by Joe Jeffrey
New non-executive appointment comes as Project Aurora reaches final stages
Bailey of Bristol has appointed Steve Trossell as a non-executive director of its board. Trossell, with 38 years’ experience in the outdoor leisure vehicle industry, is set to bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the business moving forward.
Beginning his distinguished career as general manager of Bessacarr Caravans in 1978, before moving to CI Caravans in the mid-eighties where he ultimately progressed to become the company’s managing director, Trossell later went on to hold senior positions at the Swift Group before announcing his retirement from full time employment in 2011.
In what just have been a case of itchy feet, Trossell subsequently chose a new direction when he became a freelance contributor for Haymarket Publications writing for a number of consumer titles, before returning to manufacturing in 2013 as a management consultant at Bailey before taking up his new role of non-executive director in April this year.
Trossell takes up his position during a very dynamic period in the company’s development as the changes introduced as part of the Aurora programme start to take effect.
Considered by many to be the industry’s leading innovators, eighteen months ago Bailey began a corporate re-structuring programme, code named Aurora. The aim has been to introduce a modern business approach to the soon-to-be 70-year-old family owned leisure vehicle manufacturing company while at the same time maintaining the key cultural characteristics that have made it such a long term success.
The project is now nearing its conclusion and the company is already beginning to see the benefits of the changes made. The adoption of modern manufacturing principals and the re-configuration of the main vehicle assembly line has led to a 20 per cent increase in annual production calendar year to date. Improvement in supply volumes have led to subsequent increases in caravan and motorhome retail sales over the same period, strengthening of the company’s position in both markets and re-affirming Bailey as the UK’s number one leisure vehicle brand.
Commenting on his appointment Trossell said: “I have very much enjoyed my time working as a management consultant with Bailey and consequently I am delighted to be able to further my involvement with them in my new capacity as non-executive director. The company’s structural development programme is driving significant change right across in the business, indeed the industry, at the moment and I am looking forward to playing my part in helping shaping its future.”
Bailey managing director, Nick Howard, added: “To have somebody of Steve’s pedigree join the Bailey Board will be a huge asset to our business. He is a hugely respected and very popular figure within our industry whose expertise will prove invaluable to us as we look to re-shape the company to better meet the changing needs of our marketplace.”
