Britain's Leading Trailer Manufacturer
A former professional footballer who went on to become one of Ifor Williams Trailers’ longest-serving distributors has been honoured at a special benefit match.
And local charities have benefited to the tune of £6,000 from the match between Peter McKenzie’s own club Stirling Albion and a young Rangers FC side.
Peter, 85, was dubbed "the gentleman of Scottish football" by Rangers boss Gordon Smith and is respected throughout the game as well as in the business world.
After leaving school at 14 he served his time as a blacksmith, but in 1947 signed for Airdrie. The fee was £10, in addition to which he received £2 for every first-team game he played. A serious knee injury put paid to his career but he did play some friendly matches for Stirling Albion. He was later invited to join the Board and served as Chairman for 20 years, during which he oversaw the construction of the new Forthbank Stadium.
Last year the club was taken over by a Supporters’ Trust, a move which Peter saw through. "It is a measure of the man that despite some reservations about the Trust he decided that what he wanted was to give the club to the fans and the community," said Paul Goodwin, spokesman for the Executive in a special programme produced for the testimonial match.
Peter, who said he always regarded himself first and foremost as a supporter, commented: "I have enjoyed every minute of my time with Stirling Albion and don’t regret getting involved."
Peter has made a huge contribution to the local community in the Stirling area. Over the years he has donated three Ifor Williams horseboxes to the Bannockburn Riding for the Disabled Group, and in 2000 he received a Civic Award from Stirling Council for his contribution to the area. He is also immensely proud to have served as Chieftain of the Stirling Highland Games.
It was 49 years ago, while working as a manager at his brother’s garage, that he saw an advert from Ifor Williams Trailers who were looking for a distributor in Scotland. Though it was a new venture he proved successful and so McKenzie Trailers, based in the Bridge of Allan, was born. Peter’s children,Tricia, and Jimmy, are partners in the business.
It is his attitude to the job and towards his customers that has won him so many admirers over the years. In the early days he thought nothing of travelling to the manufacturer’s North Wales base to collect a trailer for a customer and then driving all the way back, a round trip of two days at that time.
"If you think something is a big job it will be a big job but there is always a solution to every problem," said Peter who, until recent failing health, still kept a daily check on the business.
His wife Mima, to whom he was married for 59 years, died in 2010. The apple of his eye is his grandson Scott, who suffers from cerebral palsy but who is a big fan of Stirling Albion, whose nickname is The Binos.
It was fitting, therefore, that a large slice of the £6,000 raised at the testimonial match went towards improving facilities for the disabled at the football ground. Other donations were given to Riding for the Disabled and to charities linked to both Rangers and Celtic football clubs.
Peter Nesbitt, Business Development Manager for Ifor Williams Trailers, was keen to pay tribute to Peter McKenzie's contribution.
He said: "Peter is a fantastic ambassador for the Ifor Williams Trailers brand and we hold him in very high esteem.
"Through his business acumen, enthusiasm and hard work over many years he has helped to spread the name of Ifor Williams Trailers far and wide in Scotland.
"The respect that many thousands of customers have for Peter and his children, Tricia and Jimmy, is well deserved and we value his dedication and loyalty to Ifor Williams Trailers immensely."
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