Schmitz Cargobull has appointed David Darrington to the newly created role of network training and support manager UK & Ireland.
In his new position, Darrington is responsible for training technicians across Schmitz Cargobull’s 72-strong service partner network in the UK & Ireland to ensure they deliver the highest standards when servicing the manufacturer’s S.CU refrigeration units.
This is the first time Schmitz Cargobull has appointed a dedicated trainer based in the UK & Ireland, which the company said comes as a result of the growing demand for Schmitz Cargobull’s S.CU refrigeration unit, as operators increasingly opt for a one stop shop approach.
Darrington said: “I’ll be out in the field supporting our network directly, working with the technicians to boost their skills, introduce new products and ensure that we deliver an excellent, consistent service,” he says.
In his new post Darrington, who is a mechanical engineer, will also be point of contact for Schmitz Cargobull’s telematics system, TrailerConnect, and SMART management services, which are used across its temperature-controlled trailer products.
Previously, Darrington was technical training manager at Marshall Fleet Solutions where he trained the company’s workforce of mobile refrigeration technicians on Thermo-King products.
Darrington holds a City & Guilds Level 3 in Electric and Hybrid Vehicle System Repair and a teaching qualification from Nottingham City College.
He has also been involved in an ongoing project with the City of Liverpool College to develop the first dedicated transport refrigeration engineer qualification.
The new hire will be pivotal in the creation of a training academy at the manufacturer’s used trailers site in Whitchurch, Shropshire, in the coming year.
The facility will act as a centre of excellence for refrigeration systems, arming a new generation of technicians with crucial skills.
“We’ve traditionally done training in the field, taking units to site.
“I want to take this to the next level where there’s a classroom and a workshop, with a training roadmap for these technicians to follow,” Darrington added.
