750,000 trailers in 60 years

This year, Ifor Williams trailers has reached the milestone of producing 750,000 trailers in its 60 years in business. The company was founded in 1958 near Corwen in Wales, where the main factory is situated. Nearly every livestock farm in Ireland has had an Ifor Williams trailer on it at some stage.

As well as having a network of 50 UK and Irish trailer outlets, the company has distributors in Australia and New Zealand – and sells its trailers as far afield as Russia, the former Soviet republic of Georgia, the West Indies, Japan and Africa.

They are the leading manufacturer of braked trailers in Europe with Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark being growth areas. They are just opening a new £5m production facility in Sandycroft, in Flintshire, to create extra capacity to cope with the growth and to future proof the business for another 60 years and at least 750,000 more trailers.

New chair at CNH industrial

Suzanne Heywood has been chosen by the board of CNH Industrial to take over from Sergio Marchionne, whom the board have said will not be able to return to work. Marchionne was also the chair of Fiat Chrysler and of Ferrari. Heywood is a UK citizen and comes to the role with a wealth of experience in big business and the public service in the UK at a very high level.