Pither returns to Tanfield chair

Tanfield Group, manufacturer of aerial work platforms and commercial electric vehicles, is to get its old chairman back in the new year.Jon Pither, who was chairman of Tanfield from December 2003 to June 2005, will take over from Roy Stanley as non-executive chairman with effect from 1 January 2010. In the meantime he will sit on the board as a non-executive director, while Stanley will stay on as a non-executive director after ceasing to be chairman. Stanley will also become non-executive chairman of Tanfield's 49% owned associate company, Smith Electric Vehicle.Pither is currently chairman of support services group Southern Bear and investment company Active Capital Trust, and is also deputy chairman of building and engineering products company Alumasc and holding company Jourdan.Current board member, Jerry Wooding, will become deputy chairman of Tanfield on the first day of 2010.