Coming from a family with a mechanical services business, diesel has always been in Simon’s veins. After leaving school and studying plant mechanics at college, he joined the family firm as a fitter.
“We had a Scania 143 with a low loader, which we essentially used to bring in dead vehicles!” Simon remembers. “Every so often someone would say, ‘Could you do me a favour and pick this or that up?’ Eventually, it became apparent there was a business opportunity here, and that’s how Smiths Heavy Haulage started.”
The V8 is perfect for the job – there’s something special about it, isn’t there? For me, it’s got everything; it’s bigger and better, it’s got bags of torque and more low down than any other engine – that’s why I love ‘em!
SIMON GRIFFITHS – SMITHS HEAVY HAULAGE
When you’re moving the heaviest loads in some of the heaviest terrain going you need a precisely specified truck to ensure it’s up to the task in hand. To make sure everything is exactly right, Simon Griffiths enlists the help of his friends at Scania (Great Britain) Limited and dealer Keltruck.
“Each vehicle is individually specified and tailor made for the job,” says Simon. “The help I get from Phil Rootham, the Pre-sales Technical Manager at Scania, and Andrew Long and Peter Harris of Keltruck in particular is invaluable. We work together to develop the spec; it’s essential we get it right and this is the way to do it – these guys really are experts at what they do.”
