Plaxton's new year look
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• Two new divisions will be set up by Plaxton on 1 January.
One, handling sales and marketing, will be headed by Colin Cowdery: the other, responsible for manufacturing, by Neil Berresford.
The Kirkby Bus and Coach name disappears in the reorganisation, which now includes elements of the Arlington, Kirkby and Plaxton teams.
The manufacturing division encompasses Scarborough Manufacturing, the Frenchbased Carrosserie Lorraine, Reeve Burgess, Mellor Coachcraft, Reebur Ambulance, Coleman Milne, and Overton.
Apart from Scarborough and Carrosserie Lorraine, marketing will continue to be direct.
Plaxton says that it has retained its dealer network, rather than move to direct selling, because it allows operators a better choice of chassis, in addition to providing an outlet for secondhand vehicles.
O Neil Berresford, managing director of the Plaxton Group's manufacturing companies, is the new chairman of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' PSV division.
He succeeds Trevor Webster, who has been in office since 1980. David Cherry, chairman and managing director of Northern Counties, is the new deputy chairman.