Paul was nominated for his endless commitment to the industry, having dedicated 46 years of service to rail - his career in rail freight began on 2nd June 1977. Currently VTG Rail UK’s Dry Lease Co-ordinator, originally Engineering Manager for three years and then a long-term Tank Fleet Sales Manager, Paul has a wealth of knowledge and experience across the UK and Europe.
Paul said: “The industry has changed considerably over the last 46 years. Rail freight has always played an important role in ensuring the timely and safe delivery of goods. I am privileged to be a part of a team developing new, innovative and eco-friendly wagon solutions to drive our industry forward. As protecting our planet becomes ever more important, rail freight maintains the advantage over road, but we must keep innovating to keep ahead as we look to protect our environment.”
Paul has played a vital role in the development of VTG successes in rail freight in the last 20 years. This growth has been a real team effort and has been a very satisfying part of Paul's career. The company’s turnover has grown five-fold over that period, and it has welcomed many new customers such as British Airways, Cappagh and SCS to the likes of Tata and Tarmac and through the acquisition of AAE and NACCO.
The VTG Rail UK fleet has grown from around 2,000 wagons with under 85% utilisation to 4,500 wagons with over 95% utilisation.
When asked about the highlights of his career with VTG so far, he said:“I think the thing I got the biggest kick out of was getting the order with British Airways for 42 brand new tank wagons in 2017. We were competing against all the other wagon hirers, and it was a great feeling of triumph and testament to the professionalism and expertise of our team when we won that contract. This resulted in us winning an award for Freight Logistics Achievement of the Year, jointly with British Airways, BP, Railway Consulting, Network Rail and Freightliner."
The VTG team are thrilled that his contributions to the industry are recognised and appreciated.
Well done Paul!