RISING STARS MEET THE FUTURE


Victoria Bramley, Product Manager from Okarno tells BMJ about her journey into the building materials sector


What’s you do in your current role at Okarno?


I look after the product portfolio for Okarno, both for existing products and new products to market.


How did you get into the industry? Okarno gave me the opportunity to get started in this industry.


Could you describe a typical day? No two days are the same in product management which makes it really interesting and ensures you are always learning. I get to collaborate with a lot of different people from around the business on projects for both existing and new products.


What are the big challenges in your role? I think the biggest challenge is the ever changing market and making sure our merchant customers have the right products to meet this demand. That’s why, at Okarno, we are constantly looking for ways to help merchants grow their sales through new product and service offerings. The challenge, though, is being able to do this sustainably and here we are making considerable advances. For example, moving to recycled packaging and investing in HVO-fuelled delivery vehicles.


Can you give an example of a new product that sets high standards of sustainability?


A new product we introduced recently is Dalapro Roll Nova roll on filler. It’s manufactured by a sister company within Saint Gobain using climate-neutral production and the tub is made with recycled plastic content.


What challenges do you see the industry facing?


It is no secret that there has been challenges in new house building and the cost of living. I think this is already having an impact on the RMI sector of our industry but hopefully this will ultimately make more people get involved and have a go in the DIY space.


What has been the biggest achievement in your role?


My biggest achievement in my role is learning the industry, having come from an education


“I think the biggest challenge is the ever changing market and making sure our merchant customers have the right products to meet this demand. That’s why, at Okarno, we are constantly looking for ways to help merchants grow their sales through new product and service offerings.”


background it was completely new. I feel like I have a good understanding of the construction industry and can confidently discuss products and market trends, something I never thought I’d say!


What would you like to achieve next? For me, I want to keep progressing and learning new things. I want to be able to pass my knowledge onto people just starting out in this industry and help them grow.


What advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in the industry? Go for it. it is definitely not your stereotypical male-dominated industry. Everybody is super friendly and helpful and wants to see you progress.


Do you feel the industry is supportive of women and young people? Yes, massively. I think there has been a massive push around being inclusive and getting women involved and it really has made a notable difference when being out in the market. People mostly have respect for women’s opinions, although work still needs


December 2024 www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net to be done.


What have been the biggest changes you have seen during your career? The biggest change is by far the market fluctuations. This is always out of your control and trying to ‘control’ the uncontrollable is tricky!


What advice would you give to yourself if starting your career again? It would probably be to keep going. Everything will not always feel like you are making progress or even moving in the right direction, but, ultimately it will all will get you to where you want to be. Hurdles are put there to keep you progressing.


What have been the highlights of your career at Okarno?


The highlights of my career have been the people. Getting to meet so many different people from every area of the business has been great. Everybody wants to help and is routing for you. Not many businesses have that and it’s a real bonus. Everyone really has a ‘I’ll give it a go’ attitude and people aren’t afraid to get stuck in. BMJ


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