of each other in the early 1990s.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree decades later they\u2019re still with us, still showing the same tremendous level of dedication they did when they first joined us. Few other companies can boast this kind of allegiance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re enormously indebted to them and grateful for their ongoing contribution to the Ifor Williams Trailers success story,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Managers made sure the entire workforce at the Cynwyd plant could gather together for a celebration of the octet\u2019s anniversary.<\/p>\n
At an extended lunch-time ceremony they were each eight presented with a bumper food and drinks hamper.<\/p>\n
The staff canteen was festooned with balloons, a congratulatory buffet laid on and a giant anniversary cake rolled out.<\/p>\n
Richard Ball said: \u201cI joined in 2003 but I\u2019m still a relative newcomer compared to these guys. They are the backbone of the company, passing on their wealth of knowledge to more recent recruits. They\u2019re helping us maintain across the board the high skills sets that we are now renowned for all around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the eight, Rhys Jones, who joined the company in August 1993, did not miss a single day\u2019s work for his first two and a half decades.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI love my job and I didn\u2019t miss a minute until about three or four years ago when I had to have a hernia operation. That was the first time I\u2019d taken any time off sick since the first day I started.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alistair Pollard, 57, who lives in Llandrillo with wife Shirley and has two daughters, Lisa, 30 and Emma, 34, joined IWT in September 1993, just a month after Rhys.<\/p>\n
He said: It was a dream come true. I\u2019d tried several times to get in as I knew this was the best place to get good training and job security. But when I first applied there were no vacancies so I started a welding course in Wrexham. Then my mam bumped into a foremen here who she knew. She asked what were the chances of my getting in. He asked me to go for an interview and I got the job. I was over the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I joined we had just the one site at Cynwyd but now the firm has six factories in Denbighshire and Deeside and employs more than 600 people.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one thing which hasn’t changed is the high quality of products. Others try to copy our designs, but they\u2019re not the same. They don\u2019t have the same level of detail we offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two longest serving of the eight men are Geraint Roberts and Eryl Jones, both recruited in April 1993.<\/p>\n
Geraint, 65, of Llidiart y Parc, is due to retire later this year and says he will miss his job greatly.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s been a fantastic 31 years. Everyone here works as a team, we all want to make the best products we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
He has worked in a variety of departments but is now tasked with assembling the Ifor Williams log splitter and single axle tipper. He also enjoys training new recruits.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s important to be proud of the work you do. The IWT ethos has always been to never cut corners but make our products the best in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eryl Jones is also a reliable problem solver, who has built thousands of boxvan and livestock trailers.<\/p>\n
Eryl, 51, lives just a short distance from the factory. He said he\u2019s enjoyed playing a part in the growth of IWT from its beginnings as a small firm supplying local farmers to the international player of today, exporting products as far away as Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cToday we dominate Europe, we set the standards that our competitor firms aspire to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark Davenport, 62, also sings the praises of the company he joined 30 years ago in June 1994.<\/p>\n
He has worked on most production lines at the plant, more recently having taught himself to build CT136 trailers.<\/p>\n
Mark, who also enjoys working on livestock and boxvan builds, is known by colleagues for his sunny disposition and legendary singing voice. He loves to sing while he works.<\/p>\n
Married to Beth, they have four children, Andrew, Rachel, Laura and Emily, and four grandchildren. When not in work Mark said he loves to spend time with the family.<\/p>\n
Another of the experienced\u00a0 trailer maker is production operative Dylan Austin, 58, is nicknamed \u201cMr Canopy\u201d by workmates. He joined IWT in August 1994 working on the canopy range. Today his knowledge of the design is second to none.<\/p>\n
He and wife Kelly live in Ruthin and have two children, Harri, 21, and Megan, 17. Out of work, Dylan relaxes by playing and watching football.<\/p>\n
Philip Jones, who joined the company in June 1993 is known as one of the most versatile employees, having worked on most of the different production lines.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s been an incredible 31 years, this is a great company to work with. It\u2019s not just a job, it\u2019s a real team effort and we all feel valued by the company.\u201d<\/p>\n
Philip lives in the village with his partner, Rachel and they have two children, Ruby and Finley.<\/p>\n
The eighth award went to David Bodden who joined IWT in January 1994. Having worked in various departments, Dave is especially known for his expertise in the galvanising plant.<\/p>\n
The eighth award went to David Bodden who joined IWT in January 1994.<\/p>\n
Over the years Dave has worked in various departments in Cynwyd starting on the horsebox production line, before moving into the galvanising plant as well as making livestock trailers, axles and trailers in the Q range.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe it\u2019s been more than 30 years because the time has really flown by.<\/p>\n
\u201cIfor Williams Trailers is a great company to work for and I\u2019ve got a brilliant bunch of colleagues.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really enjoy working at Ifor Williams Trailers and its perfect as its right on my doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n