“ With Teesside people , you know what you are going to get – resilience , adaptability , and a strong work ethic engrained in them by the history of the area ”
Teamwork – Some of the Fleet Factors directors – Katrina McManus , Joe Hunter , founder Mike Hunter and Dave James – at the firm ’ s HQ at Skipper ’ s Lane Industrial Estate , in Middlesbrough .
“ With Teesside people , you know what you are going to get – resilience , adaptability , and a strong work ethic engrained in them by the history of the area ”
Now , under Joe ’ s leadership , the family firm is based on Skippers Lane Industrial Estate , round the corner from its original site , and employs 379 people – including around 80 on Teesside .
It stocks more than 700,000 parts , has more than 30 customer depots nationwide , and operates more than 200 store management sites .
While truck and trailer parts , along with automotive refinish , remain the core business , Fleet Factors has also diversified into supplying an extensive range of PPE and workwear , produced by an in-house embroidery team .
The customer base covers both the public and private sectors , as well as blue chip companies .
“ We ’ ve become a one-stop shop for facilities management , and the philosophy is to keep it simple and customerfocused ,” says Joe .
“ If a customer wants it , we find it , as well as managing their procurement , looking after their paperwork and reducing their administration costs .
“ But the most important factor of all is our people – and we made sure we built our team around that Teesside work ethic .”
Dave James , a Grangetown lad who joined the business on a Youth Training Scheme in 1979 , is a prime example .
The son of a Smith ’ s Dock welder , and a mother he describes as a “ mini-Hercules of a woman ”, he couldn ’ t be more Teesside if he tried , and he ’ s gone on to become one of seven directors .
“ Growing up in Grangetown , it would have been easy to go down the wrong path , but joining Fleet Factors gave me a purpose in life , and there ’ s no doubt that the Teesside mentality has underpinned the success of the business ,” says Dave .
“ Whether customers have just one vehicle or multiple vehicles , they are all equally important because we want them to trust us and come back .
“ That passion and pride for doing a good job started on Teesside and , when we launch a new part of the business , we spread that Teesside work ethic around the country .
“ If you ’ ve got that positive Teesside attitude on your side , you ’ re going to be a success anywhere .”
Fellow director Katrina McManus , who also hails from Grangetown , started with the company as an office junior in 1990 , and is another advocate of keeping Teesside at the heart of the business no matter how big it becomes .
“ We ’ re a national business but with a family attitude , forged on Teesside ,” she declares .
As well as Joe being managing director , his brother , Barnaby , is also a director , while the rest of the board is made up of Dave James ’ brother , Mark , and James McCulloch , who ’ s been with the company since leaving school .
28 | Tees Business