Seven Years Of Kieron!
This week, we’ve celebrated the seventh work anniversary of our very own, super talented Head Technician, Kieron Hough.
At Westwood, our stock in trade is brand new and almost brand new, higher end vehicles. While you’d be correct in assuming that, largely, new things don’t require as much attention in the workshop as older vehicles, that isn’t to say they don’t occasionally need the expert eye of someone who knows the right way to use a torque wrench.
The variety of vehicles on our fleet takes some getting used to. Kieron at his core is an ‘old school’ mechanic, able to assess, diagnose, repair and even fabricate with the best of them. But because we’re not tied to brand, Kieron’s expertise is spread just as widely with a huge variety of brands across cars and commercial vehicles to become accustomed to. Also, as vehicles move from being complicated marvels of engineering, to being battery powered consumer electronics on wheels, Kieron has had to keep his knowledge and his skills up to date n order to keep up with the very latest vehicle based technologies.
We maintain our own fleet of approaching 3,000 vehicles, to OEM standards, so Kieron’s role, leading his department, is as much management, organisation and logistics as it is sleeves rolled up and head under the bonnet. Some jobs can be tackled on site, either by Kieron’s team, or mobile contractors. Others require specialist attention off-site. This vehicular ‘triage’ requires an awful lot of co-ordination and organisation as vehicles move between various different compounds, jobs get done and customers’ various schedules taken into account. It’s complicated but Kieron always finds a way, even when unique challenges present themselves.
A case in point, years ago, one of our (then) new customers was badly let down by their existing supplier, they needed over 20 tippers kitted out with fall arrest systems and other customisations and they needed them fully ready and delivered to sites across the country (10 south of London) in an impossible timescale. Added to this, the kits we’d need to fit weren’t readily available and the fitters we’d usually engage for the task were booked up for weeks. But, Kieron found a way. Ordering where he could, fabricating the rest and even getting parts collected direct from factories in order to meet the needs of our customer. All the tippers were upgraded, accessorised and delivered on time and thanks to Kieron (as well as the rest of the team mucking in), we not only earned that fleet customers’ business, but they’ve been returning to us, taking hundreds of vehicles since. A prime example of Kieron’s skill, can-do attitude and willingness to go over and above directly benefitting the business.
Kieron isn’t alone in his endeavours though. He leads the technical team here at Westwood and over the years, he’s successfully managed other technicians, brought them on and even taken apprentices from trainees to fully qualified mechanics. We’ll never find another Kieron, but thankfully, we’ve got him to pass on his experience, talent and work ethic to those he leads.
Almost always the first on site at the crack of dawn to open up, Kieron is normally the first to encounter a lorryload of new vehicles being delivered. He’s also the first to encounter and to capture some of the glorious sunrises we’ve posted on our socials from time to time.
Truly a man of many talents and as hardworking and dedicated a colleague as you’d hope to have, Kieron is as indispensable as he is deeply appreciated. Congratulations Kieron on your work anniversary and we look forward to celebrating your decade in a few years time!
