Everyone loves a grand return. Opening the arms again to a favourite, welcoming them back through the doors as they slip back into familiar rhythms. At Australian bus and coach seating giant McConnell, this very feeling was recently experienced as the team saw a long-time leader return to the fold.
Just over a year ago, Darcy Grant departed McConnell after spending almost two decades at the seat manufacturer to take up a role with Scania Australia in Western Australia. In the state, he became the vehicle OEM’s newest account manager, taking his talents from the seating side to vehicle sales at Scania.
Now, after a year spent enjoying his time with the global OEM in WA, Grant has recently returned to McConnell Seats Australia as the brand’s new national sales manager. While Grant admits he’s rapt to be back in the McConnell fold, he is quick to say that he loved his time with Scania in WA.
“I started back at McConnell only a month ago and it’s wonderful to be back,” he told ABC.
“My time in WA with Scania was fantastic. My reason for coming back to McConnell, where I started as an apprentice, was to relocate my family to the eastern seaboard, where all of my family is based.
“We want the support of our family, so when the national sales manager role came up at McConnells, I jumped at it.”
It sees Grant and McConnell complete a full circle journey together. Nearly 20 years ago, Grant first started at the seating manufacturing giant as an apprentice motor trimmer before graduating to sales around eight years ago. By the time he decided to depart McConnell for the Scania opportunity just over 12 months ago, Grant was looking after sales in New South Wales, Queensland and over in New Zealand.
While he admits the new national role is a “step up” from what he was doing before departing McConnell, he’s excited to be back with the brand that he called home for so many years.
“It’s all worked out really well for my family and myself,” he says.
“I really loved being with Scania and WA was a beautiful place to live, but it feels special to be back at McConnell after starting my career in the bus industry here.”
Grant’s return to McConnell comes at a poignant time for the seating manufacturer, with the brand in the midst of farewelling another favourite member. Upon McConnell Seats Australia first appointing a national sales manager late last year, long-standing sales leader Matt Arthur was beginning his wind down to retirement.
Now, nearly six months down the track, the McConnell stalwart has officially wrapped up with the business, handing over the reins to Grant for the next phase of the business’ growth plans.
“Matt’s been a stalwart of the industry and has gone over and above for McConnell for many years,” McConnell Seats Australia general manager James Lowe told ABC.
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“We’re very sad to see him depart, but grateful he’ll remain connected to the business as he transitions out.”
Much like Grant, Arthur has also had a lengthy stint with the seating brand, helping McConnell grow in the local market amid remarkable industry changes. Having started with McConnell in 2007, Arthur saw the business evolve from a second generation family business to a global force courtesy of the APM Automotive Group buying the business in 2014.
“At that time, the operators were all family run businesses, much like us suppliers,” Arthur told ABC.
“I’ve been able to see that transition and develop lifelong friendships along the way. It’s been an honour.”
As Arthur officially departed the business at the start of May, Grant was back into the swing of things at McConnell, jumping back into the schedule of orders to come. Grant is forthcoming when discussing what the year ahead has in store for McConnell as the seating market leader in Australia looks to bring more business into the fold before a new generation of seating models hit the local market.
“We want to get back to where we were in some markets – we’ve lost some business to other suppliers and we’re looking to get key customers in major markets back,” Grant says.
“It’s good to be back, and being in the national role is an honour. We know in certain markets we are still the leader, such as the low-floor city bus non-seatbelted seat sector, but we now want to grow our coverage in the coach and charter sectors too via a next-generation seating model that will come to Australia later this year.”
These new models are set to be displayed at July’s Bus & Coach Expo in Sydney, setting the scene for McConnell to expand its reputation in various Australian bus and coach markets. Grant says these next-generation seats will be “noticeably more modern” than existing models in the same sphere, with McConnell developing a lighter model that offers more value for customers.
For Lowe, Grant’s return comes at a pivotal time for McConnell as it prepares to launch new products and continue its growth journey in the local bus and coach market.
“We’re delighted to have Darcy back at McConnell Seats Australia and we’re very proud of him,” he says.
“Having started his working career here as an apprentice motor trimmer to holding senior roles within the manufacturing department to now being our national sales manager is a testament to Darcy’s drive and ability.
“That drive will be invaluable as we launch our next generation of seatbelted seats into the Australian and New Zealand markets later this year.”
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