Who are you and what’s your role at Whitecroft?
I joined Whitecroft as Area Sales Manager, South East. With a team of sales engineers covering areas south of Birmingham, East of Bristol and outside central London.
Where have you come from?
I spent 19 years at Concord Lighting - part of the Feilo Sylvania Group working with the company as it moved from a medium sized UK based architectural lighting manufacturer to a global lamps and fixtures supplier. During my time at Sylvania I worked in a number of different sales and sales management roles.
What brought you to Whitecroft?
After 19 years with one company I was looking for a different challenge, I saw Whitecroft as a robust UK lighting manufacturer. It also appealed as it had adjusted its business model over the years from being a product supplier to a solution provider.
How long have you worked in the Lighting industry?
I’ve worked in the lighting industry for 26 years. I graduated in Economics then started as a junior sales executive at Philips Lighting.
What do you think are the opportunities in the Lighting Industry?
There are many different facets of the lighting industry, some projects can be very architecturally driven whilst others may be driven by energy and cost savings.
The circular economy is a real buzz word within lighting potentially making a big difference to society. Circular systems employ reuse, share, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling – something we are committed to at Whitecroft we see it progressing as we look at new ways to better use existing systems and materials.
Lighting impacts every part of our daily lives from work to play and understanding the different impacts of lighting provides real opportunities in so many key sectors. Specifically for Whitecroft in education and healthcare.
We can make a day to day difference on how someone lives and works – making lighting an exciting sector to work in.
What happened on your induction programme?
My first three days were spent at Whitecroft HQ meeting a huge amount of people. There is always the pressure to remember the names and there is a lot of hand shaking. Initially the induction programme was about seeing the different departments and how they all work together to provide our service.
I then spent time getting to know my team – it can be quite unsettling when a new team member comes on board – regardless of level and it was important that everyone was reassured and ready for a new challenge.
Induction programmes can be overwhelming – there is a lot to cover and a lot of people to meet. The key is to have an ongoing programme so you quickly become part of the fabric of the organisation – something Whitecroft do well.
Having been in the role for a few weeks now, I’m pleased to say that the headquarters in Ashton has become a really pleasant place for me to visit, and I have already started using the knowledge that exists there to help demonstrate Whitecroft's professionalism to potential customers.
What was the highlight of your induction programme?
It’s got to be going back the second time when it started to feel like my place of work rather than somewhere I was visiting… it felt like my company.
When you visit the second time you go back having a better understanding of the culture of the business, an understanding of your role and then everything fits into place. Whitecroft has a very different culture – it’s a big organisation but has a family feel. In a short time I've been here, I feel like part of the family.
What surprising fact have you learnt about Whitecroft?
The company was established in 1945, trading as Moorlite and started manufacturing lighting fixtures in Ashton-under-Lyne. A year before Sony was established.
Describe your first 30 days in 3 words
A fresh challenge
What are you working on right now?
It’s all about plans for the next year – and beyond. We’re not a short term company, we’re always looking at tomorrow and what we want to deliver in years to come.
©2024 Whitecroft Lighting | Company number 3848973
