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EAUl'It

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but we think you'll agree that the winners of Commercial Motor's1999 Livery Awards give their operators an extremely businesslike image. Robin Meczes sums up the rompers and stompers from this year's competition...

THE JUDGES

Commercial Motest hanks go to the judges of this year's Livery Awards for their time, professionalism and enthusiasm.

They were: Gamma Smith, marketing executive, Supersine Duramark.

Aatthew Evans, freelance desigme

iTpflj head of external affairs, Freight Transport Association.

, art & production editor, Commercial Motor.

Robin Meczes, deputy editor, Commercial Motor.

Illif ith nearly 120 entries this year's

livery awards, sponsored by Supersine Duramark and PPG Industries, fea tured some particularly eye-catching designs. Maybe the message is finally getting through that an attractively painted truck really can attract new business. Take a glance over the next six pages and you'll see what we mean.

The competition was dominated by two absolutely outstanding entries which won five of the seven categories between them and carried off the overall title of 1999 Livery of the Year.

But that doesn't mean our judges had an easy choice. Take a look at some of the other category winners and runners-up and you'll see liveries which any operator would be proud of.

Congratulations to all our entrants for running some of the most professional-looking trucks on the road. It's nice to know that, despite everything the government can throw at us, the industry is still inspired by the pursuit of excellence.

UP TO 7.5 TONNES

WINNER

GREENE KING

• Securicor Rentmaster's Greene King Abbot Ale livery was chosen as the winner by all the judges when they saw it on this Mercedes 410 Sprinter van. "That's very smart, and it's such a nice colour," said Dossetter. "Yes, it's very strong indeed," Smith agreed. "Good colour overall," Evans remarked.

The judges' only reservation was that the image on the rear doors didn't extend further down, but that didn't sway their final choice. "That pint on the back still looks very tempting!" said Meczes.

Two other entries received special commendation. The Dumfries & Galloway Leyland Daf 45 Series mobile library was picked out for a design which perfectly described the vehicle's function and worked well as a billboard when stationary. "There's no doubting what it is and they've made good use of all surfaces," said Smith. "Yes, it'd encourage you to use it," said Dossetter. "It's almost like an exhibition design," Evans added. Reynolds Catering Supplies' Vauxhall Combo D also caught the judges' attention. "I like the logo—it's really classy,"

said Dossetter." Smith agreed: "Yes, not too overstated.. less is definitely more here." While Evans added: "They've really adapted the logo well with the ghosting."

CLASS

TWO

2,3a, 4

AXLE RIGIDS

• The superb livery on Silentnight Beds Scania P93 4x2 rigid was another unanimous favourite, thanks to its excellent use of colour and what the judges felt were some very clever individual design features. "I like the way they've used the logo in the pyjama label on the rear of it," said Gale. "Yes, it's very good use of the back, and that's probably the bit drivers will see the most of," said Evans. "You'd certainly notice it delivering beds!" Gale added. "I like the 'dented' look of the sides," said Dossetter. "Overall, it's clever, warm

CLASS

and funny."

Running closely behind it, however, was the second incarnation of Securicor Rentmaster's Greene King Abbot Ale livery, this time on a Scania P94 rigid curtainsider.

Also commended was Dairy Crest's Iveco Ford Super Cargo milk tanker "It's got a nice hygienic look to it," said Gale. "I like the way the milk is sloshing around on it," Smith remarked.

ARTICS 86 DRAWBARS

WINNER

SILENTNIGHT

II This class always seems to attract most entries, presumably because artics and drawbar rigs are prime candidates for fleet flagships. The 23 vehicles in this year's contest also maintained a tradition of excellence with a number of striking entries.

But once again, Silentnight Beds' Scania 93 four-axle drawbar combination was a clear champion. "You just can't knock it at all, can you?" said Dossetter. "It's humour with quality."

And, yet again, the Securicor Rentmaster Greene King Abbot Ale livery came in a close second; this time on a six-axle Scania P124 360 artic. "You've got to say, they've really cracked it," said Evans. "A very dose runner-up."

The judges also felt that ICI Paints' Leyland Daf 85 4x2 prime mover was worthy of special mention, although ultimately it was docked a fey., points (given the category) for not being shown in drawbar form. "This is undoubtedly the right image—it really says 'paints'," said Smith. "Very warm colours and I like the Dulux Dog, although it's not particularly integrated with the rest of the vehicle," was Evans' view.

