Tru7 Group ________________________________________________________________________________________
Tru7 Group ( Tru7 ) is passionate about the construction vehicles that it hires , sells and operates , and its dedication to quality customer service has been evident across the years . The construction business offers premium fleets with excellent safety technology , as well as the assurance that the right vehicle is always available for any job , saving time , fuel and emissions .
Bringing together a sizable enterprise takes a legacy of commitment and drive , and Tru7 has been no exception . The history that brought the business together may be extensive , but it ’ s a tale worth sharing , which is why Construction & Civil Engineering has taken a deep dive into the journey that brought Tru7 to where it is today .
Percy Nicholls , who began as a sole trader in 1964 , formed the foundations of the £ 70 million-turnover organization that his son and grandson now run . Back then , Percy was one of 13 siblings and grew up in the heart of the Suffolk countryside .
He and his siblings rarely went to school and their father , Robert was always exploring ways to make money . He started buying garages , and set up in the motor trade , supplying customers with their first cars after the war . With only two competitors in the whole of Suffolk , they smartened their showrooms to become the premium choice in the county . As business boomed , Percy wanted to take on greater heights , and , together with his sweetheart Shirley , embarked on a venture he could call his own . A year after his son , Guy , was born , he left the family firm .
Records show that Percy cashed in £ 1000 of premium bonds and began as a sole trader , buying and selling vehicles , trucks and diggers . Like father , like son , Guy joined Percy at work and spent all his time getting grubby , cleaning vans and machines .
Like father , like son , Guy joined Percy at work and spent all his time getting grubby
Percy was adamant that reading and writing were surplus to requirements , and that Guy would learn more by getting his hands dirty . As soon as he had completed his schooling , Guy couldn ’ t wait to officially join his dad . In 1973 , Percy bought a yard in Felixstowe Road , called Prentice Aircraft and Cars Ltd , and decided to move away from buying and selling vehicles to hiring out plant assets .
Due to some contractual obligations , he was stuck with the Prentice name , so informally called his company Guy ’ s Hire until in 1977 , he was able to form his own limited company . The business then became Fork Rent , and subsequently established the foundation for what is now Tru7 .
By the 1980s , Percy had managed to convince his daughter , Trudi , to also join him and Guy in the family business . Reports from Trudi share that Percy was a workaholic . The family did not go on holiday , and Percy rarely took time off . This , she alleges , is what led to his premature death at 64 years old . He left behind his wife Shirley , his children , Guy , Trudi , and Jason , and grandchildren , Holly and Jake , as well as a fleet of 140 vehicles . When Percy Nicholls died , Guy was distraught . Although it has been 25 years since his passing , statements from the family show that Guy still struggles to talk about his father without getting emotional . To Guy , Percy was his “ best friend and role model , and he left a giant gaping hole . The only thing I had to cope with the enormity of it , was to throw myself into the business we had created together ,” he said .
Determined to continue his father ’ s legacy , Guy dedicated his life to the success of the company , and with the help of Trudi , who also served as the Co-Director , turned
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