Kevin Chubb, Tidd Ross Todd Ltd‘s (TRT) managing director, is handing over the reins this Friday after 20 years at the helm of the business.

Since 1997, Chubb has led from the front with a team of loyal and enthusiastic people, overseeing the development of TRT‘s business through many challenges and significant growth.

Starting as a consultant to the board, it was evident that TRT would benefit from Chubb‘s expertise to move the business forward, and in November 1997 he became the managing director.

“It became apparent that Kevin had a lot to offer and fitted well with the TRT culture,” says manufacturing director Bruce Carden. “That decision was a game changer for TRT.”

With Chubb‘s focus on business development during this period, TRT‘s growth has been significant.

Chubb has been behind a number of key business achievements, championing many developments that have helped the company become the leading transport engineering and aftermarket supplier it is today.

These achievements include:

• Building up a great team of skilled and loyal staff, from around 75 in 1997 to more than 200 employees in 2017, while maintaining a culture of hard work, professionalism and fun.
• Leading the development of the heavy transport parts business over 20 years to now include nationwide coverage, two warehouses, eight customer service staff and six account managers on the road, and focusing on only genuine parts.
• Significant growth in TRT‘s facilities over the past 20 years and creation of fully integrated manufacturing facilities at the Hamilton site to ensure that almost all of TRT‘s production is completed in-house.
• Addition of key franchise partners Scania, Mercedes, Freightliner, ISUZU and FUSO between 2000 and 2010.
• Purchase of B&N Cranes PTY Limited (Brisbane) and the establishment of the Manitowoc Agency for Queensland to provide the base for future expansion of TRT‘s business in Australia.
• Establishment and maintenance of key business relationships that recently include Nifty-Lift, Australia, that enabled TRT to manufacture an insulated elevations work platform for use in utility maintenance.

“It has been a great privilege to have been a part of this, working closely with Robert and Bruce in particular with our respective strengths, together combining to make a formidable executive team” says Chubb. “It‘s a good time to be leaving TRT, when the company is in great heart, with strong forward orders and has great prospects for future growth”.

Bruce Carden says that Chubb has steered the ship with professionalism and has developed a loyalty culture in the team that is second to none.

Engineering director Robert Carden agrees. “Kevin has been a key part of the Carden family business culture for the past 20 years. He has brought great leadership and I wish him well for the future.”

Bruce and Robert Carden, with the support of new chief operating officer Lawrence Baker, will lead TRT into its next 50 years.