ON THE MOVE
• Alumasc Rainwater, part of Alumasc Water Management Solutions (AWMS), has appointed David Loader as Area Sales Manager for the South West and South
Wales. Loader has previous experience with Plumb Center and Graham.
• Hansgrohe UK has appointed Julie McLean as UK Marketing Director and heads up the new team of five marketers. Also joining is Anand Gandesha, as Head of
Digital & Marketing Communications. The third addition is Lucy Wall, who joins as Channel Marketing Manager.
PEOPLE
10 MINUTES WITH: NIGEL BUCKLEY-RYAN Sales Director, Södra Wood Ltd.
What is your current role?
I have been Sales Director of Södra Wood Ltd. for just over a year.
What does your role entail?
I’m the face of Södra in the UK for merchants. The bulk of my day is taken up with liaising with customers, on the phone and in meetings. It involves working with a range of merchants from large nationals to smaller independents. I love helping so many different people.
How did you get started in this industry? I started working as a trainee banker for a large International bank. As part of my development I had to do psychometric testing – which revealed my ideal role was in sales. This totally changed my mind-set and I found a sales role and realised I had a career that suited me. It just happened to be working in the timber trade.
• Kent Blaxill has appointed Sales Director, Mark Robinson, who will work with other senior team members including James Park, commercial director, Nick Scully, operations director, Kevin Pryke, finance director and Simon Blaxill, managing director, and Allanna Docherty, HR director.
• Cal McCarthy joins Saniflo as Area Sales Manager for the North West region with a remit to develop sales of both Saniflo and Kinedo shower cubicles. He has experience in
specification sales from his previous role at Yorkshire-based Cavalier Bathrooms.
• Stuart Turner has appointed Ben Noonan as Specification Sales Manager. Noonan joined Stuart Turner in June 2015 as an Area Sales Manager
for the South West region working alongside merchants and stockists.
What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? I got involved all aspects of the business which included working in the yard, where I learned how to operate a forklift and how to store wood products so they perform at their best. I’ve driven wood delivery trucks, so I know how timber should be safely secured and what a challenge it is to deliver materials safely, especially around London. I’ve also been lucky enough to work in several timber producing countries – from plywood manufacture in the Far East to sustainable forestry in Sweden.
What do you want to achieve in your role? Like most people I’m sure I could achieve a better work/life balance, but I’m in the right company to do that. It’s high on the agenda of our Swedish parent group. Like many Scandinavian organisations they put great emphasis on looking after the workforce. Right now I’m focused on continuing our successful transition from Crown Timber to Södra.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
I would say the successful transition of Crown Timber to Södra has been a massive highlight. It’s given me a lot of professional satisfaction as we can help our customers with so much more insight together with a more sustainable supply chain. I’m also proud of the time I spent working with a struggling independent
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net March 2018
timber merchant during the recession. Difficult decisions have to be made in difficult times and my previous banking skills came into their own, as I was able to secure their financial situation and ensure their continuity through the recession to become the successful, profitable business they are today. Another on-going highlight, is seeing my son following in my footsteps. As a commercial apprentice with a merchant he’s currently learning the trade by working in the yard. When he’s 18 he’ll learn to drive the forklifts – just as I did. It makes me very proud.
What are the main issues for builders’ merchants and the construction industry? In a word, sustainability – and most people in the industry recognise this. It’s resulted in a fast-growing demand for timber, not just in the UK but worldwide. Incidentally, Södra has one of the most sustainable operations in the industry, from transportation to production. Aside from sustainability, responsible purchasing is another key area. People are now taking supply chains far more seriously. They see the value in working with trusted genuine partners like us.
What piece of advice would you give yourself at the start of your career? Take responsibility for your own career path and choices. Keep your mind open to all opportunities in an ever-changing world.
Football, rugby, cycling, golf or gardening – what keeps you busy at the weekends? My wife describes my main hobby as my job. But I’m very much a family man and spend my spare time supporting them.
What are you drinking at the bar? Oh, I’ll have a Gin and Tonic. Cheers!
What’s your favourite book and film? My favourite film is The Big Short. It’s about the financial crisis of 2007–2008 told through three separate but concurrent stories. I don’t have one favourite book. I try to learn from others’ mistakes, so I read a lot of books around topics that help us avoid making them.
You’re a superhero, what super-power would you choose?
The power to be able to please everybody. Impossible of course.
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