Gray & Adams Winter 2023 Newsletter

Gray & Adams News Winter 2023

In this issue > Geoff Potter takes a look back on 2023 > An interview with industry legend - Daniel Stewart

> An interview with Phil Hopkins, Transport Director at Hunt’s Food Group

> Spotlight on our Welders And so much more ISSUE 23 | WINTER 2023

Contents 3

Director’s Introduction

4

Customer Case Study - Gray & Adams and Waitrose

5 Gray & Adams Car and Commercial Repair Centre sponsors

Mission Christmas Doncaster employees celebrate 20 years of long-service

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6 A Q&A with recent Gray & Adams Retiree’s 8

Staff Spotlight: Colin Paul

10

Building a lifetime of value: a focus on quality, training and maintenance

12

Geoff Potter takes a look back on 2023

14

An interview with Phil Hopkins, Transport Director at Hunt’s Food Group

16

The Gray & Adams Story - Part Five

18

Interview with industry legend – Daniel Stewart

20 Spotlight on our Welders 22 Demonstration day with JOST 23 Staff Spotlight: Alan Sloan 24 Staff Spotlight: Daniel Plumridge

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Director’s Introduction As we approach the end of 2023, we are proud to celebrate our collective effort and success for another year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our people, customers, partners, and suppliers for their continued support this year.

Whilst we look forward to what 2024 will bring, we must reflect on the highlights and challenges of the year. 2023 has presented us with challenging marketing conditions with prices across the supply chain continuing to rise and energy costs not yet stabilising. Gray & Adams is actively working to minimise the impact of this on our customers. With these challenging conditions in mind, we want to thank our team across all of our depots for their unwavering commitment to our business.

Recruitment and retention of staff continues to be a focus for Gray & Adams into 2024 and as such we want to ensure that our team understand how valued they are and how important their contribution is to us.

In this edition, Geoff Potter further discusses this period of reflection with his look back on page 12. We also continue the story of Gray & Adams with Part Five of James Gray’s story written from his perspective on page 16.

As always, we are renowned for putting our customers first, with quality and bespoke designs that fit our customers’ needs to drive their business forward. In this edition of the newsletter, we discuss the new relationship between Gray & Adams and Hunts Food Group as we speak to their Transport Director, Phil Hopkins (page 14). Working with key suppliers, where we have developed strong, long-term relationships, is one of the strategies we use to continuously deliver quality to our customers. On page 4 we discuss how we supplied long-term customer Waitrose with 18 gas-powered rigid-body vehicles as new additions to their fleet. We were also delighted to feature an article on a demonstration day carried out by JOST at Gray & Adams, Fraserburgh on page 22.

Page 16

We had the pleasure to speak with industry legend Daniel Stewart (page 18). Daniel is a dear friend and customer to the Gray family and won the 2018 TCS&D Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of service and commitment to the temperature-controlled logistics industry.

As we approach Christmas, a time for celebration and giving, Gray & Adams believe it is important to give back to communities we work in. On Page 5 we discuss how the car and commercial repair centre in Fraserburgh, sponsors Mission Christmas. The department is deeply committed to supporting local families who may be struggling at this time of year.

At Gray & Adams we value our people; they are what keeps the business moving forward and have been an important part of our story for over 65 Years. In this edition, we celebrate the long service of Doncaster employees (page 5). We feature Colin Paul ahead of his retirement on page 8, who has been with Gray & Adams for 50 years. We also have a Q&A with some recent retirals of loyal colleagues who have spent decades of service with our business (page 6). We also share two staff spotlights in this issue, Alan, a service and repairs supervisor based in Ireland (page 23) and Daniel who works in our drawing office in Doncaster (page 24).

As it has been since our inception in 1957, we are a family business, first and foremost. Despite materials shortages impacting the global supply chain, our people remain of utmost importance. Page 10 focuses on how Gray & Adams builds a lifetime of value, through a focus on quality, training and maintenance. Highlighting the importance of attracting and retaining specialists and talented individuals we have featured a spotlight on our multi-disciplined welders (page 20).

All business decisions continue to be driven with this at the forefront of our thinking. With Christmas and 2024 on the horizon, we would like to thank each and every one of our team for their unwavering commitment and we hope you enjoy the festive period with your loved ones.

James Gray OBE and Peter Gray OBE Joint Managing Directors

Page 4

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Customer Case Study - Gray & Adams and Waitrose Gray & Adams has worked with key customer, Waitrose on a long-term basis to provide trailers and rigid bodies to their fleet.

Customer Impact

Our team is proud to work as a trusted partner to such a well-known company and we understand their need to drive sustainability across their business as part of a wider commitment to their customer base as consumers become more green conscious.

“We have taken delivery of some of the rigids from Gray & Adams already and have incorporated them into our delivery routes in central London and the feedback we have had from the drivers has been fantastic. Not only are they cleaner when refuelling but they are also quieter and smoother which makes the driving experience more enjoyable for our colleagues. The general public have also provided similar feedback, and this is significant as it means that we may be able to apply to Transport for London for delivery slots outside the tight traffic and delivery timing restrictions currently in place in Central London. If this is approved this will make things much more efficient for our operations.”

