26th April 2016 | Chassis Cab

CHASSIS CAB TECHNICIAN ACHIEVES DOUBLE WIN WITH NATIONAL ACCOLADE AND THEN MAJOR EUROPEAN TITLE

Suffolk technician is Europe’s best as he wins both DAF National and European

Technician of the Year Awards 

CHASSIS CAB TECHNICIAN ACHIEVES DOUBLE WIN WITH NATIONAL ACCOLADE AND THEN MAJOR EUROPEAN TITLE

A 31-year-old technician from Chassis Cab – the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire-based DAF   family-owned dealership – has scooped the DAF National Technician of the Year and the DAF European Technician of the Year awards - both within weeks of each other.

Adam Baker, who lives in Ipswich and has worked for Chassis Cab for six years, is a fully qualified truck technician. He was shortlisted for the national technician of the year competition by answering four papers designed to test his truck servicing and maintenance theory skills.  He then beat 23 other technicians to the title after demonstrating his practical skills at a competition at DAF’s UK headquarters at Thame, Oxfordshire.

As a result of his national win, Adam travelled to DAF’s worldwide headquarters at Eindhoven, Holland to participate in the European heats of the same competition.  He, along with 15 other National title winners from all over Europe, completed a tough two-day final which was designed to test theoretical and practical skills by solving malfunctions on engine and vehicle systems.

Tony Shepherd, Business Services Manager at DAF UK, was delighted when Adam was announced the overall winner.  ‘We are all so proud of Adam – a thoroughly professional and competent performance,’ he said.

Adam commented, ‘I was so surprised to win against so many really talented competitors.  The testing was intense and demanding.  I just did my absolute best.  It turned out to be enough to win the DAF European Technician of the Year award and I am incredibly grateful to be the winner of this highly prestigious title.’

‘It is really motivating to have done so well and my advice to others is to always go for a challenge – you never know where it will take you.’

 Robert Baxter, Dealer Principal, at Chassis Cab, said: ‘Adam was representing the entire UK dealer network – and for this reason alone we were extremely proud.  For him to be judged best in Europe is exceptional.  We are delighted for him and have to say it’s a privilege to have him on our team here in Suffolk!’

‘DAF trucks are high-tech vehicles and a broad and deep technical knowledge is needed to be able to work on them.  This programme highlights the considerable skill needed from our technicians and underlines the importance of our technicians when it comes to customer satisfaction.’

Chassis Cab is a family owned business that has been the main DAF dealer for Suffolk since the early 1990s and DAF Service Dealer for Cambridgeshire since 2006.  Starting out as a commercial vehicle accident repair centre, Chassis Cab has grown to become one of the premier dealers for DAF and a leading supplier of trucks in the region, now with main sites at Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Cambridge.

Based at Addison Way in Great Blakenham, Northern Way in Bury St Edmunds,  

Isleham in Cambridgeshire and most recently at Newmarket Road, Cambridge, Chassis Cab now employs over 158 members of staff between its four separate locations.