Blue Group appoints three General Managers within three of our divisions

Blue Group is delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Webber, Stuart Hardiman and Iain Colquhoun at three of our divisions; Blue Spares, Blue Southern and Blue Scotland. The appointments of the new roles reflect the successful and busy year Blue has had, with notable events such as the acquisition of Murray Plant and the integration of Blue Fuchs into Blue’s regional businesses, as well as Blue Spares. Furthermore, Blue Spares has undergone a major renovation to further strengthen their customer support.

The recent investment at Blue Spares has been driven by Ian Webber who formally took on the role of General Manager at Blue Spares on the 1st November after previously being Procurement Director. Ian joined Blue Spares in July 2017, having worked at HSS Hire for thirteen years in procurement and commercial roles.

During Ian’s time as Procurement Director, he was able to understand Blue’s market and customers, as well as their suppliers, making him the ideal candidate to ensure the growth and success at Blue Spares continues. In his new role, Ian plans to set the strategic direction for Blue’s Spares division, as well as support Blue Spares’ management team with the day to day activities. Ian’s long-term goal is to ensure his team are delivering first class service to all of Blue Spares’ customers, whilst continuing to enhance the company’s service proposition by providing their customers with a one-stop solution for their parts and service needs.

Ian Webber comments “I am very proud to have been appointed as GM of Blue Spares, the Spares division is vital for the Group’s customer support. Therefore, I will be looking to grow the business by attracting new customers and increasing the wallet share of our existing customers, whilst improving our internal operations within the division.”

Blue Southern has appointed Stuart Hardiman as General Manager, a position he will formally take up from 1st January 2019. Having previously been Service Manager at Blue Southern since 2014, Stuart has built a wealth knowledge and experience which will help drive continued growth and success within the company.

Stuart will be working closely with the Managing Director at Blue Southern, Brian Maxwell and the Southern Sales Team, to develop and implement strategic planning and long-term goals to meet profitable growth objectives within Blue Southern. He will also be directing and coordinating all divisional department activities, such as overseeing key projects and developing new products.

Commenting on his appointment Stuart stated “I’m very pleased to be progressing within the company. For the short term, I plan to understand what’s adding value to the business currently, and how the business can improve on delivering that added value. However, for the long-term, a key focus for me is to raise the bar within our level of service that we can offer our customers, as well as support new business opportunities.”

It is also an exciting time at Blue Scotland as they recruit Iain Colquhoun. Iain officially took up the role of General Manager at Blue Scotland in December. He has previously worked in a number of senior management positions within a variety of industries, where he developed and implemented effective staff development plans. These plans not only enhanced the businesses’ returns, but also the quality of staff members working within the business.

Reporting directly to Blue Scotland’s Managing Director, Austin Carey, Iain will be responsible for managing all day to day operations at Blue Scotland and provide leadership to Scotland’s team. Iain plans to enhance the division’s long-term vision and create a stellar reputation within the industry, whilst establishing the company’s objectives and strategies which will drive Blue forward as a group.

Iain Colquhoun highlights his initial focus will be to build and strengthen customer relationships and grasp the current business processes implemented. Iain states “I am thrilled to be joining Blue, having worked with them previously in my last role. I believe in their vision for the future, therefore excited to continue to grow their operation in Scotland, whilst ensuring their customers receive high-quality service.”

Adrian Murphy, CEO, comments on the new positions “Iain is an excellent addition to the Group, his experience and knowledge in managing people will further the continued success within the company. In regard to, Ian and Stuart I am delighted that they have progressed through the company: their industry, company and customer knowledge is second to none and is essential for the growth of the two divisions. Lastly, I congratulate all three of them and look forward to seeing their success within the Group.”