Dave AshtonÌýstarted his i1fun career in Research & DevelopmentