Who, and what is Ecomotive at February 2019?

Sadly, we don’t have any bookings data from those first few months, that was a refinement we added in October. But my memories involve the phone ringing once a day, if we were lucky, and the fact that we had a putter, golf balls and a putting cup to aim at. Sadly, both Will and I are still not that good at golf! 

 

It was Owen who did the first movement with trepidation - it was a Mazda from Northampton and I’m sure we lost a fortune in the process...however, now we were a proper business with and invoice to cash! 

 

The summer moved on and by October we had a number of drivers on the team and in the last week of october we took 62 bookings. Things were looking up. 

 

This was when a bright idea was had. ‘Bright’ may be a bit strong in fairness. I was dispatched to the vicinity of Bristol to go and look at a Mitsubishi Shogun to tow a newly ordered Brian James trailer. 

 

At 100,000 miles the Shogun was barely run in, however it did have a shock when it started to be used for pulling Range Rovers...this was getting expensive! Once it had got over the initial palpitations it ran smoothly and now approaches 300,000 miles as one of our backup tow vehicles. 

 

Our office grew too, the first building works started...and dragged on, and on, and on (you know how it is!) I am not sure how many of our customers remember Megan? Or accountants who remember Bilal? It is Ben who remains as our Senior Planner four years later with his fellow planners James, Jonathan and Joshua...too many J’s? It may get confusing! 

 

Two years went by with steady growth, another 3 or 4 transporters and the addition of new people including Vicky Hackett to take command from a University bound Bilal. It was time to move to bigger premises! 

 

Our move (as the crow flies 2 miles) to Blaby took place in 2016, all very exciting yet again. It felt like we were going places! Yet again there were more Saturdays spent painting and another builder who ran significantly behind. Curse our rotten luck! 

 

In the meantime Will had decided to move on to greener pastures (quite literally). Born out of the countryside he and his new fiance Sarah had decided to buy a farm in Wales and set up a Glamping site (anyone interested just needs to search for ‘Welsh Glamping’ on instagram). 

 

Owen and I were incredibly lucky to find our new partner in crime (I mean that metaphorically speaking I assure you). Julian Evans is now approaching two years with Ecomotive and has energy which I envy and a perspective which has been invaluable. 

 

Julian has been fantastic for Ecomotive, but another man equally deserves a mention. David Martin has advised me over the last two years, following his retirement from running one of the largest motor dealers in the UK - Land Rover Coventry - David has consistently provided good advice and, as I always say: ‘told me when I’m being an idiot!’ 

 

Today, Ecomotive moves around 35,000 cars a year, has nearly 90 people involved in the business and has solid foundations. I would have settled for that on that scary first day in 2014. We have a fantastic team in the office (I have not mentioned Dovile, Angela, Philippa or Katie yet) and out on the road and we are looking to get better all the time. As I write we have another 3 car transporters on order and more security onsite, and vehicle tracking being fitted on our transporters. 

 

I hope that over the coming years you will continue to trust us. If you need anything please get in touch with Suzanne Procter (our new Business Development Manager), me, Julian or the office team. 

 

Finally, and I know I’ve gone on a bit, it would be a travesty not to mention Zakira (Dovile’s predecessor) who moved to Australia to get married.