VERTIK-AL - Man, and Boy

Surface World chats with Richard Gibbs from powder coating specialist, Vertik-Al, about his 30 years with the company, what’s changed in that time, and most important, how does he stay motivated…

“I was still in sixth form at the time,” comments Richard Gibbs, now operations director for Vertik-Al.

“I had a Saturday job in a butcher’s shop, but I needed a full-time wage. The Job Centre was advertising an office junior role for a powder coating firm in Shard End, Birmingham [where the business still operates today].

I had no knowledge of the industry, but I was keen to learn.

Early Days

“Vertik-Al was the ideal place to cut my teeth in those formative years. The business was frenetic, with lorries coming in and out, dropping and collecting work. In time, I worked right across the company, learning all different aspects of business.

“We had a small workforce working a day shift back in 1992,” continues,

Richard. “Since then, I have witnessed tremendous growth. We now employ over 60 people on our night shift and 110 during our day shift. Investment has been key to this expansion.

Development and Investment

“Our plant and equipment are unrecognisable in comparison to when I joined the company. The basic principles of powder coating have remained constant, it’s the development of new colours, textures and powder quality where I have seen the biggest difference. They are now available in abundance but more important is their increased durability and performance.

“The development of Class 2 – also known as super durable powders – has not only enabled us to expand our range and the potential for coating aluminium architectural products, but to also offer extended warranties. This is a real game-changer for British architecture and is a big motivator for me and the team. Powder coating is still a very exciting market to be a part of.”

Operations Director

“Vertik-Al has always offered one of the fastest turnaround services, with great quality at a competitive price. This is what we have built the business on, offering all our customers, regardless of size, a single source for their coating needs. As operations director, it is my responsibility to ensure that we deliver on this, every day.

“Each 24-hour period we receive or collect around 10- to 15,000 items for powder coating. Every item needs to be planned in, sequenced, programmed, pre-treated, coated, rolled, quality control checked, packed, and dispatched, every day, on-time and in full. It’s that easy!”

All Aboard

“I was especially proud to be invited to join the Vertik-Al board of directors in April 2006. More recently, following an acquisition in 2017, I was once again invited onto the board, post-sale.

“The levels of investment since the acquisition have been truly phenomenal. With new plant and equipment, we are considered a market leader, a fact of which I am immensely proud. As a board, we are buzzing with plans for the next phase of the company.”

Telephone: 0121 608 7171

Email: info@vertik-al.com

Visit: www.vertik-al.com

Twitter: vertikalltd

LinkedIn: vertik-al