Midlands Truck & Van
Midlands Truck & Van
From joining as a parts trainee straight from school to becoming Midlands Truck & Van’s Head of Parts, our very own Eddie Lees is celebrating an incredible 45 years with the business. We caught up with Eddie to reflect on his career, the changes he has witnessed across the industry and what continues to motivate him today.
The beginning
In 1981, a then school leaver, Eddie interviewed for a van sales position at what is today Midlands Truck & Van. Weeks later, after not receiving the original role, the branch parts manager got back in touch about a position that had become available, believing Eddie would be a good fit. With a natural interest in numbers and processes, Eddie took the opportunity and the rest is history.
His progression was steady and earned, moving up into a more operational role within the parts team. Five years later, he progressed once again to Parts Supervisor, taking his first step into management.
From Parts Supervisor, Eddie went on to become Parts Manager, initially overseeing a single site and team. As both Eddie’s career and the company continued to grow, so did his roles, eventually taking on responsibility for the parts operations across our Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton branches.
Today, Eddie is Head of Parts for Midlands Truck & Van, overseeing the Parts operation across our eight branches and many team members.
Four decades of change
Few people have experienced the transformation of the commercial vehicle parts industry quite like Eddie. In the early days of his career, most parts orders were made in person, with customers visiting the local branch to collect what they needed. There were no computers or online ordering systems, and the customer base was mostly local, creating strong relationships with familiar and repeat customers.
Stock management was also very different using manual stock-taking cards and paper-based systems, with many tasks taking considerably longer than they do today. Over the years, technology and increasingly advanced systems have transformed the way we operate. Tasks that were once manual are now more efficient, allowing parts teams more time to focus on areas such as business development, customer relationships and understanding performance.
Life outside of work
Eddie brings the same dedication to his life outside of Midlands Truck & Van. A keen runner, he has completed two marathons, countless half marathons and several races. A last-minute spontaneous birthday skydive in Dubai proved that for Eddie, success outside of work just as important as success in his career.
When asked to describe his 45 years at Midlands Truck & Van in three words, Eddie's response was characteristically direct: “Job well done.” But even after reaching such a significant milestone, Eddie has no immediate plans for retiring just yet.
“As long as I’m still waking up with the motivation to achieve and exceed our goals, and still enjoying work, I’d like to keep pushing forwards.”
For Eddie, an important part of this next chapter is nurturing the next generation of talent. After 45 years, he has a wealth of knowledge to share and is passionate about inspiring the next generation of leaders. His advice? Progress takes time and there are no shortcuts. “Get stuck in and do the jobs to earn the knowledge to become well-rounded in all areas of your role.”
The people behind the business
Over the years, Eddie has built lifelong relationships with colleagues across the business. While career progression has played an important part in his journey, he says it’s the people and culture at Midlands Truck & Van that have kept him here for 45 years.
“There is a tight-knit culture at Midlands and everyone pulls together to look after each other, making daily work enjoyable and offering a true sense of support during tough times.”
Eddie also credits his family, particularly his wife Kerry, for the support and encouragement that has helped him throughout his career with often long hours and some stressful days.
Today, his daughter Sam and granddaughter Poppy are an integral part of his motivation to keep pushing forward with the same determination.
Michael Carolan, Managing Director at Midlands Truck & Van, said:
“Celebrating 45 years of dedication is more than just a milestone; it’s a phenomenal achievement and a true reflection of commitment, loyalty and an incredible contribution to our business. Here’s to celebrating an outstanding 45 years, Eddie, and to many more successful years to come."
From a young parts trainee in 1981 to Head of Parts overseeing an operation spanning eight branches, Eddie’s 45 years at Midlands Truck & Van are a testament to what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, continuous learning and, perhaps most importantly, enjoying the people you work alongside.
And if Eddie has anything to do with it, there are still plenty more years ahead.
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