Double Diamond: 60 years in business, decades of partnership, Salford Van Hire and JDS Truck and Van celebrate milestones together

The latest additions to the fleet, Renault Trucks D18 and D26 Wides fitted with PPS and Fosters curtainside bodies, support Salford Van Hire’s year-long celebrations recognising six decades of service to customers and the wider community. The vehicles have been supplied by local Renault Trucks dealer JDS Truck & Van, which is also proudly celebrating its own 60th anniversary this year.

Founded in 1965 by Italian-born entrepreneur Raffaello Bacci who moved to the UK as a teenager, Salford Van Hire started with a single van, shared with his grandfather’s lampshade and specialist statuette manufacturing business. Bacci saw the opportunity to hire the van out when it wasn’t in use. From that simple idea, the business grew quickly and within four years the fleet had expanded to more than 100 vehicles, including HGVs, built on his insistence on new, reliable equipment and a pioneering move to offer unlimited mileage - a UK first at the time.

Today, under the leadership of Raffaello’s son, Managing Director Alessandro Bacci, the business operates more than 6,500 vehicles nationwide from two strategically located depots in Manchester and Leeds. Salford Van Hire remains proudly family-run, with 350 employees, some with more than 40 years’ service with the company. 

Alessandro Bacci said: “As we celebrate 60 years, it feels fitting to do so alongside JDS Truck and Van, a fellow Salford business that we have worked with for decades, marking the same milestone.

“I’m proud to continue the legacy my father began in 1965. From one van to thousands of vehicles nationwide today, we’ve grown sustainably, always staying true to being a family business at heart: people focused, built on relationships with customers, suppliers and manufacturers, based on old-fashioned values that we incorporate into the modern world. For us it’s simple: no hidden extras, that’s always been our way and it continues to make the difference for customers today.”

The company’s first Renault Trucks Midlum was sold by Chris Bell at JDS Truck and Van more than 30 years ago, beginning a relationship that continues to this day. Salford Van Hire’s fleet now includes around 1,500 Renault Trucks vehicles, with 250 vans added in the last two years and a wide mix of trucks from 12–44 tonnes, some financed by Renault Trucks Financial Services, supporting the company’s continued growth.

Salford Van Hire’s solutions run from a single car on spot hire to specialist refrigerated trucks, tippers, dropsides, curtain-siders and box bodies, as well as tractor units, on long-term seven- or eight-year contract hire. This breadth and depth allows customers to secure exactly what they need backed by the flexibility and support the business is known for. Much of the fleet is serviced in-house at Salford Van Hire’s new, purpose built, 21 acre Manchester site, which includes seven workshop bays and MOT lanes. However, the majority of trucks are run on repair and maintenance contracts, making the back-up of the Renault Trucks dealer network – and the support of JDS – vital to keeping vehicles on the road.

Alessandro added: “Managing a large rental fleet means there will always be issues, but it’s how quickly you put it right that counts. JDS has supported us for decades and the Renault Trucks dealer network gives us the back-up we need. These vehicles are working tools, they’ve got to be on the road, earning for our customers.”

Fuel economy is another critical factor for Salford Van Hire and its customers, as Alessandro explained: “Fuel economy is key - a tractor unit in our fleet will do around 160,000 km a year, so over a five-year contract our customers need to know what the consumption is to run their business competitively. Renault Trucks is up there with the best, and that matters for our customers.”

Driver appeal counts, too. “Drivers like the Renault Trucks and that’s important to transport managers. We find that customers often trial vehicles using our fleet, which helps them evaluate and move their fleets over to a different vehicle manufacturer – it’s partnership all round,” added Alessandro.

Looking to the Future

As an independent, family-run business, Salford Van Hire’s focus remains on sustainable, steady growth, which will set them up for the next 60 years, as Alessandro commented: “We’ll still be doing what we’re doing, growing organically, expanding carefully and in the right way. We want to be prudent, because that’s how we’ll still be here in another 60 years. It’s about being sustainable and giving customers the level of service they expect.”

Founded in 1965, JDS Truck & Van has grown into one of the UK’s most established commercial vehicle dealers. Following a management buyout in 2009 led by Managing Director Mark Griffiths and two fellow directors, the business has continued to build on its strong heritage. Formerly a Dodge dealer until Renault acquired the UK operation in 1983, JDS has been a dedicated Renault Trucks dealer ever since and now supplies around 1,000 vehicles each year across the full 2.8 – 44 tonne range, serving everyone from sole traders to listed companies. Today, the company employs 115 people across three sites, providing round-the-clock weekday servicing supported by a comprehensive parts delivery operation.

Chris Bell, Director at JDS said: “It’s very special to be celebrating 60 years in business alongside Salford Van Hire. It’s been a privilege to work alongside them for so many years, we’re proud of the history we’ve built together and we look forward to continuing that partnership long into the future.” 

James Charnock, Commercial Director at Renault Trucks UK & Ireland, said: “Sixty years is a significant milestone, so it’s fantastic to celebrate two long-standing businesses with a shared history, each built on strong values and a clear commitment to their customers. Together, Renault Trucks and JDS are proud to support Salford Van Hire with vehicles that deliver on fuel efficiency, driver appeal and reliability, and we look forward to building on that partnership for many more years to come.”