02.02.2022

Martin Craig Davies 1966 - 2022

We have received the tragic news that former UK access and crane sales manager and managing director Martin Davies has died, he was 56. He passed away on January 23rd at his home in Rhuddian, Wales, following a year of worsening ill health.
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Martin Davies

Martin Davies began his career in 1989 as an operator and salesman with truck mounted rental specialist Butler Powered Access. After five years he took his first job with a manufacturer when he joined the insulated truck mounted lift manufacturer Amador Aerials selling the Canadian-built lifts mounted on Unimog chassis. In late 1994 Amador was acquired by Skyjack and it soon became clear that selling Amador products in Europe was a challenge and Davies was transferred to Skyjack to support its dealers - such as Russon Access - in the UK, its largest European market at the time.
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At the very start Martin Davies in 1989 operating a Simon S85 for Butler & George Steel erectors, buildin a new Hanger at Stanstead Airport

In 2000 he was involved in setting up Skyjack UK in Oswestry, Shropshire, and then in 2002 was promoted to head up Skyjack Europe. The following year the company closed its operation in the Netherlands and moved its European headquarters to the UK.

At the end of 2005 he reached a mutual agreement with Skyjack for his departure, which led to him leaving the company in early 2006. He planned to try his hand as a professional photographer but was soon recruited by Oil&Steel to become its UK sales director.
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Davies in his Oil & Steel days with John Cusack at SED

In 2008 he moved to MEC to head up its European sales efforts. In 2009 he set up Equipment Parts Wholesale (EPW) Europe alongside the MEC operation and took on the European distribution for Thermoil battery conditioning fluid. As part of the move into parts and accessories he moved into a facility in Greenfield, Flintshire and in 2012 added material lifts from new company LiftSmart.
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Steve Citron of LiftSmart (L) with Martin Davies

By 2014 events had led to the closure of the MEC and EPW operations and Davies moved into the crane rental industry joining Bob Francis as commercial manager, leaving for Graham Jones Crane Hire in 2020.

Over the past year or so his health had been failing, and he finally succumbed, just after or just before his 56th birthday.

Martin Davies was a colourful character, hard working, hard playing, quick on his feet and eloquent, an excellent example of this was a small charity auction held at the evening event of Vertikal Days 2009 when he demonstrated substantial skills as an auctioneer, helping raise more than £7,000 for charity from a small push-around lift and a few crane models.
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He has been out of the mainstream access industry for eight to 10 years, but many will hopefully remember him at the peak of his powers in the 10 to 12 years from the mid to late 1990s when he played a significant role with Skyjack and the UK access market.

One ex-customer said: "He was always very supportive and there was never a dull moment when he was around."
Another added: "A very sad end to a very colourful life."

He leaves behind his three children Bethany, Alexa and Jack and their mother Elaine.

Close friend Tim Ward has sent in the following tribute to Martin which really captures his spirit:

"It is with great sadness that the family of Martin Davies have asked me to inform you all of the passing of their father and great friend of mine at the age of just 55. As I sit here with the impossible task of trying to describe someone’s life in just a few sentences here are just a few details that formed the larger than life character that Martin was.

Martin was born and raised in Denbighshire North Wales and was very proud of this heritage and would tell me lovely stories with a misty eye of him and his Dad working together in this area.

In his professional life Martin worked for Amador, Skyjack, where he became MD of Skyjack Europe, Oil & Steel and MEC. and latterly his own company, introducing Thermoil into the UK.

His hobbies included long lunches telling stories of his travels on business throughout the world, but especially Europe, Canada and the US. Walking his beloved dogs on the beautiful hills surrounding his home followed by a long lunch. Shooting his shotgun at clays and trespassers, followed by a long lunch. Fishing at his local Lake followed by a long lunch. Being very bad at golf, followed by a long lunch. However his very favourite thing would be a long lunch talking about his children Bethany, Alexa and Jack, he was immensely proud of them all and their achievements.

Martin’s personality was like his shirts, loud, expensive and XXL and it’s fair to say he never let the truth get in the way of a good story however, if you were fortunate to be in his company you knew you were in for a good time.
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Happy days - (L-R) Tim Ward, Martin Davies and Willem Hilderink- Vertikal Days 2009

God only knows Martin wasn’t perfect but who is? Martin had his Demons but don’t we all? Martin fought his for a long time unfortunately last week they took him.

As we meander through life we gather and forget many mates but very few true friends. Martin was a friend of mine. I like his family will miss him immensely.

He leaves his lovely children, their mother Elaine, three sisters and both parents heartbroken. However as I’ve been writing this I’ve been chatting to Bethany with a mixture of deep sadness yet with a smile talking about the silly old bugger.

The funeral will be 2pm Thursday 17th February at St Asaph Crematorium LL17 0LG followed by a wake at Faenol Fawr where, once upon a time Martin was a bouncer.. or so he told me..

Whilst loud shirts are not obligatory it would make him smile."