Meet the team: Tim Green

We speak to F. Ball’s training manager about his role in providing the best training available for flooring professionals, including flooring retailers, at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence.

Editor: Hello Tim, why don’t you start by telling us how you came to work at F. Ball?

Tim Green: I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years. After finishing school, I wanted to do something practical and put my hands to good use, so I went for a floorlaying apprenticeship. After three years, I continued to build my skills and expertise, working for a few different contractors before running a small business of my own for a while.

I went on to teach the trade in a further education college and completed a teaching degree at the University of Huddersfield.

I then worked for a floor covering manufacturer and headed up training there for about six years. I was also involved in new product development, site support and worked with the team producing product literature, installation videos and technical manuals.

I’ve always used F. Ball products throughout my career, so when the role of training manager came up, I went for it. It is coming up to 3 ½ years since, and it’s gone very quickly.

Ed: What sort of things do you get up to in your day-to-day role?

TG: As head of training, I have oversight of all of our training provisions delivered at the F. Ball Centre of Excellence, the purpose-built training and demonstration facility at our headquarters in Staffordshire, UK.

Most of my time is spent here, but we also work with a number of colleges and private training providers, so I’m also out in the field, helping to develop future talent.

It’s also my role to keep training fresh to meet the needs of the industry. For example, to meet the growing trend for LVT floors, we’ve introduced courses exclusively on installing LVTs, as well as tailored courses especially for flooring retailers. We also introduced a Women in Flooring course, developed in response to demand from women who work in varied roles in the flooring industry.

Ed: What’s a typical training course like? Who comes along?

TG: We say, ‘every day is a school day’, but it’s not like school at all, that’s for sure! The courses are very hands-on and vary depending on the focus, but can cover everything from subfloor identification and preparation, moisture management, and adhesive selection, as well as estimating.

We see a lot of contractors, but also retailers and wholesalers looking to develop their teams, including estimators and salespeople. I’d say around half of our attendees have never been on a training course, and when they visit us, they quickly realise there’s a lot more to flooring installation than they thought.

Attendees get a lot out of it – it really is invaluable, whether you’re starting your career or refreshing your knowledge and skills. The courses are free and everyone gets some top-quality freebies at the end of it.

Ed: What do you enjoy most about your job?

TG: I love meeting new people who come from all over the country to our F. Ball Centre of Excellence. Getting to hear what’s happening in the trade in local areas is a bonus for me.

I am also passionate about both the trade and training and enjoy sharing my knowledge and skills with attendees. It genuinely helps that the delegates who come on a course with us want to be here.

Ed: What do you find challenging?

TG: Fitting it all in! Our training diary is bursting at the seams and demand is huge. However, I see it as a great position to be in and thrive off the buzz for training.

Ed: Any highlights since starting?

TG: Apart from the continued success of the Centre of Excellence and growth in popularity in training courses with different audiences, I’ve also travelled to deliver training to F. Ball customers worldwide, including in Australia and New Zealand.

Ed: We know you’ve always been a big fan of F. Ball products. Which is your favourite?

TG: It’s still Styccobond F49 vinyl adhesive. There’s really nothing else like it available. It’s versatile, has a super bond strength and is very fitter-friendly. However, Stopgap 1400 smoothing compound, which was launched relatively recently, might be a close second. It has superb high-flow characteristics and gives a glass-like finish that is second to none, ensuring the optimum surface for floor coverings.

Ed: And what do you get up to in your spare time?

TG: Having recently relocated to Staffordshire, we are very much getting used to the new area. My fiancée and I have three dogs and love spending time with them, whilst finding new places to adventure. We’re also still in the phase of having a lot of visitors down to see us, so it’s got to be said that we spend a fair amount of our time with our families too.

We enjoy our holidays abroad and I like to make time to watch my beloved
Burnley F.C.

Ed: Is there anything that you would like readers to know?

TG: The courses can be booked online, or you can make an expression of interest and then the team will get in touch to discuss your needs. A handy tip for our F-Talk readers: if you keep an eye on our social media channels, we sometimes have late space availability for courses, so you can book on if it’s convenient.