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George Kennedy
Page 66
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THE TRUCK RENTAL SPECIALIST George Kennedy and his brother have built Maun Motors into a force to be reckoned with in the truck-hire market. They're based in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottsminutes from the M1 and a couple of hours north of the M25.
Maun Motors has almost 60 tippers, including 6x4s, 8x4s and grab trucks. "We also supply a lot of builders' merchants trucks," says Kennedy. "At the moment, tipper work seems relatively steady. The hire side really kicks in when business is booming, so it's perhaps a bit early for us yet.
"I'd like to think that we can listen to our customers' needs and come up with a specification to meet their requirements, though," he adds.
The big problem for a hire company is the lead time on popular trucks, which is already extending well into next year. And ordering trucks and bodies early demands a certain amount of crystal-ball gazing.
'We've gotta look through a different pair of glasses as a hire company," says Kennedy. "We don't have a fixed replacement policy; we're selling trucks all the time. As long as we aren't neglecting customers by selling a truck that could be hired tomorrow, we could sell at any age.
The main interest [in the Trakker] for us is the EuroTronic box, as clutch life is a bone of contention. In self-drive hire it can be arduous for the vehicle, but Iveco is OK at coming to the party if there's a problem.
"I'd like to see the automated gearbox in lower-powered trucks too, for longer clutch and component life. But it's difficult for us to pass on the higher cost from the manufacturer in higher rates."
With regard to the Olympic Games, Kennedy isn't making any predictions about Maun Motors' prospects: "There's a terrific number of tippers within the M25 already," he points out. But he adds: "We can respond very well, though, even from Junction 28 on the Ml."