New general export manager for First Line and Borg & Beck

First Line has announced the appointment of Kevin Neaverson to the position of general export manager for both the First Line and Borg & Beck brands.

Neaverson has been employed in the aftermarket all his working life, which started with motor factor chain Thanet Brake Company, where he rose to the position of branch manager.

After seven years at the factoring ‘coalface’ he took a different path and switched from factor to supplier as he began a close to 15-year career with Kent-based ADL Blue Print.

As the UK business development manager, Neaverson worked across all of the company’s key accounts as well as its buying group business, which meant that he was well placed to take up the role of European sales manager in 2004.

Under his stewardship export sales consistently grew above 20% per year and the distribution network exceeded over 40 different markets.

First Line’s managing director Dan Joyner said: “With these impressive statistics under his belt Kevin is the ideal candidate to help us to grow our export business.

“He has a proven track record of developing export sales and with a well-respected and widely recognised global brand at his side; we have every confidence that we shall witness strong growth with the Borg & Beck portfolio in Europe and elsewhere overseas.

“It is impossible to manufacture experience, it really only comes through a combination of dedication, industry knowledge and shear hard work.

“However, with an experienced professional and a strong product offering, which is what we have with Kevin and the Borg & Beck clutch, steering and recently launched braking programmes, I believe we can make some serious inroads into the export market.”

Neaverson said: “I’m really excited by the challenge that lays ahead of us. At First Line everything is in place for us to grow our export business to a completely new level.

"We have the resources, the brands and with the help of our new facility in Banbury, we also have the corporate identity to develop our export profile and move onto the top step of the podium in Europe, which is where we are already firmly established in the UK.”