A family firm from Essex says landing a major deal with Europe\u2019s biggest trailer company will turbocharge growth and create new jobs.
\nSB Trailers, based at Reddings Farm in Asheldham near Southminster, has secured the sought-after distributorship from global operator Ifor Williams Trailers in a big boost to the business.
\nThe company says the agreement marks the start of an ambitious new chapter, opening the door to expansion, investment \u00a0and increased services for customers across Essex and surrounding areas.
\nThe company is a new division of the SB Machinery Group, run by husband-and-wife team Ben and Susannah Skeggs, which already supplies machinery and runs a specialist haulage operation.
\nMarketing manager Molly King said the SB Trailers team were hugely impressed by the \u201csheer professionalism and quality\u201d of what they saw when they visited the Ifor Williams factories in North Wales to see first-hand the world-leading work that goes on at the sites.
\nMolly said: \u201cWe are all ecstatic about the agreement which is a major coup for us.
\n\u201cAs a whole team and as a business we are incredibly proud to be working with Ifor Williams and to have won the dealership.
\n\u201cAs part of the distributor process we were invited to North Wales to visit all the different Ifor Williams sites.
\n\u201cWe learned about their trailer ranges and experienced first-hand the professionalism and efficiency of their operations.
\n\u201cThe launch of the new distributorship involved extensive preparation, including creating a new showroom area showcasing a wide range of trailers, establishing a Genuine Parts store, and adding servicing bays within our existing workshop.
\n\u201cWe are excited to grow this part of the business and continue providing outstanding products and services.
\n\u201cWe offer the full range of Ifor Williams trailers, Genuine Parts, servicing and repair work in our workshop that\u2019s been approved by the National Trailer and Towing Association.
\n\u201cThe distributor arrangement goes hand-in-hand with our existing company selling machinery.
\n\u201cOur customer base crosses over very well into the supply of trailers.\u201d
\nLinking up with Ifor Williams Trailers has brought a jobs boost and further investment at Reddings Farm, including a new display area, Molly said.
\nShe said: \u201cWe hired new workshop technician Freddie Joslin who does all our trailer services and pre-delivery inspections.
\n\u201cThere has also been financial investment to upgrade our site to accommodate the trailers and the servicing.
\n\u201cWe have created a show area and we have about 90 trailers here.
\n\u201cWe can put the entire range of trailers we have on display so people can come and have a look at them.
\n\u201cWe already had an on-site workshop for our machinery work, that was already set up, and because of the Ifor Williams deal we have invested in creating some servicing bays and bringing in new equipment for the trailers.
\n\u201cWe are also proud to be a supplier of Genuine Parts for Ifor Williams Trailers and we can do in-person sales or can post parts out.
\n\u201cOverall in the company we employ nine people and we regularly use a team of subcontractors too and the Ifor Williams distributorship gives us further opportunities for growth.\u201d
\nMolly said the firm was proud to be a family-run business, and its ethos of friendly customer service and excellent quality of work fitted perfectly with the Ifor Williams brand.
\nShe said: \u00a0\u201cWe are based at the Skeggs family farm, Ben\u2019s mum and dad Jenny and Tone\u2019s farm, and the business runs across two generations.
\n\u201cBen has worked on the family farm his entire life, he knows everything there possibly is to do with machinery.
\n\u201cBefore coming to join the business in 2019, Susannah had a high-flying career in London finance.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a real family business – Ben\u2019s dad Tony helps out here, customers will see him around the yard all the time.
\n\u201cAnd that goes for Ben and Susannah too – the family are incredibly hands-on with the business. We all feel we are family here, which is really nice.
\n\u201cWe all get on well, we have a great laugh and take pride in what we do, and that is reflected in the customer service we provide.
\n\u201cWe really care about our customers, I know everyone says that, but it\u2019s genuinely true – customer service is at the forefront of our business.
\n\u201cCustomers always come first and that is so important to us.\u201d
\nSB Trailers covers an extensive territorial area for Ifor Williams Trailers under the new distributor arrangements.
\nThe firm\u2019s territory stretches from the east coast of Essex to eastern areas of London, taking in towns including Chelmsford, Southend, Maldon and Basildon.
\nMolly said: \u201cWe want everyone in Essex looking to buy a trailer to come to us and see what we have on offer.
\n\u201cWe offer all three services here – sales, parts and servicing – and also do a collection and delivery service for servicing work.
\n\u201cWe have the complete range of Ifor Williams products for customers to choose from.\u201d
\nDave Robinson, Group Head of Commercial Operations at Ifor Williams Trailers, said: \u201cThe family-run ethos at SB Trailers and the commitment to excellent customer care fits perfectly with the Ifor Williams Trailers culture.
\n\u201cThe team at SB Trailers are rightly hugely proud of the business they have developed and the trust they have created with their customers.\u201d
\nIfor Williams Trailers (IWT) has global reach with its market-leading products \u2013 made in its six factories in Denbighshire and Flintshire, in North Wales.
\nThey are sold in outlets across Europe and as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.
\nFirst established in 1958, it is Britain\u2019s largest manufacturer of trailers up to 3500kg gross weight, delivering trailers for a wide variety of purposes.
\nIt invests heavily in research and development to produce the most sought after trailers designed to meet the needs of real people doing real jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n