IN PERSON: ANDY POOTS BREEDON TILE
big proportion of all the tiles we sell. Indeed, to meet this demand going forward I’m delighted that our owners, Breedon, have invested over £6million to build an ultra-modern tile plant, comparable if not better than the most modern plants located anywhere in UK. People are still the most important asset any business has. Surrounding yourself with not only good people who have the right skill sets but also you need people who have the right attitude and want to be part of a team and work in a collaborative manner is key to a successful business. I have been very fortunate to have worked for, and with, some great colleagues over the years and this has helped me develop professionally and build a great network of contacts.
A 40 YEAR VIEW 2023 marks Andrew Poots’ 40th year at
Breedon. As the year draws to a close, he looks back and talks to BMJ about some of the highlights and how things have changed.
Andrew Poots: Operations manager Breedon Tile Lisburn, Northern Ireland
I
n January 1983 with the help of a family member who worked for the Lagan Group, now part of the Breedon Group, at the age of 15, Andrew Poots joined The Lagan family business, based in Belfast. Over the years he acquired the skills and experience a modern-day executive needs, and at the beginning of 2023, his 40th in the company, acknowledged Poots’ contribution to the business spanning 40 years and rewarded him for his service, and ongoing contribution to the business.
Poots’ first job with the company was pumping cement off the various boats that came into Belfast harbour, and working in the dispatch office on administration. Once the Lagan group built its own cement plant in Ireland and started to ship cement to the UK, his role changed, and he relocated to to oversee the pumping of cement from Lagan Vessels into various terminals around Great Britain. In 1994 Poots moved back to Belfast to work at the new Tile business, joining as night shift supervisor and then becoming production manager, before eventually becoming
operations manager for the tile business - a role he still holds to this day.
Q: What Changes have you seen over the years ?
Andy Poots: Initially the Plant was very small and only produced 4 million tiles per year, sold predominantly around Belfast and its suburbs. Over the years demand for the tiles grew and we sold them into many locations across Ireland. Investment in the plant to meet demand increased capacity to 12 million tiles per year. As the plant became more automated I had to acquire better IT/technology skills better equip me for the role.
The financial crash of 2009-2010 that resulted in a severe downturn in demand and a property crash meant demand for our tiles reduced to a trickle. However, every challenge offers an opportunity you must apply all the brainpower within your organisation and be willing to change.
At that point, Breedon decided to target the GB market, and develop the product offering to suit the requirements of a new customer base. We invested in the right people and, over the years, we established our brand, developed a loyal customer base, who now account for a
December 2023
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“Surrounding yourself with not only good people who have the right skill sets but also you need people who have the right attitude and want to be part of a team.”
The industry has changed considerably during my career, R&D production now is far more automated, for example, and optical eye technology will change how modern plants operate still further. Businesses that fail to invest will struggle to survive in a time when all manufacturing costs continue to increase. Modern plants must be lean and efficient in their consumption of resources, to work in operations today managers must be multi- skilled. We must conserve natural resources and be a good custodian of our local environment, and work with the local communities. People are our biggest resource, developing the team putting in place safety and wellbeing measures are critical as is making sure everyone who comes into work on a morning fit and healthy returns home in the same condition. I am excited about the future for Breedon Tile. The new manufacturing plant adjacent to the existing production facility in Northern Ireland will allow the company to more than double capacity, expand our existing product range, and going forward allow the business to develop a solar tile offering. In the future, over 20% of all tiles sold in the UK could be solar tiles.
The investment is great for the employees and just as good for the local area and our supply partners and customers alike. Looking back at how a 15-year-old boy got started in this Industry it’s fair to say, I have come a long way, yet I believe there is still further to go. BMJ
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