With this in mind, Waitrose approached Gray & Adams to supply them with 18 gas powered rigid body vehicles as new additions to their fleet.

David Wake, Fleet Engineer for Waitrose shared his thoughts on the rigids,

He also shares his thoughts on working with Gray & Adams,

Customer Requirement Waitrose currently operate a mixed fleet of refrigerated trailers and rigid bodies, mostly built by Gray & Adams to service their stores and customers. With central London mostly accommodating smaller stores and traffic restrictions, 18T rigid bodies are the most appropriate vehicle option for the deliveries in these locations.

Due to Waitrose’s deep commitment to sustainability and reducing CO2 throughout their business, the requirement was for the rigids to be built incorporating gas-powered trucks from Scania and electric fridges.

Result Using a collaborative approach, Gray & Adams worked with our suppliers and Waitrose to create a specification that met their needs. The combination of the gas-powered trucks and the electric fridges means that the vehicles are much quieter and produce 80% less CO2 than a standard diesel rigid with a diesel-powered fridge. This reduction in CO2 and noise pollution has meant that the Gray & Adams rigids are popular with the general public as well as the drivers.

Over the life of the vehicles, Waitrose expect to see some significant cost savings compared to fuelling and maintaining a traditional diesel-powered option which will provide ongoing commercial benefits.

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“We have been a customer of Gray & Adams for a long time and we find them really easy to work with. I personally find that the team have a good “can do attitude” and this was apparent when they worked with us to spec unique aerodynamics requirements on a previous order. Nothing is too much trouble, and we enjoy the collaborative approach to problem solving and providing solutions.”

He adds, “In regard to the actual product, the quality is second to none and their aftercare service is superior – not that we use the after-care service often due to the fact the product is of such a robust quality.”

Gray & Adams Car and Commercial Repair Centre sponsors Mission Christmas As a business with strong Fraserburgh roots, we have always dedicated our CSR strategy to supporting the communities that our colleagues live and work in. With the launch of the new and improved car and commercial repair centre, this year is no different and the department is deeply committed to supporting local families who may be struggling at this time of year.

We have teamed up with Northsound 1 to sponsor Mission Christmas this year. Mission Christmas is an initiative that is dedicated to providing Christmas magic for every child, no matter their circumstances.

Thousands of children are living in poverty. So many are at risk of waking up without presents to open because Christmas is a luxury their families can’t afford. It’ll be just like any other day.

But Mission Christmas and the businesses or individuals who support it can make a difference.

As a family-run business, it is important to us that we help other families in our communities where we can so we have donated £1,000 to Northsound 1’s initiative.

To find out more about Mission Christmas and how you can donate a gift to a child in need, please visit www.planetradio.co.uk/northsound/charity/events and help us make Christmas magical for every child.

Doncaster employees celebrate 20 years of long-service Testament to the way the business is run, Gray & Adams is proud of the number of employees who have served with us for many years. Our company has been built on the commitment and high-quality work of our employees, and we would like to take this opportunity to profile their careers and share our sincere thanks for their service.

Paul, Graham, Carl, Stephen and Kevin have dedicated over 100 years of service between them, to Gray & Adams. Every year we are proud to celebrate these achievements and be a part of these milestones with our colleagues and on behalf of everyone at Gray & Adams, we want to say a huge congratulations for their devotion and hard work over the many years.

Paul Lewin - 21 years Graham Clarke - 20 years Carl Collier - 20 years Stephen Hadfield - 20 years Kevin Jones - 20 years

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A Q&A with recent Gray & Adams Retiree’s Gray & Adams is proud of its people and we recognise that their commitment and expertise is the key to the long success of the business to date. We have been fortunate enough to have had many long-serving employees over the years and we believe it is important to have their dedication and hard work recognised.

In September 2023, Gray & Adams celebrated the retirement of Gordon Scott, a long-serving Line Manager in the Panel Welding Department. In October, we also celebrated the retirement of long-serving Panel Manufacturing Operative, Alexander Sinclair. We caught up with Gordon and Alexander after their first few weeks of retirement to find out more about their time at Gray & Adams.

Gordon Scott - Line Manager (Panel Welding Department) Retired - 26 years’ service What was your role at Gray & Adams and tell me about your day-to-day responsibilities?

I was the line manager for the panel welding department. My responsibilities were to get drawings and sort drawings, order all the materials for jobs, and then make sure all drawings went to the correct employee. I managed the daily time sheets, signed off on all finished jobs on the computer and liaised with the panel shop and foam fill to make sure all the welding jobs were finished and delivered on time.

What brought you to Gray & Adams?

My contract came to an end offshore and a friend got me a job at Gray & Adams. It was great to work close to home welding.

Walking or cycling to work kept me fit.

