10 QUESTIONS WITH… STEVE GRIMWOOD
In each issue we ask a flooring industry professional 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Steve Grimwood, Managing Director at Osmo UK
Q1 Q2
Q3 Q4
What was your first job? My first job was collecting
glasses in my local pub then, due to staff shortages, I became an underage barman!
How did you get into the flooring industry?
I ended up getting into the flooring industry more by luck rather than judgement. When I joined Osmo, we originally sold wood wax for wood flooring. This later became Polyx-Oil for floors and it’s continued to develop ever since.
What do you think are the positives and
negatives of the flooring trade? In many ways, the industry can be old fashioned, so to get new products into the market and change the thinking of the industry can be really difficult. The positive side is the millions of m² to cover!
If you could hire any one person to be part
of your team, who would it be
and why? Actually, I think we have one of the best teams of people at Osmo and I really would not want to change any of them. It’s what makes us grow stronger together.
Q5
What’s the best advice you could give
to someone new coming into
the industry? With the flooring industry being so vast, it’s hard to give any specific advice, but the opportunities for any keen young individuals are massive. Work hard and be lucky!
Q6
If you could invent any product what would it
be and why? A clear natural finish for wood that can stabilise the colour in any light to help
50 | 10 QUESTIONS
retain the natural look forever, with no refinishing or maintenance required. This is probably impossible!
Q7
If you could have a dinner party with any
three people, dead or alive,
who would they be and why? I have a strong admiration for statesman and sporting heroes. So, Sir Alf Ramsey, the only manager to win the World Cup or any cup for England; Sir Winston Churchill, who could tell such fascinating stories of World War II; and Lady Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister who had, in the early years, such determination and drive to make the country a better place (well in her eyes anyway).
Q8
What do you think the future holds for
the flooring industry? The future for the flooring industry will always be bright due to its very size and the fact that most floorcoverings have a limited lifespan.
Q9
What would you like to see in a future issue of
Tomorrow’s Contract Floors? Every one of us must continue to learn, so more information on training and better techniques will keep readers informed.
Q10
Mike Egerton MD Host von Schrader
asked: What do you think has been the biggest manufacturing step forward in flooring products
during the last five years? As Osmo is really on the outside of the industry, it’s difficult to answer Mike Egerton’s question with any authority. But, the ability to colour wood in hundreds of colours has certainly inspired architects and specifiers in the wood flooring industry.
www.osmouk.com www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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