IVECO has appointed Kirk Freezer as its new Heavy Business Line Director, with responsibility for the Eurocargo, Stralis and Trakker ranges in the UK and Ireland.
Freezer joins the company after 15 years with Scania GB, where he was Regional Aftersales Director from 2004 to 2008 and then Service Sales Director for more than a decade – during which time he set up the manufacturer’s first sales operation for aftersales. Prior to this, he worked for Marshall Thermo King as Regional Aftersales Director from 2000 to 2003.
Commenting on his new role at IVECO, Freezer says: “The opportunity to join IVECO – the manufacturer leading the drive towards natural gas – was too good an opportunity to turn down. The push for cleaner emission levels in cities is gathering pace, and I’m looking forward to working closely with our dealers as more customers begin making the transfer from diesel to gas engines.”
His arrival follows last year’s launch of the first pure gas-powered 6×2 tractor unit for 44-tonne operation, with the Stralis NP standing out as the only three-axle tractor on the market to run on 100 per cent liquefied natural gas (LNG), without the need for diesel or AdBlue.
Freezer also sees significant potential for IVECO’s Stralis X-Way range, which is designed for light off-road missions and combines the best of IVECO’s fuel efficiency and safety technologies with the brand’s most robust chassis design.
He adds: “The potential for the Stralis X-Way is huge, and it was a big draw for me in accepting the role. The feedback the vehicle has been generating in the marketplace has been excellent; it’s given the dealer network a truck which can genuinely compete against the more established marques in this competitive area of the market.
“Coming from a competitor, it’s one of those trucks which you want to have in your product range. It’s been incredibly well engineered and I’m going to be putting a lot of emphasis into getting our demonstrators into as many prospect fleets as we can.”
Freezer, who lives in Kent and is married with two children, will be based at IVECO’s UK headquarters in Basildon. He reports to Stuart Webster, IVECO UK & Ireland Business Director.