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What was your biggest achievement while working for Gray & Adams?

My biggest achievement getting promoted to line manager.

What was the best thing about working for Gray & Adams?

Gray & Adams is a local company that looks after their workforce. They are family orientated, have a good pension scheme and I have enjoyed working there for 26 years, I always felt welcome.

Alexander Sinclair - Panel Manufacturing Operative Retired - 36 years’ service What was your role at Gray & Adams and tell me about your day-to-day responsibilities?

What was the best thing about working for Gray & Adams?

I spent my entire 36 1⁄2 years with Gray & Adams in the panel manufacturing department, specifically in the manufacture and gluing of panels. As a team leader, my responsibility was to ensure the completion of the daily programme. This involved ensuring that panels were constructed according to drawings by some team members, organising other team members to prepare for the next panel, and ensuring materials from other departments were ready.

Over the years it was good to work for a company that grew and developed. But by far the best thing was the people. Not only did I get to work with some very skilled workers, but the people gave me a lot of support. In recent years my health was not the best, with arthritis and depression. During these times I received support from line managers and fellow workers. The company also supported me and made changes to help me to continue. Last year my wife, Helen, was critically ill (she is making a steady recovery) again line managers and co-workers showed a great deal of concern and support at a difficult time. Also, the company showed their concern and supported me, allowing me to reduce my hours to help Helen. Without doubt, the best part of Gray & Adams is the people, all the way through. They make Gray & Adams.

What brought you to Gray & Adams?

I was unemployed at the time and my father, who had worked at Gray & Adams for 5 years, encouraged me to apply. My first Line Manager was my uncle Wullie, who at the time had been with the company for over 30 years. So perhaps I was carrying on a family tradition. Since I joined Gray & Adams my cousin has also joined in the office. A big factor in staying with Gray & Adams was working with very good people. They were not only good at their job but also good company. The building up of a rapport and friendship went beyond mere workmates.

What was your biggest achievement while working for Gray & Adams?

Looking back, I can reflect on so many changes, both in the introduction of machinery and the specification of the vehicles. In my time we introduced double-deckers, custodial vehicles, curved roofs and much more. So perhaps my biggest achievement was not standing still and being prepared to try new ways of doing things and building new products.

If you could have done someone else’s job (at Gray & Adams) for the day, whose would it have been and why?

I have never thought that there was another job I would like to do. We are part of a team, and each person plays a part in the finished product. I was happy to be able to say at the end of each day that not only had I played my part but had done a good job. I often thought that the first thing that someone looked at in a vehicle was a side panel, if I had done my job well then their first impression would be good.

“The best part of Gray & Adams is the people, all the way through. They make Gray & Adams.”

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Staff Spotlight: Colin Paul On 20th December 2023, Gray & Adams will say goodbye to long-serving employee Colin Paul.

Colin is based at Fraserburgh and has worked for Gray & Adams for 50 years. We have caught up with Colin before his retirement to find out more about what he will miss about working for us and what he is looking forward to as he enters this new chapter.

Tell me about your time with Gray & Adams I left school in the summer of 1973 and I started here on January 7th 1974. Before I left school, one of the technical teachers came around the classes asking us if we had jobs, when I mentioned that I didn’t have a job he told me Gray & Adams were looking for apprentices. He phoned up Gray & Adams for me and let me know that I had an interview with them in November of 1973. I was accepted into the apprenticeship and given my start date of 7th January 1974.

When I first came to Gray & Adams for my interview, one of the first people I saw was the warden who told me to have a walk around the building and the premises to get a feel for the company. It was so interesting to see the facilities and how they constructed the vans back then – everything is very different now!

I spent four years in my apprenticeship as a commercial vehicle body builder, becoming a journeyman. I worked in the door department for a number of years, working on the rear doors of the trailers. As the company progressed, so did I. They opened the repairs department and were looking for people who were skilled in each department to join this new team to ensure they knew what to do each time a new repair came in. I got called to work in this new department and have been here working as a Repairs Technician for over 20 years. I am grateful for the opportunity to move into the repairs department, I have loved coming to work every day and experiencing something different. It has been an exciting role for me, doing different jobs every day.

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What have you enjoyed most about working for Gray & Adams?

For me, it’s been the people that I have got to know over the years. The people at Gray & Adams and on my team have always been able to have good banter together, going to work was always good fun. We would come in on a Monday after the weekend’s football matches and be able to have a laugh with each other over who’s team won or lost. The management team has always been nice and everybody has been so friendly over the years. It’s been a good place to work. When I fix a job, my boss Mike would tell me that he was proud of the work we had done and that always made me feel good knowing that I was producing excellent quality work.

“Gray & Adams has been my life, when I first started here there were only two buildings and it has grown and progressed so much since, it has been fascinating to watch it change over the years. I am very proud to have worked for Gray & Adams over the last 50 years.”

What are your plans for retirement?

I finish up at Gray & Adams on the 20th of December 2023.

