Lord has moved from Nilorn UK, a label manufacturer based in Bradford, where he was MD for three years and increased sales by 100% whilst with the company. His ambition is to double Clarks’ turnover in two years and continue to establish the company as the “go to” supplier for vehicle conversions.
Lord was selected for the position by the owners of Clarks – Paul Clark and Brett Harrop – who will continue to be active in the day-to-day operation at Clarks and sit on the board of directors. The company said this is the first time that the owners of Clarks have looked externally to appoint someone to the role of MD but it was recognised as a natural step in the evolution of the business.
Clarks was set-up in 1985 by Alan Clark, a bench hand joiner from Doncaster who started ply lining vehicles in the back of a builders’ merchants’ yard. The company now comprises over 70 staff working in a 30,000 square foot unit offering welfare vehicles, racking, crew carriers and bespoke conversions.
Paul Clark said: “I started on the shop floor as a fitter and when I moved into the office I took my passion for building vans and I used it to promote Clarks. This passion along with our high standards on quality has given us a wide and loyal customer base. “The next stage in the evolution of Clarks is to grow our customer base to become a leader in the conversion market and Darren was the ideal candidate to help us achieve this.”
