FEATURE
From Factory Floor To Board Room A career spanning over three decades will undoubtedly bring various changes. Yet for Ulster Carpets’ Adrian Maney, a number of important constants remain unchangeable. Adrian joined Ulster Carpets in 1987 as a creeler and weaver. In the following years he took on various supervisory and managerial roles, including at the company’s former facilities in Durban, South Africa, where he witnessed the end of Apartheid. These roles provided Adrian with extensive experience in weaving, warehouse, operational support and distribution, while his knowledge of the overall workings of the company was provided during a three-year project to develop and implement the company’s then state-of-the-art computer system. He was promoted to Director for Logistics, Customer & Operational Support Director in 2019 and then to his current role as Operations Director in June 2021, showing how, at Ulster, there are opportunities to move from the factory floor to the board room. “It proves there is no glass ceiling here,” Adrian added. “The company gives you opportunities to take on new roles and responsibilities and there is an ethos of promoting from within. We feel it is important that we develop people and we value experience. “My current role is varied but, because I have worked in so many different departments, I have a better understanding of the unique challenges everyone faces. I try to take a balanced approach and I truly believe that communication with everyone is important.”
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he Operations Director is now in his 35th year at Ulster Carpets and he views the quality of product and service as the two essential factors in driving the company’s global success. Added to that is Ulster’s constant focus on innovation that has made them world leaders in luxury Axminster and Wilton carpets. Adrian explained, “The company never stands still and is always looking to improve. Even in the early days that was the case with the development of new technology. This is still in place today and we’re looking forward to introducing our new high-speed looms soon, which we have developed ourselves. “This all adds to the quality and service we can deliver. We are working in a highly competitive market and, time and again, it is the quality of our carpets and the high standards of our service that has secured orders.” In other companies, Adrian’s length of service would be considered out of the ordinary; but at Ulster Carpets it is the norm. Every year, the company present multiple staff members with a 25 year Sovereign in recognition of their service.
“The company gives you opportunities to take on new roles and responsibilities and there is an ethos of promoting from within. We feel it is important that we develop people and we value experience.”
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