I don’t yet know my retirement plans, we haven’t made any decisions on what we will do, I just know I will be relaxing and enjoying the first few weeks. I look forward to visiting my daughter in Peebles and my son in St Cyrus, over the Christmas period.

Colin would like to thank everyone who has been part of his time at Gray & Adams and will think of his time there with fond memories. He would like to give a mention to Bill Sinclair, who passed away a few years ago but made a big impact on Colin’s time at Gray & Adams, being a fantastic mentor to Colin over the years.

James and Peter Gray would like to thank Colin for his commitment to the company and wish him all the best in his retirement going forward.

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Building a lifetime of value: a focus on quality, training and maintenance Quality

Gray & Adams New Training Centre

2023 has seen another busy and successful year at Gray & Adams and part of that success is down to the hard work and workmanship of the people who build our product.

As 2023 comes to a close we are currently in the final stages of building a new training centre at Fraserburgh HQ.

A critical part of this process is ensuring all our vehicles have been tested, verified, and had the necessary pre-delivery inspection checks carried out.

We have a committed team of Quality Inspectors who ensure the vehicle has been built to the correct customer specification and finished to the highest standard of quality that is to be expected from a Gray and Adams product.

As part of our continual improvement and customer focus objective, 2024 will see the opening of our new Training Centre, exciting times lie ahead for the business and this new facility will only enhance our focus to ensure all our employees, old and new, get the best possible training to help keep us at the forefront of our industry.

Moving into 2024 will see us enter another busy year and we will continue to work hard to provide the service, workmanship, and quality of the product we build.

David Smith, Group Quality Manager

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The training centre will be used for apprentices, new starts & existing employees internal training. From induction training, small hand and power tool training, procedure and process training to online training courses. The training centre will also be used for training by our suppliers for component training and our external training providers to deliver various training courses including Abrasive Wheel, Drivers CPC, Manual Handling, Scissors Lift, Overhead Crane etc.

Once completed the training centre will consist of an upstairs classroom for delivering the theory part of the courses and a downstairs workshop for the practical side.

The new training centre is located between the decal store and the main canteen and can be accessed through the completion department.

Andrew Cooper, Training Manager (Fraserburgh)

Maintenance

“The importance of Maintenance for long-lasting success” In the ever-changing world of industrial operations, equipment and technology, one of the keys to success lies in the care and attention given to machinery.

Staff and equipment are the backbone of production, however, the longevity and efficiency of machinery hinge on the care and attention they are given. This can be achieved through strategic maintenance practices, such as routine inspections, timely lubrication, and part replacements. These strategies are pivotal in optimising performance and averting potential issues.

However, the importance of our operators cannot be underestimated. Through everyday use of our equipment, they get to know them inside out, and our employees can play a huge part in the early identification of issues prior to costly downtime. Through effective communication and early reporting, most issues can be rectified at a suitable time without affecting production.

Neglecting maintenance or ineffective communication can have cascading effects, leading to disruptions in equipment downtime, production schedules and increased repair costs.

In essence, with good communication and prioritizing regular care for our machinery, we can forge a path to sustained productivity, reduced downtime, and ultimately, long-term success in the competitive industrial landscape.

Gordon Harper, Group Maintenance Manager

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Geoff Potter takes a look back on 2023 The year started on a very positive note with James and Peter Gray being awarded OBEs in the New Year Honours list for services to the industry and the community of Fraserburgh. This was a fantastic achievement and there was much delight across the company.

The ongoing escalation in raw material and operational costs continued to prove challenging. However, the team remained resolute, demonstrating positivity and integrity, with the true Gray & Adams spirit shining through.

In February Engineering Apprentice, Curtis McCowan was awarded Apprentice of the Year by Rutledge Group. Curtis’s attitude and willingness to learn, allied to the results he gained for his Technical Certificate, ensured he was the successful candidate out of 15 apprentices. Congratulations again Curtis.

This was a significant acknowledgement of Gray & Adams’ commitment to the young people within the company and helping them grow in their careers.

In May we exhibited at the ITTHub in Farnborough, allowing us to connect with industry contacts and meet with familiar, and new, faces in person.

September rolled around again quickly, and with that so did the TCS&D awards. We were delighted to pick up the Customer Service Award this year, a well-deserved win for the business and the first time we entered this category since the Covid-19 pandemic. We were delighted to share many positive customer testimonials on the quality of our service, our people, our products and our relationships which we believe helped us secure the win.

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As we round up the year, we often reflect on the long-service awards and lifelong careers of many Gray & Adams employees.

As a business, we are extremely proud of the extensive experience of our long-serving employees and we’re extremely grateful for the wealth of knowledge they impart to our younger generations.

It’s hard not to be impressed by the Gray & Adams team, the excellence of our design, the quality of our products and services and our ability to overcome industry challenges. We were extremely grateful for our full order book in 2023 and look forward to carrying that into 2024.

“Every single person within the company deserves a huge thank you for their hard work and dedication, and I would take this opportunity to wish everyone an enjoyable Christmas and a happy 2024.”

