Mr Piper will be responsible for handling key customer accounts across the UK, primarily those operating in the quarrying and opencast mining sectors.
This new position was created largely to provide customers who have operations in more than one UK region with a more defined channel for contact at Bell.
Mr Piper, who has previously held senior positions at Carillion, Tarmac and CEMEX, will work alongside Bell’s team of regional sales managers and report directly to the UK sales and marketing manager Nick Learoyd.
Mr Learoyd said: “Robin brings an incredible amount of top-level experience with him to this new role. He is also very well known throughout the industry.
“His appointment will certainly aid the synergy of the sales team as a whole, but, more importantly, it will give some of our most important customers and future prospects a much clearer line of contact with the sales team.
“Where a customer may have several offices or operational sites across the UK, the addition of a dedicated national accounts manager will prove invaluable in terms of day-to-day contact and accountability.
“Our regional managers will continue to play a role within those key accounts, but Robin’s overall responsibility will ensure even greater consistency of communication.”
Mr Piper (53), who has a BSc Honours degree in Geological Sciences, joined Bell directly from his role as national operations director for Carillion Plant Services, having previously been promoted from regional contracts manager.
Prior to that, he has been district manager for Tarmac Quarry Materials in the south-west region and operations manager at RMC Western (CEMEX) in Bristol. He is a former chairman of the West of England branch of the Institute of Quarrying.
Mr Piper said he was delighted to have been appointed to this new role within the UK arm of the South African plant manufacturer.
“I’ve gained a lot of experience in more than 30 years of working within the sector,” he said. “And I’m fortunate enough to have also made a large number of friends in the industry.
“I’m now relishing the challenge of this new position, not least because the Bell team has a uniquely personal way of working which filters right through to the customers. Bell has earned a fabulous reputation across the industry for its customer support, so I’m delighted to now be part of that.”
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