The 2018 Tip-ex and Tank-ex Awards took place at the Gala dinner in the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate on the night of Friday 1 June. The awards celebrate the very best operations and employees in the tipper and tanker sectors and raised over £9,000 for Cancer Research UK.
Tanker Operator of the Year, sponsored by Feldbinder UK
Winner: Whitworths
Unmistakable in its distinctive yellow livery family-owned flour millers the Whitworth Brothers have brought new standards to tanker haulage in the UK, and saw them win the Tanker Operator of the Year award. The integrity of the flour in its supply chain is second-to-none, as is its commitment to innovation through the use of the most cutting-edge technology on the market.
Tanker Safety Award, sponsored by ProTruck Auctions
Winner: Cemex
Ensuring Cemex staff are fully trained is essential to the Tanker Safety award winner providing the best products for its customers, and ensuring the safety and welfare of its employees. With over 61,000 training interventions in 2017, covering everything from driver specific training, to muscoloskeletal training, to mental health awareness, Cemex staff averaged over 37 training interventions on our way to an extremely successful year.
Tipper Haulier of the Year, sponsored by Volvo
Winner: Ernest Cooper
Tipper Haulier of the Year Ernest Cooper is a Yorkshire-based, family-run business, which transports 1.75 million tonnes of bulk materials per year. With a fleet of 60 vehicles Ernest Cooper leads the way when it comes to best practice and the latest technology, and places sustainability and environmental protection high on its list of priorities.
Tipper Livery of the Year, sponsored by Close Brothers Asset Finance
Winner: Y Pellets
From its headquarters in Goole, Y Pellets distributes thousands of tonnes of biomass wood pellets every year. The introduction of its new livery in 2017 was part of an ambitious and dedicated, long-term growth strategy which sees the Y Pellets brand significantly strengthen its presence within the UK biomass fuel market.
Tipper Safety Award, sponsored by MV Commercials
Winner: Tarmac
Tarmac is one of the UK’s leading sustainable building materials and construction businesses. In winning the Tipper Safety award it demonstrated it committed to building a zero harm culture that prioritises people's health, safety and well-being, and targets continuous improvement. This approach extends to every aspect of its business - from the way it trains and equips employees, to the safety features it installs on its vehicles to protect vulnerable road users.
Show Innovation Award, sponsored by Iveco
Winner: VPG Systems UK
Selected by an independent panel during the course of the show the Innovation Award went to VPG Systems UK. The on-board weighing specialist has already established its Tip Watch system, which provides an audible warning when a tipping body reaches the point where it is in danger of tipping sideways. Its latest refinement cuts out the truck’s PTO at the danger point, removing the possibility of the driver ignoring the warning. In almost a year of trials with Cemex, which previously suffered two or three rollovers a year, the company hasn’t experienced a single one.
Image of the Industry, sponsored by Wilcox
Winner: Paul Smart Transport
To celebrate 25 years in business, Bristol-based Paul Smart Transport based is aiming to raise £250,000 for Cancer Research UK. Through its fundraising initiative ‘Reversing For Cancer’, Paul Smart Transport is travelling to shows and events throughout the country in its charity truck, a Scania XT G450 8x4 tipper. Advertising space is being sold on the tipper body, with slots starting from £250, and all proceeds are going directly to Cancer Research UK.
Personality of the Year, sponsored by Hyva
Winner: John Howard
After a ten year stint as chief engineer at Fruehauf John Howard is now an engineering design consultant at Trailer Design Services. No stranger to Tip-ex he was the force behind Fruehauf’s 31-tonne payload aggregate tipping semi that was launched at this very show in 2008 – and has been a pioneering of weight reduction and improved payload throughout his career.
Apprentice of the Year Steve Gray Memorial Award, sponsored by Commercial Motor
Winner: Emily Luff - Cemex
The first Steve Gray Memorial Award for Apprentice of the Year went to Emily Luff. Described by her employer Cemex as a trailblazer, she left behind work as a waitress and in childcare to become the first female apprentice tipper driver at Cemex. She passed her HGV test first time was the only female candidate out of 14 successful apprentices on this year’s driver apprentice scheme at Cemex UK. With a strong will to succeed Luff was praised as an asset to the team and a role model for apprentices of the future.