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An interview with Phil Hopkins, Transport Director at Hunt’s Food Group Hunt’s Food Group is a family-owned business with a vision of being a business that manufactures, sells and delivers great-tasting food that’s loved by everyone.

Hunt’s inception was collecting and selling milk from local farms. They expanded into milk bottling and processing and from there moved into warehousing where they decided to get their own vehicles for transportation of what they were storing.

They now boast 120 trucks on the road, mainly rigids, with depots in Nottingham, Bridgwater, Fareham, Sherborne, and Redruth.

We spoke with with Phil Hopkins, Transport Director at Hunt’s Food Group to discuss the exceptional customer service Gray & Adams provided throughout the build process and the new relationship that had formed between the two businesses.

What was it that made Hunts Food Group turn to Gray & Adams?

We initially came to Gray & Adams, looking to go down the double deck trailer route as we had seen the product and had seen others with the product. We had a number of visits at our site in Sherborne with Gray & Adams and Carrier, determining that the double deck route wouldn’t be the right fit for us.

The team at Gray & Adams were brilliant and came up with the bespoke concept of our current trailers, 15.65m long LST trailers with a Varideck system in them. We also went to 4.8m tall.

The reason for our bespoke request was to achieve stacking multiple pallets at height, which we have achieved as a normal trailer will only take 26 pallets and we can now take up to 90 pallets depending on heights and of course weight. Our new concept allows us to reduce the number of trips, save on drivers and vehicles and ultimately save costs.

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How did you find working with Gray & Adams?

The team at Gray & Adams were so helpful throughout the process. When we first came to view the factory in Fraserburgh we were made to feel very welcome. I was amazed when we took a tour of the factory at the amount of hands-on labour from the Gray & Adams employees, it was remarkable to see the detail of the build process in the factory from start to finish.

Working with Gray & Adams was a very easy process from start to finish, nothing was too much trouble, and it was never a chore to phone up and ask for something to be changed or tweaked. The whole project was very smooth and very enjoyable.

“The team at Gray & Adams has been brilliant and ensured we had a good relationship right from the start.”

How has your relationship between Hunts Food Group and Gray & Adams grown throughout the build process?

The team at Gray & Adams has been brilliant and ensured we had a good relationship right from the start. I first met some of the Gray & Adams sales team at the CV Show, we sat down had a coffee and they showed us the different products Gray & Adams had to offer. The team at Gray & Adams were conscientious throughout the build process, showing great attention to detail and ensuring effective communication at all points of the journey. The delay on legislation held up the 15.6 LST trailer builds so while the concept was signed off fairly quickly, we had to wait for the green light from the government.

Throughout this delay, Gray & Adams stayed engaged with us, ensuring our relationship was maintained and enabled the build process to begin straight away when the government gave the green light.

Thinking ahead to Hunt’s Food Group’s future plans, will you choose to work with Gray & Adams again?

We don’t often buy trailers, this is only the third time Hunt’s Food Group have had new trailers and the first time built to our own specification as well as this being the first time we have had trailers built by Gray & Adams. We have around 120 rigids on the road at the moment and most years we place an order for 15-18 tonne vehicles. We will certainly maintain our relationship with Gray & Adams and engage with them for quotes on that range of vehicles in the future based on our positive experience.

“I am really proud of the 3 new trailers we have received from Gray & Adams and can’t wait to see them out on the road knowing I was involved in this project.”

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f o y or t s e Th our depots The Gray & Adams Story – Part Five With the completion of our new car and commercial vehicle facility, this freed up the existing buildings, one of which was available to come back into mainstream production and the other buildings, which is adjacent to our panel manufacturing facility has now allowed us to proceed with the redevelopment of this site to enhance our panel manufacturing capability and give us the flexibility which, at the moment, we do not have.

I have covered most of the development in Fraserburgh over the years so we will just go back a bit in time to our 3 depots, the first of which we will cover is G&A Ireland which originally involved a selling agent and repairer, this was only a short-term issue, and the plan was to have our own facilities which was eventually secured with a new building and offices and storage yard located mid-way between the port of Larine and Belfast city during 1982.

Northern Ireland The decision for having our own premises in Northern Ireland was taken because of the number of Irish customers that regularly purchased our trailers, in fact a lot of which were ahead of their time as they were amongst the first of our customers to have tri axle suspension specified for their trailers. Many of the customers we had in Ireland have now sadly ceased trading or have been taken over by other companies. We not only built trailers we also did quite a few rigid vehicles in various specifications which I am glad to say we still retain the majority of that business today both in trailer and rigid type vehicles.

We also added a new facility to the existing site which looks after various body repairs, and we also have service and maintenance contracts within the same department. The business is managed extremely well with the former and current Managing Directors and the same also applies to our staff who have all contributed to the success of their facility.

