Industry Contribution Celebrated with National Road Carriers Life Membership Award

Industry Contribution Celebrated with National Road Carriers Life Membership Award

It’s long been a tradition that member contribution is recognized and awarded at the annual National Road Carriers (NRC) AGM. The event is a great opportunity for the industry to come together to reflect on past achievements and think about the challenges the upcoming year will hold.

The recipient of this year’s NRC Life Membership Award was Paul Chappel from Pyramid Trucking Limited, coincidentally also celebrating 25-years of NRC membership.

“Life membership is an honour that the Association awards to a distinguished few who have demonstrated service to our industry that has gone above and beyond,” says John Baillie, Chair.

“Paul joined the family transport business in Te Aroha as a young driver doing the night run to Napier, before eventually working his way up to the position of transport manager. Seeing an opportunity in 1995, in partnership with his brother Glen, Paul decided to start his own transport business. In 2001 Paul took on ownership of the entire business and has worked hard to continually grow the operation into the successful trucking business he has today.”

In 2010 Pyramid Trucking established its head office, workshop and storage facility in Wiri South Auckland. The operation runs 24-hours a day supplying and transporting products associated with the meat processing industry and currently operates a high-profile fleet of around 25 truck and trailer combinations. The fleet features innovative and clever design ideas that Paul and Jeff Mear from Fruehauf have put together to take full advantage of the current VDAM and HPMV regulations.

In 2004 Paul was nominated and elected to serve on the NRC board to which he later served as board Chair.

“During his tenure on the board Paul inherited arguably one of the most difficult periods NRC has had to endure. He successfully guided the Association through this challenging time providing leadership and direction during a period when tough and decisive decisions needed to be made,” says John. “Paul displayed a real talent for navigating the strategic landscape that lay ahead, demonstrating an ability to perceive the intricacies of complex planning and challenging situations without losing sight of the bigger picture.”

Paul led the recruitment of David Aitken as CEO, providing support and counsel as required in addition to representing NRC and OCANZ on the committees required to complete due diligence on two separate occasions to bring together the transport industry associations.

“Paul made a valuable contribution to the board during his tenure and continues to serve the industry by providing strategic counsel as required,” says John. “I have personally observed and admired his business acumen and his ability to take a high-level perspective, develop and implement a strategy empowering those around him to step up. Paul has a knack for bringing both grace and levity to a situation, traits which have undoubtably helped ease many a difficult conversation through.”