PEOPLE 10 MINUTES WITH:


Operations Manager at Beesley and Fildes


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


I’ve been the Operations Manager for Beesley and Fildes’ Manchester branches for a year, looking after Wigan, Radcliffe, Swinton and Walkden.


What does your role entail?


My primary role is to look after the day-to-day operations of each branch. This includes ongoing communications with each branch manager to ensure incoming and outcoming deliveries across each yard runs smoothly, as well as supporting with any staffing issues. I also work closely with our HR department on new vacancies and the general management of the people working in my four branches.


When required, I also review the internal layouts of our depots to ensure our products and new materials are accessible and displayed correctly for customers. It’s quite a varied role to be honest, which also sees me managing repairs in the yards, whether that means a fence needs fixing, a surface needs concreting or an area needs line marking.


How did you get stated in this industry? My Dad used to be the UK Director of Kilsaran, the paving business, so I was exposed to the construction industry from a young age. Just after university my (now) wife and I were expecting our first child, so it was a no-brainer to draw on Dad’s relationships and experience in the sector to secure a job for a bit of extra money. I started working in the yard of a local builder’s merchants in Bolton. Of course, this is several years ago now


but I think what encouraged me to remain in the sector was the people and the relationships I’d built. I’ve always said it’s one of the best industries to work in; there’s a real blend of characters, which means we enjoy ourselves but work hard at the same time.


What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? I’ve had many roles in builder’s merchants, from working in the yards, on the counters in depots and even in internal sales. I think my range of experience across each function prepared me well for my current role as I’d been exposed to the successes and challenges faced in each area. This certainly helped me progress to Manager, and subsequently to the role I’m in now. I work directly with the individuals and can relate to, and help solve, any issues or concerns they may have.


What would you like to achieve in your role?


As I said, my dad used to be a UK director of a paving company so, you never know, perhaps I’ll be a director one day. However, when it comes to the day-to-day, if I can be there for, and influence the people I manage to ensure they succeed, I’m very happy with that.


What has been the highlight / highlights of your career so far?


Meeting the people I work with. I come across so many different people and characters from all backgrounds, I’ll never tire of listening to their stories and building new relationships.


IG Lintels has appointed Caroline Meredith as its new commercial director, having previously held the positions of Sales Office Team Leader, Customer Service Manager, Commercial Office Manager and General Manager before her progression to Commercial Director. Having grown her career within IG Lintels, she has an intimate knowledge of the business, and how its systems, processes and departments function.


West Fraser UK and Ireland has appointed Dom West as its new sales director. With an extensive career in key sales positions – most recently as sales director and interim VP at Aliaxis UK – West’s role will encompass managing the sales team and wide-ranging customer base, looking for growth opportunities and promoting the company’s


technological and environmental innovations. 16 CHRIS TAYLOR


Q. What do you see as the main issues for builder’s merchants and construction? At the moment it’s the rising cost prices and lead times on materials. I communicate a lot with our sales teams, and it can be difficult when I cannot provide firm delivery dates. Of course, this isn’t a problem only we’re encountering, it’s national, so luckily people are understanding if the communication lines remain open and ongoing. A further worry of mine is the impact of the Manchester Clean Air Zone, of course I completely understand why this is necessary, I just hope that the effect on builders and tradespeople is minimal, and they’re not required to change transportation. This will increase their expenditure at a time when they need it the least.


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


I’d say, don’t overthink everything and go with the flow; just work hard and do your best.


Q. What keeps you busy at the weekends? Well I’ve got my wife, two children and a dog so I am always busy on weekends, as you can imagine. You’ll find me standing on the pitch watching my two boys play football, at swimming lessons or getting those DIY jobs sorted around the house. When I get chance though I do really enjoy playing golf.


If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking? A pint of Wainwright’s or a glass of whisky.


What’s your favourite book? Favourite film? I’m a huge Tarantino fan so it will have to be Pulp Fiction. My favourite books are George R. R. Martin’s ‘A Song of Fire & Ice’ series.


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


So my instinct is to say Batman because he’s a billionaire, but I’d like the ability to choose the weather I wanted so that whenever I’m off work it will always be sunny. BMJ


ON THE MOVE


Stelrad Radiators has welcomed Graham Sheard to its team to join the technical support advice team based in its Mexborough, South Yorkshire office, bringing a wealth of experience in the commercial and industrial heating sector where he trained as a plumber and heating engineer.


Fibo has strengthened its sales team with the appointment of two new account managers to service the North East and South East: Roslyn Evans and Sophie Nugent. Roslyn Evans (South East) and Sophie Nugent (North East) joined Fibo at


the beginning of May and will be responsible for the company’s growth in each of their regions, promoting the Fibo name and product, whilst creating strong relationships with new and existing customers.


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2022


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