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Dunfermline Moving across to our Dunfermline facility, again this was a fairly easy decision to make due to the number of customers located in the central belt who predominantly used rigid type vehicles in their fleet from transit size all the way up to 6- & 8-wheel rigids and again a suitable facility was located in Dunfermline which was an ex-haulage yard with suitable buildings and ample parking. These were all refurbished to our requirements which not only included local trades people but also a number of our own staff from Fraserburgh going down to arrange the interior of the buildings the way we required them and this was normally for a week at a time.

Just prior to opening the facility in 1983, interviews were carried out for suitable employees which were all in place when the facility officially opened. A number of rigid vehicles which would normally have been built in Fraserburgh were transferred to the Dunfermline location for them to build either new bodies or refurbish existing ones. All of which were for customers based in the central belt, this obviously freed up additional build capacity in Fraserburgh which allowed us to concentrate more on refrigerated trailers.

Over the years Dunfermline has expanded and acquired additional land and buildings which have enhanced the facility. We have been very fortunate with the MD’s and staff who have all contributed to the success of their facility.

Doncaster In late 1989 early 1990 we took the decision to look for suitable premises in England as our customer base was ever expanding. After visiting a number of locations, the decision was to go to Doncaster onto a previously owned premises of another trailer manufacturer and again these facilities were tidied up and improved to meet our requirements both in the offices and manufacturing buildings.

The decision was taken, primarily because our then, long term agent Atlas refrigerated vehicles in Nottingham, the owners had decided to retire, and their facilities were being redeveloped by British Rail.

As they built bodies from panel kits supplied by Fraserburgh, this naturally all transferred to the new location in Doncaster along with a few of Atlases employees.

What has to be mentioned is that Fraserburgh has supplied insulated vehicle body kits to all three of our locations and we continue to do so.

Doncaster has continued to expand acquiring additional property and land adjacent to the site and like G&A Ireland they also enhanced their facilities with repairs and refurbishment programmes along with the continued manufacturing of refrigerated rigid and trailer bodies. It has also benefited from a strong management team, at all levels, and equally dedicated staff ensuring its success over the years which continues to this day.

We did also, for a brief period of time, have a facility in Dublin and also in Bedford, both of which were for the repair and maintenance of our customers vehicles. Unfortunately we just couldn’t get these to work properly and reluctantly the decision was taken to close them. We still have a number of various authorised repair agents located throughout the UK. This article and the previous four parts in the beginning of the Gray & Adams story are very much an abbreviated history just to give an idea of the early days of the company.

By James J Gray OBE

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Interview with industry legend – Daniel Stewart

Having been in business since 1957, some members of the Gray & Adams team who have been with the business for generations, have had the opportunity to meet many interesting and important characters to the logistics industry and listen to their stories on the ever-changing technology of the sector.

One such character, who touched many lives and who was also a very dear friend and customer to the Gray family is Daniel Stewart. Daniel Stewart won the 2018 TCS&D lifetime achievement award for his many years of commitment and service to the temperature-controlled logistics industry.

With such a wealth of knowledge and industry expertise at his fingertips, Gray & Adams is delighted to share his career story, and how he became such a firm friend of Jim Gray Snr and a loyal customer to Gray & Adams.

“I came from a large family and grew up in Blairgowrie. In my family, there was three boys and four girls, and I left school at 14 years old with not much education, which was very common in those days.

When I left school, I went to work as a parcel carrier for a local businessman that ran three vehicles, I believe they were around 7.5 to 8T maximum weight vehicles from memory. I was fortunate enough to be the parcel boy on the lorry that the owner himself drove, so I had the opportunity to learn a lot from him including how to drive. This was my first experience of the logistics industry and it’s where I developed a keen interest in running a business.

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Unfortunately, the business owner I worked with was a very kind man who I got on well with, but he did not pay me very much, if at all and my mother kept telling me I needed to find a new job to help pay my way! He eventually gave me an increase to £2 and 6 shillings per week – it was at this point I thought to myself that if I ever ran a business, I would do everything in my power to pay my staff fairly and treat them well. This was something that Jim Gray and I were very much aligned on.

I was called up for national service and then subsequently spent some time in the forces. When I left, I decided I was going to use the skills I had gained previously to start my own business and I bought a lorry with what they called an A license in 1952, and began doing deliveries for local businesses, this then grew to two lorries in 1954 so I felt that things were going well for my small business. It was at this point that I got friendly with the owners of Smedleys Grocers and began doing deliveries for their business and I became quite close with the Smedley family as I was known for giving them very good service.

It was in the Smedley’s transport office that I was first introduced to refrigerated transport and Jim Gray. He had come by with a refrigerated van that he was trying to sell to customers by driving it round the country and stopping at different customers to show them the van in person. It was the first time I had ever seen a refrigerated vehicle, so I was very intrigued. The Smedley family encouraged me to purchase two vehicles from Jim in 1963 and we became very close over the years.

I brought my family into the Corby Transport business and can accredit much of the success of the business to my son and daughter. When my son became MD, I told him that he must only buy from Gray & Adams as there is no better product on the market.

