Insider Media Limited

Lincolnshire-based Volvo commercial truck dealer Crossroads Truck and Bus is looking to consolidate its business after buying Walsall-based Hartshone Motor Services in August. But Paddy Limb, the new managing director of the £200m turnover-business, told Insider he wants the business to be "in a position financially and structurally" to consider acquisitions further down the line, should there be any opportunities. He also spoke of how business is improving following a "tough" recession.

Limb, who has been with the business for ten years, has taken over from Martin Cronin. Cronin has subsequently stepped up to become the group's chairman and managing director of the Hartshone side of the business.

Limb told Insider: "Obviously, it's been a tough couple of years but we are starting to feel we are climbing as the truck market is up this year. So for Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (where Crossroads operates), there will be 2,700 trucks registered compared with 2,100 last year. It's encouraging and we have 19 to 20 per cent of that market. We are optimistic that things are coming back and we are climbing out of the depths of the recession."

Crossroads' optimism was shown by it acquiring the Hartshone dealership in the Midlands. It has boosted its number of sites to 20 depots and the business now has more than 1,000 staff. It has also moved into offering Nissan light commercial vehicles, as well as its Volvo trucks, in Rotherham and Birstall.

Limb said of Hartshone: "It was a company struggling so we are finalising the plan for next year to get that sorted out. We are predominantly a Yorkshire and Lincolnshire company and the expansion into the Midlands will be covered by my appointment."

And talking of the future, he said of the £5m-profit business: "We like to make sure that we consolidate what we have got with management development. We want to make sure that through 2011 we continue to give the levels of service and support and good partnerships and who knows really what will happen?

"We want to make sure if (acquisition) opportunities come along, we are in a position financially and structurally to take them on board."

Limb said he was excited about his new role and "wants to make sure" that Crossroads is "the main player in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire"and he is "proud to be at the helm".

He hopes to develop "partnerships" with customers by providing a full service covering areas such as compliance training and fuel usage levels.

Even though Hartshone has been bought by Crossroads, the two businesses still operate as separate entities.

The Crossroads side of the business has depots in Birstall, Rotherham, Boroughbridge, Hull, Lincoln, Normanton, Scunthorpe, Stallingborough and South Elmsall.