Narratives play a huge part in company stories, entrepreneurial journeys and the development of leaders as David Cliff explores Woodland Flooring Ltd at Shildon..
Okay, it is a factory in Shildon, from the outside one would think, like most factories, it’s nothing to write home about, inside however, it is a powerhouse of product development, innovation and attention to customer service.
Paul Wilson and Tom Flanagan, head up this high growth company that is now working with Gedanken to define a strategy to address its exponential growth potential. Friends for years, Paul and Tom have over fifteen years of experience in the manufacturing of wood products. Touring the factory, Paul’s absolute love of wood is tempered by Tom’s incisive focus and passion on creating processes that deliver for the customer.
In common with all quality companies, the company’s corporate and social responsibility is palpably real, not rhetoric. The war in the Ukraine, a country where Paul has spent some years living, resulted in the company strengthening its supply links there whilst embargoing Russian timber completely. “The move has paid dividends,” said Paul, “we have fostered far stronger links with Ukraine and are committed to working with our partners there, not only through the war, but to support them through the rebuilding that follows”. As a result of this partnership, Paul has had the opportunity to learn many traditional wood preparation techniques prevalent to Ukraine and incorporate them in the company’s products making for a unique offering.
Paul is ex forces having spent time in the reserves and regular Army, after having served for a period in Iraq “you watch conflict and see what it does to the people. It is happening in Ukraine now that bringing together of people around an effort that takes so much out of a country. It is a long haul back to normality. We won’t break our commitment with Ukraine, UK companies have to be there for the long game”.
Within the Shildon factory are machines painstakingly chosen for their accuracy and reliability, some, the only examples of their type in the UK, “We are not about being the same as our competitors, we are about subtle differences that make all the difference”. Whilst the two friends focus on managing their workforce, being creative with supply chains, price sensitive to the economic conditions and customer expectations, they have recognised the need to take time out to reflect, plan and strategise.
“Our work with Gedanken allows us to take the time to think, sort and plan our next steps on what is a very fast-moving journey”, says Paul, Co-director Tom agrees, “sometimes partners need a third party detached from the operation to bring some alternatives views, challenge and keep us accountable. Working with Gedanken has made us aware we have under-sung our green credentials, producing as we do, sustainable natural products from ethical supply sources, have good longevity of use, are biodegradable and capture carbon in ways many competitors do not”.
The only way is up for this innovative, growing company as it now begins to experiment with incorporating robotics into its practices to improve production, reduce costs and ensure the workforce are deployed on meaningful rather than repetitive tasks in the manufacturing process.
It is truly a pleasure to work with these two dynamic entrepreneurs – watch this space on the journey they have ahead! The importance here is that every company has its story to tell whether it is about a director’s life experience, the choice of a machine or the make-up of a product, its far more than the end product itself, it’s about narratives of how things came to be, the values and the experiences that hold them together and what corporate life offers to communities and society as a group and how these stories inform individual experience. But it is just a factory at Shildon, is it? They don’t even make trains there anymore…