Celebrating 25 years of service, Selor Transport marked the anniversary with the unveiling of a brand new, custom-designed articulated vehicle to the fleet, modelled after Star Wars’ Darth Vader.
Founded some 25 years ago, Selor Transport was founded by husband and wife, Toni and John Roles as an extension of the pair’s historic work within the sector (dating back far further than 1999). Although capable of handling a wide range of loads, the company has become known for its specialism in the handling of electrical goods for some of the nation’s most iconic retailers. Within this segment of the market, the company has certainly built a proud reputation that has fuelled the continued growth and expansion of the company to-date.
At present, Selor Transport is based out of Gillingham Business Park, boasting easy access to the motorway network via the M2 junction 4 leading to M25, M26, and the Kent coast. On-site, the company has access to a 26,000 square foot facility, including a combination of office and warehousing space. A further 4,000 square foot mezzanine is also planned as part of the company’s ambitions to grow its operational footprint up to an impressive 30,000 square feet, primarily in response to the increased demands of the market.
As aforementioned, Selor Transport decided to mark its 25th year anniversary with the acquisition of a strikingly-designed truck, based on the character Darth Vader and the dark side of the force. Most interestingly, the vehicle doesn’t even appear out of place within the company’s wider fleet, with Selor Transport’s traditional preference of darker liveries allowing the new vehicle to fit right in. That said, the new truck is the largest of Selor Transport’s present fleet and is expected to serve as something of a flagship vehicle that can truly distinguish the company from others in the market.
To learn more about the new truck and what drove the decision making behind adopting such a unique design, we spoke with John Roles, CEO and Founder of Selor Transport, who said: “We wanted to commemorate this milestone with something big and the Darth Vader truck made perfect sense. This unique addition to our fleet is a celebration of our journey, innovation, and the unwavering commitment of our team over the past 25 years.”
The Darth Vader truck was formally unveiled at Selor Transport’s anniversary celebrations two months ago, on the 27th of January. Alongside the reveal of the truck’s design, the event also featured speeches from key figures from across the company and an immersive experience whereby attendees would be able to explore the unique design of the vehicle up close. Certainly, the unveiling made a statement and we look forward to seeing what the company may do to mark any further milestones in the future.
Complementing celebrations, John also expressed his thanks for the hard work and diligence of the team in supporting the business over the years, including support offered by his wife, Toni, their three children (Shaun, Connor, and Shannon), and Transport Manager, Dave Niblett (who has been with the firm ever since its establishment some 25 years ago). Notably, Shaun maintains responsibility over much of the firm’s garage infrastructure and maintenance operations, while Connor serves as Site Manager for the Gillingham site, and Shannon maintains a prominent role alongside Toni in the firm’s accounts department. Certainly, each are well positioned with a good understanding of the complete business, effectively ensuring the next generation is ready to take the helm when the time comes.
Concerning future commercial plans and ambitions, Selor Transport is firmly fixed on laying the foundations for the next generation of family ownership. Although not yet ready to hand over the keys to the company, it’s clear that John has ambitions to pass the business down to his children in the future and is actively working to future-proof operations so that the business can truly stand the test of time. In particular, key areas of focus for John include updates across the fleet, systems, and also the undertaking of research into the changing technological landscape and fuels of the future.
As John clarified: “I want to future-proof things for my children. I’m 60 this year, so obviously I won’t be here for the 50th year, but I love what we do and it’s been a true family-run business. I value what the children bring and their thoughts on things going forward, which is why we are trying to actively look forward and future-proof with the newer kit.”
“Going forward, technologies are such that the main dealers are looking at alternative fuels and means,” he added. “While we’re looking at a lot of new kit, we also want to keep it as user-friendly as possible. Nobody has a crystal ball in terms of where things will go, such as electric or hydrogen and I know, from experience, that we do need to let the dust settle and see where things go.”
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