L-R Gary, Sue, Shellea, Chris T and Ian (1)

(From left) Tuffnells operations director Gary Milne; HR director Sue Bancroft; commerical director Shellea Crosby; chief executive Chris Tresadern; and finance director Ian Brewer

Tuffnells has announced a new board of directors amid an expansion drive following a successful year since being sold by the Connect Group last May.

At that time, Tuffnells was making losses of around £14m on annual revenues of £164m but returned to profit just six months after the management buyout.

The Sheffield-based firm was acquired for £15m, six years after Smiths News Group had paid £100m for it in 2014.

Chris Tresadern has been promoted to the role of chief executive, having previously held the roles of regional director from 2002 - 2008 and sales director from 2008 - 2017, before leaving to pursue a role in consultancy.

He returned to Tuffnells in 2020 as commercial director, having played an instrumental role in the upturn in its fortunes, the company said.

He will now guide Tuffnells in its next phase, consolidating its position as the leader in IDW (Irregular Dimension and Weight).

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The latest addition to the board is operations director Gary Milne. Having previously worked with Tuffnells, he re-joins with over 30 years’ industry experience.

Shellea Crosby joins the board as commercial director, having taken on the roles of regional sales manager and regional sales director for the North since she started in the business in 2018. She will now oversee the next phase in the company’s commercial direction.

Ian Brewer was appointed to the board as finance director in 2020, having previously worked for Tuffnells after choosing to delay retirement. The company said he had also played a key role in its turnaround.

Sue Bancroft becomes new HR director, having already made a significant impact since joining Tuffnells through the launch of new training, recruitment and engagement initiatives.

Commented Tresadern: “I can’t think of a better team to build on our achievements over the last year and take us forward into our next phase, which is to consolidate our position as the number one IDW carrier in the UK. Together, we will deliver a strong and healthy future for Tuffnells, offering the best service for our customers and ensuring it is a great place to work.”

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