A dedicated logistics professional who has worked at a Worcestershire family firm for an incredible 50 years, after joining from school, is calling time on his long career.
Steve Marshall has worked at Pershore-based Marshall’s Transport ever since leaving Blackminster Middle School in 1976 and has covered every role in the business in that time – from mechanic to driver to transport manager.
Marshall, 66, who is part of the original Marshall family which set up the business, retires at the end of this month. Marshall’s Transport is still a family run business, having been sold in 1985 to George Simpson. The company is still owned by the Simpson family.
Marshall was no no stranger to the firm when he first joined having spent many hours working in the warehouse during school holidays and weekends before formally joining the business aged 16.
Starting off as a mechanical apprentice, Marshall then had a spell as a driver before taking up a role in the traffic office aged 21, which he has held ever since.
His colleagues enjoy reminding him of a brief time where he left the business in 1997 – but after three months away, he decided the call of home was too much to ignore.
Asked about his secret to a long and successful career, Marshall said: “Keep your head down and don’t talk to anyone! But seriously, getting on with people is key to getting the best out of them and that has worked well for me.“
“After such a long career you realise you’ve forgotten so many things. Only recently I was chatting to the family about times past and we were all reminiscing about it. There are so many good memories.
“I used to come in lots during school holidays and at weekends, working in the warehouse and helping drivers load the lorries. So I was heavily involved before I officially joined, and I just rolled into it. It feels like I’ve been here forever, and not in a bad way.”
Marshall said the job was a very different one to the role he found himself doing as a 16-year-old. “It’s changed completely – it’s improved in many ways, particularly with the vehicles.
“Sadly, the camaraderie isn’t quite the same in the modern world, but the constant is always the need to provide a good service,” he said.
“Many of our customers past and present we still see around and get on really well with – most people I’ve worked with have been genuinely good people. It helps if you get on with the people you work with, and you trust them.”
“I’ve always enjoyed what I do and never really thought of changing.”
Marshall said he had no immediate plans for his retirement beyond booking some well-deserved holidays. “I’m going to take it easy and relax for a bit, because I’ve never had any extended time out in 50 years,” he added.