In 2018, Gray & Adams nominated me for a Lifetime Achievement Award at the TCS&D awards and I was delighted to have won. It was a very proud moment for me.”

In 1968, things in the industry began to change rapidly and I sold my business to Salvesen who then made me the Managing Director of the new venture. 16 years later, the business had grown to 550 vehicles and nine depots. Some of the fleet was refrigerated so we became a very big customer to Gray & Adams which helped develop my professional and personal relationship with Jim. I was also involved in helping Gray & Adams select a suitable site for their depot in Doncaster when the business was looking to expand as I knew the area well.

After leaving Salvesen, I explored other ventures in other industries but eventually decided to come back to transport, a significant point in my career was joining Corby Transport in 1993. This was a great opportunity for refrigerated transport as chilled pre-made sandwiches and other such conveniences were becoming more popular. Therefore, again I had a lot of contact with Gray & Adams who were able to share their ongoing innovations with me over the years and I was of course very interested to see their business doing well.

“I am now retired but I still have a keen interest in the industry and remain close to the Gray family to this day.”

ALEXANDER SINCLAIR

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Spotlight on our Welders Having worked hard to achieve a reputation for quality, innovation, and first-class customer service, we place a very important emphasis on only attracting and retaining specialist and talented individuals.

Our people are the key to our success and with this in mind, it is important to ensure that we invest in the best on-site facilities, training and upskilling of our teams, where possible.

An important area of our production business is the teams of multi-disciplined welders that we employ across our depots.

Welders play a key part in bringing a Gray & Adams trailer from a concept drawing to real life and have a deep commitment to quality. Welding is a sought-after skillset across multiple industries and as such, we are actively recruiting to find more of these experienced individuals across all our depots. We also provide a robust apprenticeship in welding for our young people who wish to start fruitful careers with Gray & Adams.

With a focus on good teamwork skills, we have a number of areas across our business that require welding expertise. To give more insight into the types of work our teams do, we caught up with some of our existing team based in Fraserburgh.

Gavin Cruickshank, Chassis Department: Gavin is the General Manager and oversees the production of the trailer chassis for Twin Frame and Twin Deck trailers, utilising the MIG welding process for most stages of the build.

The department also uses a SAW Beam Welding Robot to manufacture the major beams, the main component of any chassis.

Gray & Adams have various welding departments focusing on different aspects of the trailer manufacturing process. The three main welding types used are MIG, TIG and SAW: MIG – Gas Metal Arc Welding TIG – Gas Tungsten Arc Welding SAW – Submerged Arc Welding There is also an onsite training department, focusing on everything from the basic weld types to more advanced techniques, machine settings / safety and weld theory.

Let’s meet the managers and find out what their respective departments are producing.

Jamie Tait, Steel Fabrication: All material components required in the chassis build process are cut and folded here. Mainly comprised of Steel, the components are produced using Plasma cutting and Press Brake machines.

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Glen Gibson, Body Weld / Stainless Steel Department:

Kevin Cameron, Sub-Assembly:

Glen manages the S/S build components used in the manufacturing process, which are cut and folded in the department using a Laser Cutter, Guillotine and Press Brake machines. MIG & TIG are used to weld Stainless Steel components.

Kevin’s department produces and assembles Dry Freight Lifting Floors using MIG welding. Other components used in Tail Lifts are also produced here.

MIG-TRACK welding is employed for the welding of alloy treadplate and interior kick plate angles.

Rear frames are the main production item, along with various internal brackets, Header panels and Bulkhead frames, depending on the trailer specifications.

Mark West & Dale Alan: Mark manages the Twin Frame chassis side of the department, with Dale managing the Twin Deck side. Chassis are produced on bespoke building jigs which can be adjusted to accommodate the many different builds that G&A offer.

Geoff Urquhart, Panel Welding: Geoff is responsible for the production of Moving Bulkhead frames and substrate beams used in roofs, floors and sidewall panels. MIG welding is the process used in producing these build components.

The nature of Gray & Adams production values, based on customer needs, means these departments are adaptive and flexible in their procedures. There are many varied components produced at any given time and teamwork is key to providing the results necessary for the level of quality we strive to achieve.

We are always on the lookout for new innovations in the welding process, which can be integrated into our procedures to aid/streamline the job at hand.

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Demonstration day with JOST Gray and Adams has a long-standing relationship with JOST and has worked with them for a number of years. Gray & Adams partner with suppliers such as JOST to bring new and bespoke innovations to their customers. Gray and Adams create opportunities for their customers to transform ways of working through a responsive service delivery which is tailored to the operational needs of every business they work with.

JOST recently visited Gray & Adams headquarters in Fraserburgh to carry out a demonstration of their KKS Automatic Coupling System. This system enables the driver to couple and uncouple the semi-trailer via remote control – automatically, safely and quickly.

