PEOPLE 10 MINUTES WITH:


Timber sales manager for Beesley & Fildes


What is your current role?


I’m group timber sales manager for Beesley & Fildes, based in Widnes. We’re a family-owned builders merchant with 11 branches across the North West.


What does your role entail?


Following a £1.2m investment in our timber mill last year, it’s my job to drive sales of timber products. We supply a broad range of different timber types and supplies, including skirting, architraves, flooring, planed timber, door casings and certified fire door casing kits. The mill can also fulfil bespoke orders providing customers with specialist services such as matching legacy timber features. I work closely with the external and internal sales teams to promote our capabilities to customers while developing good working relationships with our suppliers to ensure our supply chain remains strong.


How did you get started in this industry? My career in the industry spans more than 40 years. In 1978, I got my first job at Montague L Meyer in Widnes, a company now known as Meyer. I worked as a yard lad for £12.50 per week before moving into an internal sales role as soon as I got my driving licence aged 18. I then got a job in sales at R A Naylors, a timber merchant in Warrington, and went out on the road where I’ve stayed for more than 43 years.


What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? The majority of my career has been spent working in field sales for either suppliers or manufacturers which supply the builders merchants sector, so I’ve gained a lot of


specialist experience and knowledge along the way. I’ve also been fortunate to work for some of the UK’s largest players in the timber industry, so I’ve had the chance to learn from highly skilled and experienced people.


What would you like to achieve in your role?


My aim is simply to ensure Beesley & Fildes is the ‘go to’ timber supplier for any customer based in the North West.


What has been the highlight of your career?


My personal highlight was being appointed president of the North West Timber Trade Association (NWTTA) for four years running. The NWTTA has members covering all aspects of the timber trade and associated sectors. It plays a key role in promoting environmental sustainability, educating customers on timber and wood products, and training those who work in the industry.


What do you see as the main issues for builders’ merchants and for construction? The skills shortage continues to be the biggest issue facing both builders merchants and the wider construction industry. Trying to attract and retain young people is a huge challenge, especially for merchants where there is still a negative perception about some of the roles and opportunities to progress, which don’t match the reality of it. At Beesley & Fildes, the introduction of advanced, automated equipment is helping to tackle this issue, offering jobs for people with more computer-based skills and creating broader roles.


joined as Key Account Managers. Also newly appointed to the sales team is Jack Alcock who joins as Lead Marketplace Account Manager.


Draper Tools has promoted Sarah Hartland to head of marketing. Mark Broughton joins Draper Tools as Director of Finance, Paul Middlemiss is Automotive Sales manager, and Nick Ward and Carl Osborne have


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net January 2024


Swift has appointed Anthony Sant as joint managing director, alongside Chris Honer, the current MD, and operations director Sharon Honer.


JIM HALPIN


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


I’m lucky to have had a great career so try not to look back with any regret. In terms of advice generally though, I was once told to “treat people with respect when you’re on the way up the ladder, as you’ll meet them on the way down.”


It may be a cliché but it’s an important message for anyone starting out, no matter the role or industry they’re in.


What keeps you busy at the weekends – football, gardening, golf? I’m a massive Liverpool football fan and therefore a regular at Anfield for home games both in the league and all cup and European matches.


I’m also blessed to have five grandchildren who do a fantastic job in keeping me very occupied at the weekends.


If you’re at the bar, what are you drinking?


I’ve become a bit of a wine snob over the years, so you’d find me drinking an ice cold Chardonnay in the summer or a large Rioja in the winter.


What is your favourite book? Favourite film?


In a previous role, I worked in Sweden for two months on work experience and a good friend of mine recommended I read the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. He told me I’d have time on my hands during the cold, dark nights! It was a huge book, and it took me some time to get into but the messaging and picture it paints of society blew my mind. I’m also a big fan of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter fan, and enjoy watching the films with my grandchildren.


If you could be a superhero, what superpower would you choose? My superpower would have to be flight because it would save me so muhc time. The ability to fly over the motorways and avoid the traffic would make it much easier and quicker to meet up with our customers! BMJ


ON THE MOVE


Kudos has appointed experienced national sales manager, Tony Russ to head up what will be a new team of area sales managers supporting showrooms and contractors.


Heat pump expert, Paul Spence, has been appointed as technical manager for Heatly, the new app and supporting software.


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