34 | TTJ 150th
Anniversary: Women in Timber
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Helen Hewitt Chief executive, British Woodworking Federation
My first involvement and exposure to the timber and woodworking industry was in 2009, as the timber industry lead for Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for process and manufacturing industries. I was responsible for the Timber Industry Group, which included representatives from all the relevant trade associations and manufacturers throughout the timber supply chain. My love for the sector was born during this time, as it was clear that all parties were keen to work together for the good of the industry with a lot of passion and pride for the products they manufactured. This is infectious. When I moved onto another role in the extractives and mineral processing industry, I kept a close eye on the industry via various social media platforms, especially the key trade associations, one of which was the British Woodworking Federation (BWF). In 2017 I was excited to see that the BWF was looking for a membership director. I applied for the role and was delighted to be appointed and settled in very quickly, working with the BWF membership and our stakeholders. In 2018 I was appointed chief executive, a title I wear with pride every day. I thoroughly enjoy leading the sector; timber products are beautiful, sustainable and offer long term value to the end user. It is clear that there is a genuine desire in the industry to promote the benefits of using timber, however, there remain too many outdated perceptions, which need to be addressed.
The industry cares about its employees and has a desire to increase its profile to attract new talent. As an influencer in this space, I have a key role to play in aligning the timber industry objectives, whether this is increasing the use of timber in construction, promoting best practice and setting standards, lobbying and communicating the opportunities available for anyone contemplating a career in timber. It has so much to offer to any individual looking for a fulfilling career. There is never a dull moment, what more could an individual want? ■
TTJ | July/August 2021 |
www.ttjonline.com
Holly Waters-Marsh Head of marketing, MEDITE SMARTPLY
I joined MEDITE SMARTPLY in June 2019, as head of marketing, to lead the marketing strategy in all markets across the UK, Ireland and Europe as well as to drive product development. Having previously worked in the construction industry at Saint Gobain Glass, Masonite and Rehau, I was able to bring my knowledge and experience, to build on.
I joined MEDITE SMARTPLY with a passion for sustainable construction and chose to work with a company which had this at its core. Integral to my role has been the review of our sustainability positioning and strategy within the market, to ensure that this is central to our proposition. A key achievement has been showcasing our innovative and sustainable product range at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2022, with the ‘Building the Future’ garden. The reach and engagement that we received as well as the interest in our sustainability story was beyond our expectation.
It’s an extremely exciting time to be working in the construction industry and even more so in the wood industry, as we enter the green industrial revolution. When managed in a sustainable way, wood is invaluable to the future of environmentally conscious building solutions, as one of the lowest embodied carbon materials available. However, we must continue to innovate and move the market forward, to ensure progress is made. Key to this are R&D programmes to progress innovation and work with relevant, like-minded partners.
I am truly looking forward to being part of this advancement to build a better future. ■
It’s an extremely exciting time
to be working in the construction industry and even more so in the wood industry
Nicola Hollington Marketing director, DHH Panel Products
In 2011, I embarked on my journey in the timber trade by joining my family’s business, previously known as DHH Timber. Over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing within the travel industry meant I brought a diverse skill set to the table.
One of my initial responsibilities upon joining DHH was to establish our social media presence – which increased our visibility, improved customer engagement and successfully showcased our expertise in birch plywood and other sheet materials. My role has continually evolved to my current position of marketing director; and recently overseeing the challenging task of rebranding and relaunching our website. While birch plywood remains a specialty, the company has expanded its offerings to include other quality plywood products such as Italian poplar, Douglas fir, eucalyptus and okoume cores.
My late father Derek Fletcher, who was in the trade for over 60 years, had a motto – ‘keep rocking and rolling’ – which I’ve adopted, and which has been my inspiration through challenging times
At DHH we have a wealth of experience – and I’m very privileged to work alongside the team, investing and introducing new people into the industry. Along with my business partners Ben Francis (managing director) and Claire Walker (HR director) we are steadfast in our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment at both DHH and sister company Decor Solutions.
In recent years, I’ve been pleased to witness more women join this traditionally male-dominated industry, including my own daughter Amelia Hollington. Her already profound understanding and unwavering commitment to compliance fill me with immense pride; and I see a promising future ahead.
Whilst there is still progress to be made to increase female representation, the fresh perspective and passion that women can bring to the table will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing transformation of our industry.
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