Each month, we ask a flooring industry professional 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Syd Merryfield, Managing Director, Dromec Measurement Ltd T/A Merryfield Carpet Cutting Machines.
10 QUESTIONS WITH… Q5
Q6
If you could invent any product what would it be and why?
Obviously, our main attribute in the industry is flexibility to accommodate the many desires of our customers. We try our best to give that little bit extra above our competitors so we would like to be able to offer the perfect carpet cutting machine at the perfect price. Will it ever happen?
Q7
Q1 Q2
Q3 Q4
What was your first job? I always knew I was heading for a business career
since I was at school but my first job was as an apprentice toolmaker at the age of 16 years. When I was 15 I went to be an apprentice engineer at William Asquith Machine Tools, Halifax.
How did you get into the industry? Like many others, I followed in my father’s
footsteps and got into engineering. An introduction into the flooring industry came later and is a story in itself.
What do you think the future holds for the flooring trade?
I’ve been on the periphery of the industry for over forty years and initially provided engineering services to independent carpet retailers and wholesalers. Then over the years the amalgamation into the group concept developed, now reading between the lines we could well be going full circle and returning to our roots. Who knows what to expect.
If you could hire any one person to be part of your team, who would it be and why?
The cartoonist W Heath Robinson who was best known for his drawings of ridiculously complicated machines for achieving simple objectives. Our engineers are expected to work wonders late at night and with a cutting deadline to meet. This guy Robinson would be able to get any machine going and that's got to be an asset.
60 | 10 QUESTIONS
If you could have a dinner party with any three people, dead or alive, who would
they be and why? It’s many years now since John Hone formally of Telenzo Carpets introduced me to the flooring industry so I’d invite him to say thanks. Characters are abundant in the trade but Bob Hughes of Linney Cooper Carpets, North Wales stands out above most as genuine and highly respected.
Thirdly, perhaps someone not associated with the trade, Jason Manford because he makes me laugh in an ordinary working-class way.
Q8
What do you think the future holds for flooring design?
It’s a never-ending opportunity for designers to reinvent and refresh old concepts along with modern material development. Who would have thought that our machines now have the capability to roll and wrap decorative laminate sheeting?
Q9
What would you like to see in a future issue of Tomorrow’s Contract Floors?
I think you are asking the wrong guy, for at 74 my dated opinions are historic rather than futuristic.
The carpet industry has changed rapidly over the short time I’ve been associated with it and changes are inevitable therefore publications such as TCF must fight to keep abreast of the trends.
Q10
John Holmes, Managing Director, Reprotec UK Ltd asked: Where will
resin floors be in 50 years’ time? Hopefully John, still on the floor...
www.carpetcuttingmachines.co.uk
Check out next month’s issue to see what Syd asked our next industry professional…
www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
What’s the best advice you could give to someone new coming into the industry?
Be careful! The UK flooring industry is a very tight knit gathering of professional people who communicate faster than any jungle drums.
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