PEOPLE
10 MINUTES WITH: INDI SARKARIA
Assistant Product Manager at Arbor Forest Products
What is your current role and how long have you been doing it?
I’ve been with Arbor Forest Products for nearly seven years; I started as an internal sales representative and was promoted to assistant product manager after three years.
What does your role entail? Over the last year, my role has focused on growing the TrexPRO certified installer scheme within the business. I have been working with the builders’ merchants to identify installers who fit the guidelines and who have built the required number of Trex decks to become a TrexPRO. I support the installers with their application and organise for their installations to be inspected to ensure they meet the required standard. I’m also responsible for helping to build the relationships between installers and merchants.
How did you get started in this industry? I have a marketing degree, so I was looking for a marketing role and this one was spot on for me: Trex is a well-recognised brand and are very active in the market place with advertising and events and I love talking to people and building relationships so it suited me perfectly.
What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? I previously worked in customer retentions for a large telecommunications company. That meant I spent a lot of time dealing with disgruntled customers! However, it also meant selling the benefits the company had to offer along with rectifying any issues they had, including technical matters, which has stood me in good stead for the technical and customer relations aspects of my current role.
What would you like to achieve in your role?
I’ve got big ambitions for the TrexPRO scheme: I’d like to link a quality TrexPRO to all of our Trex merchant stockists. There are massive advantages of the scheme to both parties; the installer is listed on the Trex website so they get more leads and buy more through a builders merchant and the more support and help the merchant can offer makes it easier for
10 the installer to win the jobs!
What has been the highlight of your career so far
My highlight was being promoted to assistant product manager a few years ago. It was a real confident boost to see that the company had recognised my hard work and determination.
What do you see as the main issues for builder’s merchants and for the construction industry at the moment? I think that adjusting to the digital world is a big issue as people want information very quickly now. Social media is a bigger and bigger part of how we connect with our customers and we’re always encouraging merchants to invest more in their digital presence.
If you could go back to the start of your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Keep working hard and making connections along the way – being good with people is a strength of mine, and in my current role it’s a big part of what I do.
Football, rugby, cycling, golf or gardening – which one’s more likely to keep you busy at the weekends?
None of the above unfortunately. I have a three year old so a lot of running around after him and the dreaded soft play visits!
If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking?
When I’m out – which is rare - I’m drinking a fancy-looking cocktail or a cheeky sambuca shot!
What’s your favourite book? Favourite film? Wolf of Wall Street for the film and Girl on the Train was a great book.
If you could be a superhero, what super- power would you choose? Teleportation – I could travel to more places in the world and experience more cultures. The mornings in my house would be a lot less hectic as well…. BMJ
• Rob Haining ( right) has been appointed by Graham Plumbers’ Merchant as regional director for Scotland and Asa Finnigan joins as contract sales director. Haining has more than 20-years of experience with the Saint-Gobain Group, including nine at Jewson and 11 at Graham. Finnigan joined Graham in 2017. His appointment will help strengthen market share in contract sales, particularly large regional and national accounts.
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net June 2020
• Tool wholesaler Toolbank has appointed Chris Ridgeon as group account manager, following Neil Robinson’s decision to retire from the
role after 25 years’service. Currently operating as business development manager, Ridgeon has worked with Toolbank for seven years as a salesman and 16 as a sales manager for the Southampton branch.
• Permaroof has appointed Lily Chadwick as marketing co- ordinator. With the addition of The Skylight Company, Permalawn and Permafence names to its offering, Chadwick
is tasked with further strengthening each individual company in addition to the parent Permaroof UK Ltd brand.
ON THE MOVE
• Independent builders merchant Buttle plc has
appointed Ian Church as its new managing director, replacing Nick Sims, who is retiring. Church’s
experience in merchanting includes 35 years with Travis Perkins and then with fellow h&b Group member, Bradfords group where he was managing director of Snows Timber.
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