Having joined the team in October last year, Adam reflects on the first 10 months of his tenure, and it sounds as though it’s a decision he’s happy with.
“It’s been a fantastic move for me. Where I worked previously was very corporate, so to come into a business with a family-run culture is great. The job is enjoyable, I’m well supported and my colleagues enjoy their jobs too. As the saying goes: look after your staff and they’ll look after your customers.”
That’s good to hear. And how did you get into the industry?
“Photography has always been a passion of mine, so I pursued it at university with the idea that I might turn it into a career. But when I graduated, like most students, I came out with all the debt that comes with it, so I started working in telesales with a view to get some money together.
“I remember seeing an advert in the Yorkshire Post for an Area Manager job at Flotex [later bought by Forbo] a few years later, and I quite fancied getting off the phone and getting out on the road, and that’s how I got into flooring. I went on to work for Headlam Group for over 15 years, where I was responsible for the management of the sales team and procurement of all contract flooring products, working with a number of suppliers here and on the continent; I’ve now been at F. Ball since October.”
It certainly sounds like you’ve earned your stripes. What do you get up to day-to-day?
It’s my responsibility to manage the tech reps – my team is based from the Midlands, up to Scotland, as well as Ireland. They look after all aspects of technical enquiries from contractors, including site visits. I also work closely with a number of wholesalers, many who I know from previous jobs. There’s also a lot of new independents, so they’re keeping me on my toes.”
What’s keeping you busy at the moment?
“We’ve recently launched Stopgap 1500 AquaPro, so, we’re working hard with contractors and wholesalers to get them to try it, and educate them about the benefits, such as moisture tolerance, suitable over old adhesive residues and the fact that you don’t need to prime the subfloor before application. Our new retail team are promoting the product within the retail sector, as well as multiple adverts through our social media channels.”
And what’s your take on the market at the moment – Covid, Brexit, lorry driver shortages, wars on the continent, it must all be a bit of a headache?
“Commercially, the market is still very buoyant – we are seeing increased demand for our products, which is pleasing, given all the challenges. There’s been a lot of pent-up demand owing to everyone downing tools during multiple lockdowns and placing contract projects on hold.
“For the retail market, consumers also have money to spend and have been splashing out on updating their homes but are now faced with the cost of living crisis, which is having an impact. LVT remains very popular and the retail reps support businesses to get the right products to install them. The fact is, if you’re going to spend a lot of money on your floor then you can’t skimp on the products needed to install it.”
Lots going on then. What have you found most challenging in your role, so far?
“There are many relationships to manage, which I feel is a strength of mine. What’s been more of a learning curve is developing an in-depth knowledge of F. Ball’s products. When you work for a wholesaler, you’re a bit of a Jack of all trades and have some knowledge about a lot of products. I’ve been buying and selling F. Ball products for almost 16 years though, so that was a good place to start and the in-house training has been phenomenal, so I’m pretty confident I’ve got a good steer on things now.
When you’ve not got your head buried in all things F. Ball, do you still get behind the camera? “Yes, I’m still doing the photography as a hobby. It’s been interesting to see it evolve over the years – I’m not sure younger people appreciate all the work that goes into it. There’s a bit more to it than pointing your phone and pressing a screen! I’m also a Manchester United fan and, to be fair, we need all the support we can get at the moment.”