Coupling and uncoupling a trailer is still a lengthy, expensive and hazardous procedure. The truck driver has to be aware of many different things, each of which is time-consuming and poses a hazard to health and safety. In April 2021 JOST introduced the KKS automatic coupling system. It combines efficiency, comfort, and safety on the road and for the drivers.

The KKS enables them to couple and uncouple semi-trailers via remote control without leaving the driver’s cabin. The driver is guided through the entire coupling process, with sensor technology providing live information on the KKS remote control throughout every step of the process. For example, the support plate sensor indicates that the trailer plate is touching, and the position of the king pin is also monitored by sensors.

Climbing out of the cabin to manually open the fifth wheel, cranking down the landing gear and manually connecting the spiral cable, air and brake connections are all a thing of the past. With 50 per cent less time for the trailer changeover, effectively halving costs per journey leg and truck, the KKS radically reduces the risk of accidents while also reducing the physically demanding aspects of coupling.

John Meehan, JOST Sales Manager for the North or Scotland and Ireland, along with his team from JOST, spent the week in Scotland travelling around different customers, including Gray & Adams, and showcasing the KKS Automatic Coupling System demonstrations on a number of fleets.

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The demonstration was carried out to around 8-10 Gray & Adams employees. This close setting allowed the team from JOST to help the team in Gray & Adams understand this new system and feel confident carrying out a number of real-world situations. The demonstrations were hugely beneficial with a number of interesting outcomes coming from the real-world scenarios, reiterating the benefits of learning how to properly use these new systems. As Gray & Adams has customers who are eager to install the KKS, the demonstration day was an important step for the two partners to fulfil the customers’ requirements together.

Staff Spotlight: Alan Sloan In this edition of our staff spotlight, we speak with Alan Sloan who has been working with Gray & Adams for 14 Years.

What is your role at Gray & Adams and tell me about your day-to-day responsibilities?

My role is service and repairs supervisor at Gray & Adams Northern Ireland. Some of my day-to-day responsibilities are handing out jobs to my team of mechanics, checking all the servicing and scheduling is done right, ordering parts that are needed, checking over service sheets and signing them off. I pretty much manage the day-to-day running of the workshop, including opening up at the start of the day and locking up when the day is over.

What brought you to Gray & Adams?

I had worked as a mechanic for a little while before going on to drive lorries for 20-odd years. The company I was working for at the time went bankrupt and my next-door neighbour mentioned that he saw a job opening at Gray & Adams and that I should apply, that was 14 years ago now.

What has been your biggest achievement while working for Gray & Adams?

I have learned a lot since joining Gray & Adams, and I am still learning, I learn every day here. I think my biggest achievement is how I have worked my way up in the business. From starting as a mechanic in the service department to becoming a charge hand and now being a supervisor to five or six mechanics.

If you could do someone else’s job (at Gray & Adams) for the day, whose would it be and why?

I am more than happy doing what I am doing, I enjoy what I do and the people I work alongside, I wouldn’t do anything differently.

What is the best thing about working for Gray & Adams?

Gray & Adams is a good company to work for, they give good pay and a good pension. I enjoy going to work every day and the people around me make my job all the more enjoyable.

“I have learned a lot since joining Gray & Adams, and I am still learning, I learn every day here.”

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Staff Spotlight: Daniel Plumridge

“I started at Gray & Adams when I was 16 after seeing an advert in my school careers board.”

In this edition of our staff spotlight, we speak with Daniel Plumridge who has been working with Gray & Adams for 25 Years.

How long have you been working with Gray & Adams and what is your day-to-day role?

I work in the Doncaster depot, and I have just recently celebrated my 25th anniversary of working with Gray & Adams.

I currently work in the drawing office and also have health and safety responsibilities for the Doncaster depot. My day-to-day responsibilities include providing drawings for customer builds and liaising with all the teams involved from the sales team to the engineering team to make sure that everything has been interpreted correctly.

What attracted you to the company initially?

I started at Gray & Adams when I was 16 after seeing an advert in my school careers board. As a local young person, I thought it would be a great opportunity. I initially started on the shop floor just jet washing vehicles and trailers but then I got the opportunity to work in the parts department where I learned a lot more about how the trailers are built, before moving into my current role in the drawing office.

Tell us about your greatest achievement whilst working for Gray & Adams For me, it’s just being able to learn so much and apply the learning to my everyday job. I came into the business with no formal qualifications or training so it’s great to be able to look back and see everything that you have learned and growing with the business.

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What innovation impresses you the most and why?

It’s more the quality and the longevity of the trailers that I find really impressive. We sometimes see trailers that come in for repair that are 15-20 years old, and they still look great and operate efficiently.

If you could do someone else’s job (at Gray & Adams) for the day, whose would it be and why?

I’m quite happy in my current job, I enjoy it and I get on with the team here.

What is the best thing about working for Gray & Adams?

As I’ve been here for 25 years, I can say that Gray & Adams look after their staff, and everyone gets on really well. I still work with people that were here when I first started, and we often chat about how things change and have progressed over the years.