Logistics Stories

Danny left school at 16 and dove straight into work, with the aim of forging a clear and fulfilling career path. After two years of an Aerospace apprenticeship where he gained a basic understanding of engineering practices, he decided it was time for a change.

Now as a second year apprentice at MFS, Danny says, “Coming into the logistics and refrigeration industry has been a breath of fresh air for me. I’ve always been able to take in more information and learn at a faster pace when I’m hands-on, and spending less time in the classroom.”

Danny has found that the industry and its fresh, practical way of working encourages colleagues to come out of their shells and communicate clearly, with ease.

He’s keen to highlight the skills he’s gaining while he learns, skills that he might not have recognised the value of before he made the switch.

“Being at Marshall and working alongside colleagues in the industry has enabled me to really develop my soft skills and communication, which is tremendously important when looking to develop a career. Without making the move to logistics, I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to spot that”.

As a Senior Service Controller with Marshall Fleet Solutions, Dario is responsible for many of the day-to-day operational functions of the business.  This means he coordinates service work and manages how tasks are assigned. Transport refrigeration is an incredibly busy sector where there’s a lot of juggling of tasks and responsibilities, so someone must make sure that everyone is using resources as effectively as possible, whilst ensuring customer satisfaction and compliance with health and safety – that’s Dario!

Dario worked his way up to his current role because of previous positions he’d held. He did take his GCSEs, and has picked up a number of electrical, mechanical and engineering certifications and qualifications while on the job. Dario would say his main “qualification” has been his performance and the knowledge he’s built up over time.

When he started with Marshall Fleet Solutions back in June 2016, his first role was as a Fridge Engineer. By 2018, he was a lead engineer, which is as far as you can take that kind of position in terms of progression – but there are plenty of other options from there!

In Dario’s case, Marshall Fleet Solutions happened to advertise his current role. He let people know that he was interested in the role and then went to meet the team and regional business manager at Tamworth. Dario hasn’t looked back since!

Dario genuinely loves the team he works with. “They’re exceptional people, and we have a way of motivating each other to bring everything to work today. In turn, our enthusiasm translates into a happy customer base, as our customers can tell we’re fully engaged and committed to doing whatever we can for them.”

Since stepping up into his current role, Dario’s been able to meet many of the industry leaders from all over the world whom he’d only ever read or hear about beforehand. That has been a huge highlight, as he feels he’s really becoming part of the sector and getting a seat at the table.

Sam works for Marshall Fleet Solutions as a Business Development Manager.

It’s a sales role, so there’s a lot of contact with customers – which could mean explaining our product portfolio to potential new customers, checking in with existing ones, or anything in between.

There weren’t any specific qualifications for a role like Sam’s, but there are certain kinds of people who will do well. First, you do need good communication skills, but he doesn’t think you have to be a “smooth talker” in particular. You need to have in-depth knowledge of your product portfolio. You also need to understand your customer’s business and know what’s important to them.

Sam’s initial role with Marshall Fleet Solutions was as a trainee installation engineer, and then he progressed through to Service and Repair. Along the way, he realised that he loved being able to talk to customers about our product portfolio, and that he had a lot of knowledge he could share from spending so much time on the tools.

“Looking back, I think it’s great that people at Marshall Fleet Solutions were able to sit down with me and have that discussion to help me change from one area to another. Not all businesses are that flexible, but I think it’s been a win-win for all involved!”

As luck would have it, Sam had a family friend who still works for Marshall, who got him an interview to join the newly formed Install division. The rest is history…

Bringing a new customer on board is particularly satisfying, as you can really see the difference you’ve made and be proud of owning that relationship.

Sam doesn’t think he’ll ever forget my first win in sales. The customer was already working with one of our competitors, but Sam’s knowledge and experience as an engineer supported their decision to become a Marshall and Thermo King customer.

Kaylem is an Apprentice Transport Refrigeration Engineer with Marshall Fleet Solutions.

It’s a role that involves spending time on-site with customers all over the country. Some are big, some are small, and they’re in all sorts of lines of business – from groceries to cosmetics and even pharmaceuticals. That means the work is really varied – no two days are the same, and he’s always learning which is great! Another important part of his apprenticeship is going to college to get his level 3 NVQ.

Kaylem needed several GCSEs as well as a basic understanding of English and Maths in order to be eligible for his apprenticeship. He also needed a driver’s license given the amount of travel required.

Kaylem did quite a lot of searching on job boards for apprenticeships, and the role with Marshall Fleet Solutions stood out because of the opportunities to travel and the choice of different locations to work from.

“If I’m being really honest, when I was searching for jobs I didn’t really know what it meant to work in logistics, so I didn’t know how well I’d be suited. I just took a shot!”

Once Kaylem started, he realised he was in the right area – it’s perfect for someone like him who had always preferred working with his hands over traditional academic work.

Kaylem loves that he can own his work, seeing a process from start to finish, looking at what he’s done and realising he’s made an impact.

The thing Kaylem has enjoyed the most so far has been getting his own van. He sees it as a sign that he’s trusted to go out, do his job and take responsibilities.