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PEOPLE


10 MINUTES WITH: NIGEL BUCKLEY-RYAN


Sales director Södra Wood Ltd


What is your current role and how long have you been doing it?


I’ve been sales director at Södra Wood Ltd for around three and a half years.


What does your role entail?


I’m the face of Södra for the UK’s merchants. Liaising with customers is a huge part of my role, both on the phone and in meetings. It’s a very hands on role, too – working with large national merchants, down to smaller independent merchants. And I have a wide variety of customers, which I enjoy.


How did you get started in this industry? I was a trainee banker for a large International bank. I had to do some psychometric testing which revealed that my ideal role was in sales. I wanted to go selling, so I found a role in Bromley (where I lived at the time) working in the plywood timber trade.


What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? Interestingly, I’ve had many roles in the timber industry. I’ve worked in the yard, so I know how to operate a forklift, and I know how wood products should be stored to ensure they perform at their best. I’ve delivered wood in the trucks and know how it should be safely secured. And when driving the trucks, I was in and around the London area, so I fully appreciate the challenges truck drivers have to overcome to safely deliver materials. I also have experience from roles in timber producing countries – a plywood manufacturer in the Far East, and Sweden in my current role. It’s given me a real appreciation for how important supply assurance when ordering wood products is for customers.


What would you like to achieve in your role? I’m one of those lucky people that has already had a very fulfilling career. Of course, as I’m sure most people will understand, I could achieve a better work/life balance. It’s something that’s high on the agenda with our Swedish parent group. They have who have extremely strong values when it comes to a healthy work/life balance.


What has been the highlight of your career so far?


The successful transition of Crown Timber to Södra in 2017 was a big highlight. I would also say my involvement in helping


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an independent timber merchant during the recession. It was a difficult time and difficult decisions had to be made, but my previous banking skills came into their own, and I managed to help the business with its cashflow. My involvement was key to supporting the staff through the changes and maintaining motivation.


What do you see as the main issues for builders’ merchants and for the construction industry at the moment? Sustainability is key and most in the industry now recognise this. We are facing a growing demand for more and more timber. Concrete production is a time-consuming process and costly in terms of time and energy. It’s no wonder more and more are looking at timber as not only an alternative but a preferred, sustainable option.


Responsible purchasing is also another key area of focus. People are now taking supply chain security far more seriously; they see the value in working with trusted, genuine partners.


If you could go back to the start of your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself?


I think it would be to take responsibility for your own career path and choices. Keep your mind open to all opportunities in an ever-changing world.


Football, rugby, cycling, golf or gardening – which one’s more likely to keep you busy at the weekends?


None of the above. My wife says my job’s my hobby! I would say I’m very much a family man and enjoy spending my spare time supporting my family.


If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking? Gin and tonic, please!


What’s your favourite book? Favourite film? My favourite film is The Big Short about the financial crisis of 2007–2008. The film consists of three separate but concurrent stories, loosely connected by their actions in the years leading up to the 2007 housing market crash. I like to learn from others’ mistakes, so I often read books that look at significant failures and how to avoid making them.


If you could be a superhero, what super- power would you choose?


The power to be able to please everybody!


ON THE MOVE • Lizzie


Nicholson joined Border Merchant Systems in the role of technical administrator. Her role is to be the first point


of contact for customers telephoning the support department where she logs and helps prioritize Border’s response Harrison Knight is moving from Border’s Support department into Development in the role of trainee developer. Finally, Holly Brown will be moving from her role of technical administrator to support executive.


• UK and Ireland specialist building products company, AG (Acheson + Glover), has appointed David McCandlish as its new Regional sales manager in Scotland.


Joining one of the UK’s leading bricks manufacturers in a key sales role, he worked there for four years, amassing a wealth of knowledge and relationships in Scotland’s construction market. As regional sales manager, he will be involved in developing business- to-business sales and relationships throughout Scotland to improve the performance and profitability of AG, as well as identifying new market opportunities for Scotland in the public, commercial and housebuilding sectors.


• Grant UK has appointed Stuart McWhinnie as technical design manager,


heading the Design and Specification Team at Grant UK. McWhinnie started his career in


the heating industry as a sole trade plumbing and heating engineer and later became a third party engineer for Grant UK in 2004. Between 2007 and 2015, his roles at Grant UK varied from working in the field as well as being office-based, providing technical support and later becoming customer services manager.


• Kelly Stocker has joined the successful Stelrad Brand Specialists team looking after the sales teams at merchant branches and their customers across West London for the leading radiator manufacturer.


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net April 2020


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