Commercial Motor aftermarket editor Roger Brown talks to Northern Ireland MAN sales executive Mark Lennox who reveals he loves Tottenham Hotspur and enjoys holidays in Florida.
RB: What is your favourite holiday destination?
ML: Orlando in Florida – I love the weather and the theme parks.
RB: What car do you drive?
ML: An Audi Q3 at the moment but it changes every three months.
RB: What are your hobbies?
ML: Football - I am a massive Tottenham Hotspur fan. Another hobby is sheep farming.
RB: How did you get into the industry?
ML: I have always had a love for trucks, even though I come from a farming family in Cookstown in Co Tyrone. My uncle has a vehicle recovery business and that interest was fostered from an early age. I worked in the car industry and when the opportunity to work with MAN came up, covering Counties Tyrone, Antrim and Londonderry, I jumped at the chance as I wanted the challenge. I sold a tractor unit and two 7.5 tonne rigids early on and recently supplied Northern Ireland haulier J Adams Transport and Sons with its first MAN - a TGX - following a successful trial with a demonstrator. I hope to be able to keep that momentum going. The TGX for J Adams Transport and Sons has already established itself as a cost-effective addition to the fleet. The customer has a set cost each month for the vehicle with the Trucks to Go package, which is certainly an attractive prospect.
RB: How can the industry encourage more young people to join?
ML: I would tell them to try it. The workload is big, but the rewards can be good and the job satisfaction is superb.
RB: What is the outlook for the rest of 2017?
ML: Challenging, but there are some good growth opportunities.
