13 Dec An Interview with Industry Legend – John Ward
“Looking back over my career, I feel proud of the journey I’ve taken—from working in a family haulage business in Leeds to heading vehicle maintenance for one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains. It’s been a path shaped by challenges, partnerships, and innovation, and I’m grateful for the experiences along the way.
I started in the family business, George Wards Haulage, which, as far as I know, was the oldest haulage company in Yorkshire. For many years, we provided critical services to industries like steel. But when the steel strike of 1981/82 hit, it caused serious disruptions. We couldn’t recover, and in 1982, at the age of 28, we had to close the business.
I didn’t stand still for long and shortly after, I started working for Charthire Services, a contract hire company, as a Workshop Manager. From there, I moved on to Leaseway Services in a similar role. Then, in 1994, I joined Morrisons, and that’s when things really started to take shape. At first, I worked as a Workshop Manager, but within a few years, I stepped into a much bigger role, heading up the Vehicle Maintenance Unit.
It was an exciting time to be at Morrisons. In 2004, when Morrisons took over Safeway, we were seen as the smaller company taking on a much larger operation. Integrating the two businesses was a massive challenge, especially from an engineering and logistics perspective, but it was one I embraced. It also marked the beginning of a long and rewarding partnership with Gray & Adams, the leading specialists in refrigerated vehicles.
Gray & Adams’ engineering expertise and willingness to collaborate helped us innovate in ways that truly transformed Morrisons’ logistics. When Gray & Adams introduced double-deck refrigerated trailers, this significantly reduced distribution costs by maximising load capacity. We also participated in the national trial for 15.6m trailers, which added four additional pallets per delivery. These solutions weren’t just cost-effective— they were groundbreaking.
During the trial, Morrisons had the largest fleet of 15.6m trailers in the UK. The collaboration with Gray & Adams stood out because they didn’t just sell us trailers; they worked with us to design and refine them to our exact specifications. Their commitment to quality and customer service was second to none, and we built a relationship that lasted for years.
This relationship continued beyond my retirement and was showcased from my invite to Prince Charles’ Royal Visit to Gray & Adams headquarters for a factory tour. It was an honour to be part of that day and to see how the partnerships I had built continued to be celebrated.
I was delighted to retire in 2015, at 62 and in good health. I’ve spent the past nine years enjoying life—looking after my grandchildren, travelling, playing golf, and simply appreciating the time I now have.
Looking back, my career taught me the importance of resilience and collaboration. From the early days in the family business to leading logistics innovation at Morrisons, I’ve always valued the people and partnerships that made success possible. For me, it’s not just about the milestones— it’s about the journey and the relationships built along the way.”
-John Ward