A day in the life of…Martin Flach, Alternative fuels director, Iveco

Where do you work?
Iveco headquarters in Basildon - just around the corner from where I started my career 40 years ago. I’m only in the office about one day per week, otherwise I am out meeting customers.

What time does your day begin?
I’m normally out of my flat just before 7am.

What type of customers do you deal with during a working day?
I deal with all types, from major UK operators to small family run fleets and local authorities. I also participate in many initiatives to encourage the take-up of natural gas-powered vehicles.

How much of your day is spent in the office and how much is on the road?
Too much on the road, as I do just more than 35,000 miles a year. I also part-own a railway steam locomotive, which eats up my weekend time and means more time in the workshop. However, I guess you could say I have a dilemma of conscience between reducing emissions from vehicles yet having fun with a high-carbon toy!

How long have you been with the business?
Forty years.

What types of vehicles are selling at the moment and where do you see the growth in 2018?
My current focus is on Iveco’s natural gas and electric vehicles, particularly the Stralis NP. There’s a huge amount of interest in natural gas right now, and we’ll start to see real sector growth with the arrival of our first 6x2 gas-powered tractor later this year.

Will Brexit have an effect on the industry in 2018?
Brexit will have an effect on everything. In my lobbying of the government, it is clear that resources on non-Brexit items such as the 4.25-tonne driving licence derogation have been very limited, as the focus in government has put significant resource into Brexit.

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