SPECIAUST VEHICLES

WINNER

THE LEASING GROUP

• This category, as its name implies, can include vehicles that are out of the ordinary—such as the category winner, a highly unusual design on The Leasing Group's CNG-powered BG Bus. It's certainly one of the most strikingly liveried Iveco Ford Dailys you're every likely to see. According to Smith: "The lack of slickness is good and there's a nice freshness to it." "Yes it's refreshing," Evans agreed. "Someone has made a big effort here." Dossetter commented: "Hopefully, it'll make others look at it and think 'we'll do something different too'."

Dumfries & Galloway's mobile library was once again praised for a design that was so appropriate to its function. "It's really very worthy," was Smith's reaction. "You'd get a warm feeling about going inside it, wouldn't you?" said Dossetter. "A difficult job done well," Evans concluded.

Commercial Motor

1999

IVER

COMPETITION

WINNER

GREENE KING

D • It's back again: that Securicor Rentmaster Greene King Abbot Ale livery. It's not really surprising, given how well the livery promotes this brand of beer, and also how well it works right across the range, from a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to a Scania artic.

As Evans put it: "It's the only entry where they've really used the whole vehicle." Smith agreed: "Yes, and it's very clear what the product is from any angle."

By now you may be thinking the judges were drawn to anything with beer on it—something we strongly deny, although particular praise was also directed at the six-axle Carlsberg-Tetley artic promoting Carlsberg Export.

The judges were impressed by its striking use of colour and reflective markings; it failed to win further acclaim only because the cab was felt to be more or less excluded from the overall design. But it's still "a striking sight on the roads", as Meczes put it.

United Biscuits' Daf 85 CF six-axle artic is a high-impact design for Penguin biscuits, but again, our judges felt it was let down slightly by the cab. "It's really a shame they haven't made more effort to integrate the cab, because the rest of it is very strong indeed," Evans commented.

CLASS

SIX

BEST SMALL FLEET

WINNER

RINGWOOD BREWERY

Sponsored by the Freight Transport Association

• By now our judges were aware they'd be accused of rampant alcoholism, but they still couldn't resist giving Ringwood Brewery their seal of approval in the Best Small Fleet category for this Volvo FL6 4x2 rigid used on beer delivery work.

"Nice use of the logo all round," said Meczes. "It's particularly strong from the back," Evans added, and Dossetter agreed: "Yes, the back's probably the best bit."

E Timm & Son's five-axle Daf 85 flour transport rig had narrowly missed cornmendation in other categories but finally won recognition here for its colourful red

and white markings and good use of the company logo.

"It's clean," said Meczes, "and I like the

ear of corn standing in for the lettering."

WINNER

GREENE KING

• As you'd expect from our category results, the overall award was a two-horse race. Between them the Sec-uricor Rentmaster Greene King Abbot Ale and Silentnight Beds entries won five categories outright and were commended in two others.

The judges felt they were both shining examples of good design; either of them would have made an extremely credible overall champion.

But someone had to win. In the end, after much discussion, the judges came down on the side of the Greene King design. The classic feel, excellent use of the vehicle's rear doors and overall appeal of the colour scheme were obvious strengths. Then there was the fact that the design worked so well across a wide range of vehicles.

"It's really very versatile," said Gale, and Smith agreed: "It's a livery that fits very well on the whole fleet."

And so, while expressing strong admiration for the humour, brightness and exceptional overall design of the Silentnig,ht Beds drawbar rig, the judges voted by a small margin for the beer. They obviously prefer a good pint to a decent night's sleep... Commercial Motor's congratulations go to a worthy winner—and a highly commended runner-up.

CLASS

SEVEN

BEST NEW CORPORATE

DESIGN WINNER

SILENTNIGHT

• Back as winner of the Best New Corporate Design award after a very short period out of the limelight was Silentnight Beds. Why? "It's just the most eye catching and innovative design," said Smith.

Reynolds Catering Supplies was also picked out for its Vauxhall Combo, previously commended in the sub-7,5-tonne class for its classy, understated look. "A very clean, hygienic look," said Gale. "I like the way they haven't plastered every available surface.' While Dossetter observed: "That logo is nice, and would look nice else. where, too—like on letterheads."

Securicor Rentrnaster's Greene King Abbot Ale entry was, yet again, a strong contender, but its understandable emphasis on the beer, rather than the brewer, edged it out of pole position in this category.