10 Dec Industry Legend | Ian Fleming (CJ Lang)
For more than thirty years, CJ Lang has relied on Gray & Adams to keep its temperature-controlled fleet moving across Scotland. The Dundee-based wholesaler, still run by the Lang family, has grown and adapted alongside shifting customer needs, new technologies, and rising sustainability expectations. At the heart of that journey has been Ian Fleming, Distribution Operations Manager, whose steady guidance has shaped the company’s fleet strategy and nurtured long-term partnerships.
“I joined CJ Lang just over 35 years ago, shortly after leaving the forces,” Ian recalls. “I’d moved back from Germany and was looking for work, and I spotted a small notice saying CJ Lang needed delivery drivers. I started on a job-start scheme in August 1989 with a £10 top-up, then moved into a full-time driving role. Things grew from there.” Within two years, Ian became a transport supervisor, then deputy transport manager in 2000, and transport manager a year later. A brief ten-month spell away gave him a fresh perspective on distribution, and he returned in 2017 to take on the role of distribution operations manager, which he has held ever since.
“That time away opened my eyes,” Ian says. “I worked in a completely different type of distribution, away from food, and came back with a new mindset and a better understanding of how the wider industry works. It helped me push the business forward.”
Under Ian’s guidance, CJ Lang’s fleet has evolved to meet every operational challenge. “We’ve introduced electric refrigeration, double-deck trailers, hydraulic-driven units, and moved from rigids to tractor units and trailers,” he explains. “Our fleet is fully refrigerated, multi-temperature, and suited to everything from tight city deliveries to remote rural routes. Each step brought new challenges, from transhipping safely in poor light to navigating narrow streets.”
The operation today includes 27 semi-trailers, 18 tractor units, and 12 rigids, all refrigerated. Trailer lengths range from 8 metres to 13.6 metres, reflecting the variety of routes CJ Lang covers. “Next year, we’re planning for up to six trailers and four tractor units as part of our replacement cycle,” Ian notes. Durability and quality remain at the core of his approach. “Every semi-trailer body we’ve had from Gray & Adams has run for at least 12 years. With rigids, we typically run the chassis for four to five years, then move the body onto a second chassis, giving us at least a decade of use. Their build quality holds up, inside and out, and if we need modifications or support, Gray & Adams handle it quickly.”
Collaboration has been central to the fleet’s success. “They’ve always built bodies to our specification,” Ian says. “We’ve had open, practical conversations about weight, dimensions, and turning circles. They won’t sell you something you don’t need. Having a partner who understands our operation makes decisions faster and more confident. It’s a proper partnership.”
Looking to the future, Ian sees industry-wide consistency as a key priority. “Clearer, more consistent legislation would help everyone. Refrigeration, fuels, emissions rules, they all affect what we can do. Driver availability is another challenge. You can invest in the best kit in the world, but you need skilled drivers who want to work with it.”
As for retirement, Ian is looking forward to a slower pace. “I’ll take a breather until the new year, then pick up two days a week for a few months. Nothing too heavy. I’ve got a few grandchildren, so I’ll have my hands full.”
Reflecting on his career, he says, “From my first days behind the wheel to leading fleet strategy, it’s always been about people, collaboration, and careful decision-making. You measure success not just in milestones, but in the relationships and innovations that endure.”
Through decades of change and growth, Ian Fleming’s legacy at CJ Lang is one of steady leadership, practical innovation, and enduring partnerships, a true industry legend whose work will shape their logistics for years to come.