Commercial Motor aftermarket editor Roger Brown talks to Paul Frost, general manager, aftersales support services, Scania (GB) who reveals he loves visiting Italy and enjoys cycling.
RB: What is your favourite holiday destination?
PF: Italy. Turin is my second home and we visit four or five times a year. There’s a warmness and respect for others that I like.
RB: What car do you drive?
PF: An Audi A5 Quattro, but it changes every 10 weeks.
RB: What are your hobbies?
PF: Cycling. I’ve been a club cyclist since leaving school. I also restore Lambretta scooters and have a small collection of vintage Italian racing bikes.
RB: How did you get into the industry?
PF: I was interested in how things worked and I liked taking things apart and putting them back together again. I completed a four-year apprenticeship at Leicester City Transport working on the city’s buses and on a range of council vehicles from lawn mowers, motorcycles and tractors to refuse trucks and hook-loaders.
RB: How can the industry encourage more young people to join?
PF: Demonstrate to schools and parents that a quality apprenticeship is a valid alternative to university that can be more valuable. Our young people at Scania train and study in a superb environment, can get a qualification and a well-paid, rewarding career without student debt.
RB: What is the outlook for the rest of 2017?
PF: Looking good for Scania aftersales. Our potential parc of vehicles is rising on the back of record Scania vehicle sales, and that’s good for our workshops. Our business is expanding because Scania repair and maintenance contracts offer an attractive solution and allow our customers to concentrate on their core activities.
