Meet the Exhibitor: Chris Bagwell from bott UK

With the Cornwall Business Show bringing together businesses from across the region, we’re getting to know some of the brilliant people you’ll be able to meet on the day.

This week, Hannah Buck, Marketing Manager at Four Front Events, sat down with Chris Bagwell from bott UK to talk about creating safer and more efficient vehicle workspaces, the surprising amount of time good organisation can save and why bott UK is much more than a van-racking company.

From single-vehicle fit-outs and national fleets to EV conversions, security, livery and workshop storage, they covered quite a lot!

So, over to Hannah and Chris…

Hannah: Chris, let’s begin with the big picture. What does bott UK do?

Chris: At bott UK, we help businesses create safer, more organised and more efficient mobile workspaces.

That could mean fitting out a single van for a local business or standardising hundreds of vehicles for a national fleet.

Ultimately, we help engineers, technicians and mobile teams work more effectively while they’re out on the road.

Hannah: What kinds of businesses and sectors do you typically work with?

Chris: We work with businesses across a wide range of sectors, including utilities, telecommunications, facilities management, construction, maintenance, housing associations and engineering.

If a business has people working from vehicles, there’s a good chance we can help improve the way they work.

Hannah: What does the process look like when a new customer comes to you?

Chris: It usually starts with a conversation.

We spend time understanding how the customer works, what equipment their teams carry and any challenges they’re experiencing with their current vehicles.

From there, we can recommend a solution and create a design that fits their needs.

We work closely with the customer throughout the entire process to make sure the finished vehicle genuinely supports their team, day in and day out.

Hannah: I imagine every business uses its vehicles slightly differently?

Chris: Absolutely.

Every solution is designed around the way that particular business operates.

It’s not simply a case of installing the same standard layout in every vehicle. We need to understand what the team carries, how frequently different items are used and what would make their working day safer and more efficient.

That’s how we create a workspace that works properly for the people using it.

Hannah: What’s one thing you’d like more businesses to know about bott UK?

Chris: I’d like more businesses to know that we don’t just sell van racking.

We work closely with our customers to create vehicle workspaces that genuinely help their teams operate more efficiently, safely and professionally.

With our UK headquarters based locally in Bude, we’re proud of our roots while supporting customers right across the country.

Hannah: What else can bott UK help businesses with that people might not realise?

Chris: Alongside standard racking, we can support much wider fleet projects.

That might include EV fit-outs, bespoke vehicle conversions, vehicle livery design and installation, vehicle security, roof-storage systems and accessories.

We also provide workshop storage solutions and help businesses improve operational efficiency across their entire mobile workforce.

Many customers are surprised by how many of their vehicle and workspace requirements we can manage under one roof. Essentially, we aim to be a one-stop shop.

Hannah: So it’s not simply about adding storage to the back of a van?

Chris: Not at all.

The racking is one part of a much wider workspace.

We look at the full picture and consider how the vehicle needs to function, how equipment should be stored, how the team can access it safely and what additional features the business might need.

It’s about creating a complete solution that supports both the people using the vehicle and the wider operation.

Hannah: What are the benefits of having a professionally designed vehicle workspace?

Chris: A well-designed vehicle workspace saves time, improves organisation and helps keep technicians safe on the road.

When everything has its place, engineers spend less time searching for tools and equipment and more time getting the job done.

It also helps the business present a professional image to its customers and provides better protection for valuable tools and equipment.

Hannah: How much difference can that improved organisation actually make?

Chris: Even a relatively small daily saving can make a significant difference.

Saving just 10 minutes each working day can add up to more than 43 hours per engineer over the course of a typical working year.

That’s more than a full working week of productive time regained for every engineer.

When you begin multiplying that across a larger team or an entire fleet, the potential impact becomes considerable.

Hannah: When you put it like that, 10 minutes doesn’t sound so small!

Chris: Exactly!

It’s easy to dismiss a few minutes here and there, but those minutes quickly add up.

If an engineer knows exactly where every tool and piece of equipment is, they can arrive at a job and get to work without wasting time searching through the vehicle.

A professionally designed workspace can make every working day that little bit smoother and across a year, that creates real operational value.

Hannah: What do you enjoy most about helping other businesses?

Chris: For me, it’s seeing the impact our solutions have on a customer’s day-to-day operations.

I enjoy understanding how a business works, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and then seeing those ideas come to life.

Building long-term relationships and helping customers solve genuine challenges is the most rewarding part of the role.

Hannah: bott UK is going to be exhibiting at the Cornwall Business Show 2026. Why did you decide to get involved?

Chris: As bott UK’s headquarters are based in Bude, exhibiting at the Cornwall Business Show felt like a natural fit.

It’s an opportunity to support a fantastic local business event, connect with organisations from across the region and fly the flag for a company that has been part of the Cornish business community for many years.

We’re proud of our roots and see the show as a great way to demonstrate that world-class manufacturing and innovation can thrive here in Cornwall.

Hannah: What are you looking forward to most about the day?

Chris: I’m looking forward to meeting businesses from across Cornwall and learning more about how their mobile teams operate.

Every organisation works differently, so having those face-to-face conversations is a valuable opportunity to understand the challenges people are experiencing and explore how we might be able to help.

It will also be great to meet the other exhibitors, make new connections and celebrate the strength and variety of Cornwall’s business community.

Hannah: Who would you particularly like to come and speak to you at the show?

Chris: Any business with people working from vehicles.

You might operate a single van, manage a growing team or be responsible for a large national fleet.

Perhaps your vehicles have become difficult to organise, your engineers are losing time looking for equipment or you’re planning a move towards electric vehicles and need advice about your fit-out options.

Whatever stage you’re at, come and have a conversation with us. Tell us how your business works and what challenges you’re experiencing, and we can begin exploring the right solution.

Could your vehicles be working harder for your business?

Chris’s message is clear: a commercial vehicle doesn’t have to be simply a way of getting people and equipment from one place to another.

With the right design, it can become a safer, more organised and more productive mobile workspace.

Saving a few minutes each day might not sound transformational but across an entire team and a full working year, those small improvements can deliver a significant return.

Come and meet Chris Bagwell and the bott UK team at the Cornwall Business Show 2026 to discover how a professionally designed vehicle workspace could help your business operate more safely, efficiently and effectively.

You can also contact the bott UK team directly:

Exeter Vehicle Conversion: 01392 824967

Bude Workspace Equipment: 01288 357788

Ashby Vehicle Conversion for customers outside the South West: 01530 410600

Alternatively, contact Chris directly on 07787 093200 or email chris.bagwell@bott.com.

Of course, bott UK is just one of the fantastic businesses you’ll be able to meet at the Cornwall Business Show.

It’s a day to visit, connect, discover new businesses, make new contacts and find opportunities to grow your own organisation.

Book your free ticket, come along and get involved.