John Bloor awarded RAC’s Diamond Jubilee Trophy

Owner of Triumph Motorcycles, John Bloor (pictured, right), has today been awarded the Royal Automobile Club’s Diamond Jubilee Trophy for Triumph’s outstanding contribution to the motorcycle industry. Only the fifth recipient of the award in its prestigious, 58-year history, Bloor accepted the honour on behalf of all the staff at Triumph Motorcycles.

The significance of the Diamond Jubilee Trophy cannot be overstated, placing Triumph Motorcycles alongside Sir Christopher Cockerell, inventor of the hovercraft; The British Aircraft Corporation and Aerospatiale (France), for the development of Concorde; and Sir Richard Noble, for setting a new land speed record of 633.486mph.

Bestowed at a ceremony at the RAC’s prestigious headquarters in London’s Pall Mall, the accolade is widely regarded as one of the industry’s most esteemed awards. It was last presented 18 years ago (1998), to Noble, for breaking the sound barrier in the ThrustSSC.

Introduced to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of the Club in 1957, the coveted trophy represents the three elements of land, air and sea – celebrating significant and remarkable contributions to transportation and motorsport.

John Bloor rescued the Triumph brand from administration in 1983. With notable investment, he was able to rebuild the business from its new base in Hinckley, Leicestershire, establishing its position as the UK’s leading large-capacity motorcycle manufacturer. Today, the company continues to invest in new models, people and processes, while maintaining its position as a leading global motorcycle name.

While Bloor is responsible for breathing life back into one of Britain’s most iconic motorcycling brands, he firmly believes that its success is down to his employees, who are the heartbeat of the business.

In 2015, Triumph Motorcycles reported an annual turnover of £341.3m, generating a profit of £2.3m. The business has always seen R&D as a strategic priority, investing over £25m (approximately 7.5% of turnover) per annum in 2014 and 2015. During the previous financial year, the company, which employs 2,300 people globally, sold 53,812 motorcycles. Throughout the year, Triumph continued significant investment in new model development and in its manufacturing and distribution networks in India, Thailand and Brazil.

Commenting on the announcement, Ben Cussons of the Royal Automobile Club (pictured, left), said: “It gives me enormous pleasure to present the Diamond Jubilee Trophy to John Bloor OBE and the staff at Triumph Motorcycles. All the previous recipients have been ‘game changers’ and there is no exception with Triumph. The team has transformed Triumph from one of the most iconic British brands to a globally recognised one. Their commitment to manufacturing excellence and a single-minded determination to build the ‘best of British’ has enabled them to succeed in an intensely competitive market. This outstanding achievement and commitment to quality and innovation embody all that the trophy represents.”

Upon receipt of the Diamond Jubilee Trophy, John Bloor said: “I am delighted to accept this trophy on behalf of all the staff at Triumph Motorcycles. From the design department in Hinckley, to our global manufacturing facilities and worldwide sales and distribution offices, everyone at Triumph works with passion and pride to excite and engage with our customers. The success of the brand is, without doubt, down to the skill and commitment of our team.”

John Bloor awarded RAC’s Diamond Jubilee Trophy