Leyland Trucks celebrates more than 1,700 years of combined long service

Leyland Trucks held a long service awards ceremony at the Preston Marriott Hotel, recognising an incredible 1,705 years of combined service across the business.

A total of 67 colleagues were honoured on the night, including 65 employees who reached the milestone of 25 years with Leyland Trucks, and two more who have now dedicated 40 years of service.

The tradition of honouring long service at Leyland Trucks runs deep.

In 1965, 1,500 employees were presented with gold watches by Lord Stokes – one of the company’s original chairmen – during a three-day celebration. It was a gesture that sparked a legacy of recognition that continues to this day.

Guests at the ceremony enjoyed an evening of dinner, drinks and entertainment, including a magician, a violinist DJ and a live band.

Mark Norwell works in the assembly engineering department and celebrated 40 years with Leyland Trucks.

He said: “It was a wonderful evening, and a great opportunity to celebrate not only my long service but the achievements of colleagues who have become friends.

“I have always loved tinkering with mechanical things, like motorbikes and cars, so my dad – who worked at Leyland Trucks – suggested it would be a good fit for me. I joined as an apprentice, and more than 40 years on, it’s clear he was right. It’s a fantastic place to work, and my son has just joined as a first-year apprentice too.

“Three generations of my family have now worked at Leyland Trucks, and that’s because it feels like a family. They take care of staff, provide opportunities to progress and travel, and ultimately create a community that people want to be part of for life.”

Dave Rimmer is a PACCAR Parts Assistant Manager and 25-year team member.

He added: “The event was a great opportunity to come together with colleagues and celebrate our achievements over the years.

“I joined Leyland Trucks back in 2000, knowing it had a strong reputation, a rich history and was well established in the community.

"Since then, I’ve achieved far more than I thought possible. I’ve worked across several areas of the business, progressed to oversee a team of more than 120 incredible people, and completed a master’s degree in business management.

“There’s a reason people stay here for so long – it’s an incredible community, and the wealth of opportunities is second to none.”

Quality Engineer Nigel Bluck was celebrating 25 years of service.

He said: "I initially joined on a temporary contract 25 years ago, but it quickly became clear I’d be staying longer. I immediately saw how well staff were treated, the number of opportunities to grow and the different paths available to do so.

“Long service here is something that’s celebrated – both at events like this and in day-to-day life. People stay for decades because they’re treated well, they have a job for life, and they want to build something lasting and meaningful for future generations.”

Phil Jones, managing director, said: “These events are a chance for us to pause and recognise the incredible loyalty and contribution of our team. We’re proud to offer meaningful careers that span decades – built on wellbeing, development, and a culture of collaboration and support.

“Having been part of Leyland Trucks for more than 30 years myself, I know how special this place is. Our people are the foundation of everything we do – and their commitment has shaped the business we are today.”

It comes after Lancashire Business View reported in March that the Leyland firm had reached a major production milestone, manufacturing its 10,000th New Generation DAF XB at its state-of-the-art facility.

 The landmark vehicle has been delivered to Maxi Haulage Limited, a major player in the UK and Ireland’s haulage, logistics and distribution sector.

 The new generation DAF XB, which entered production at Leyland Trucks in December 2023, has already made a significant impact in the transport sector.