1 : WHAT DO YOU DO ?
A :
I ’ m the plant manager for 3M , the science-based technology company , on Aycliffe Business Park . We manufacture Personal Protective Equipment ( or PPE – specifically , respirators ) for several markets , including the NHS .
2 : WHO HAVE YOU WORKED FOR IN THE PAST ?
A :
I served an apprenticeship at Thorn Lighting in Spennymoor and had six months at Schott Industrial Glass in Aycliffe before joining 3M in 1999 .
3 : BEST PART OF YOUR JOB ?
A :
Watching our people develop when they deliver improvements and / or solutions . Seeing them grow into new roles is by far the most pleasing part of my job .
4 : IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR JOB THAT YOU REALLY DON ’ T LIKE ?
A :
Not really , I love manufacturing and all aspects of it . I ’ m not a lover of admin but it ’ s a necessary evil for all .
5 : FAVOURITE THING ABOUT WORKING ON AYCLIFFE BUSINESS PARK ?
A :
There ’ s a few …. It ’ s very close to home , I know a lot of people on the park , it has some nice places to eat / drink and there are loads of scenic walking routes .
6 : WHICH COMPANY / INDIVIDUAL ON THE PARK DO YOU DO THE MOST WORK WITH ?
A : DPE – Durham Precision Engineering and Ross / Wright , we ’ ve done a lot of work with them over many years and we have an excellent relationship with both .
7 : WHICH AYCLIFFE BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUAL DO YOU TIP FOR FUTURE SUCCESS ?
A :
I really hope that all the non-manufacturing businesses continue to grow – it ’ s making our business park and town a lot more interesting to have such variety . When I first started work here on the business park it was purely industry . I love watching companies start up and grow .
8 : FOUR FAMOUS PEOPLE YOU ’ D LOVE TO HAVE ROUND FOR DINNER AND WHY ?
A :
David Attenborough , Michael Palin , Ricky Gervais and Alan Shearer . They ’ re all my heroes of things that I ’ m interested in , and I ’ d enjoy listening to them asking questions of one another .
9 : IF YOU COULD DO SOMETHING ELSE IN BUSINESS , WHAT WOULD IT BE ?
A :
I ’ m in manufacturing for life but if I was pushed . I ’ d work in the education or care sectors .
10 : WHO ’ S YOUR FAVOURITE TWEETER ?
A :
Ricky Gervais – he can be so caring about animals and wildlife in one Tweet , yet brutally antagonistic in the next . He once said “ Twitter is like watching 50,000 cats fight over a laser and I ’ m the one holding the laser pen ”.
11 : HAVE YOU EVER DONE ANYTHING REALLY DARING ?
A :
Not really , I ’ m no daredevil . I ’ ve done my fair share of daft things when I was younger - let ’ s say I ’ ve ran through several fields of wheat .
12 : WHAT ’ S THE BEST PIECE OF BUSINESS ADVICE YOU ’ VE BEEN GIVEN ?
A :
Probably more related to manufacturing : “ If you get your safety and quality correct , everything else will follow .” It ’ s so true .
13 : IF MONEY WAS NO OBJECT , WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL CAR ?
A :
I ’ d have to say a Bugatti ….. at $ 19m money really would have to be no object .
14 : MONEY NO OBJECT , YOUR DREAM HOLIDAY WOULD BE ?
A :
A world cruise – my parents have been on two since they retired and they had the time of their lives . Travelling at a leisurely pace but seeing so many countries really appeals to me .
15 : DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE BAND OR TYPE OF MUSIC ?
A :
I ’ ve several favourites - The Stone Roses , Oasis , Arctic Monkeys , De La Soul , Nas . I also like a lot of 60s and 70s music .
16 : WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT ?
A :
Probably my BSc , which I did via the Open University while I was working . It was a tough but rewarding five years and I learned a lot from it .
17 : |
HOW WOULD YOU BEST DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FOUR WORDS ? |
A : |
Approachable , driven , gregarious , sincere . |
18 : WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS ?
A :
Still in manufacturing but ideally working with several 3M plants across Europe .
19 : WHO ’ S THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON YOU ’ VE EVER MET ?
A :
The Queen and Prince Philip – they visited Thorn Lighting when I was an apprentice .
20 : DO YOU HAVE ANY GUILTY PLEASURES ?
A :
I LOVE WATCHING COMPANIES START UP AND GROW .
Being as lazy as possible on a weekend ! It ’ s important to recharge and I ’ m great at doing nothing . Family , hot tub , sunshine , music , good food and a few beers .
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 7