Editor: Chris McQuade, you’re a Stoke-on–Trent man, born and bred, and you’ve been part of the team since 2000. What did your career look like before F. Ball?
CMc: “I was just 20 when I started at F. Ball! Before then, I worked at a testing house where we tested ceramics and building materials, checking that manufacturers’ products were meeting the required British and European standards before they were launched for sale. It was instrumental in giving me a broad understanding of testing and the necessary environment and controls needed to obtain trusted results.“
Ed: Evidently, your scientific background, along with a HNC in chemistry, made you a good fit for the role of Quality Control Technician at F. Ball, so you got the job. We also hear you later progressed to a Works Chemist role within the company as well. When did you join the Technical Service department?
CMc: “Back in 2010, though, it feels like it was yesterday. I’d always been fortunate to be around people who had extensive knowledge and the opportunity came up, so I made the move. Over the years, I’ve learnt everything I can from colleagues and now I put it to good use helping others, advising contractors, meaning they can benefit from our expertise.”
Ed: As a Technical Service Officer, your role is to advise customers how to get the most out of F. Ball products. But what does this entail, exactly?
CMc: “I write specifications for jobs, provide guidance for subfloor preparation and how to work with the thousands of floorcoverings that are available.” In short: “If you need to put a floor down and don’t know where to start, give us a call and we’ll advise what you need to do to get the job done.”
Ed: You can’t ask for more than that. It must be a great job if you’ve been doing it for a decade. What do you enjoy most about it?
CMc: “It’s a knowledge-based job, which suits me down to the ground; I take a lot of satisfaction from working out the puzzles presented to me and then being able to help more people when they ring up with the same query. Plus, you can’t lose knowledge, but you can build on it.”
Ed: We’re wondering, are there any common issues that keep cropping up?
CMc: “Underfloor heating is a big thing at the moment – it seems like every man and his dog want it! There are a lot of systems out there, and it’s taken us some time to get our heads around them, but now we have the knowledge to relay solutions on demand.”
Ed: Interesting stuff. Many of our readers will have worked with their local F. Ball Tech Rep, who can provide advice on projects and recommend the optimum F. Ball products for the job in-hand – tell us how your role differs.
CMc: “The Tech Reps have a sound knowledge and they put it to good use out on-site and at wholesalers. They liaise with us for more complex technical needs and unusual situations, such as working with floorcoverings they’ve not seen before. They’re in touch with us regularly, sometimes half a dozen times a day, or more – we’re the reference book they can come back to.”
Ed: It sounds like you must be very well-versed in all things F. Ball, then. Do you have a favourite product?
CMc: “Stopgap 300 HD. It’s easy to apply and it looks good when demonstrating it to a contractor or a wholesaler.”
Ed: A good choice! Now, a bit more about you. As a child, what did you aspire to be when you grew up?
CMc: “Growing up, I wanted to be a firefighter, so much so that when I came of age, I applied and made it through to the last 25 candidates. Fortunately for F. Ball, it wasn’t to be. Still, it’s been a great 20 years working at the company.”
Ed: And finally, any hobbies?
CMc: “I enjoy playing golf and I used to play football a lot, until my knees went – I’ve never been good at either. I’ve been married to my wonderful wife for 15 years and we’ve got two daughters who take up a fair share of my time, especially when the weather is good and we can get out and about.”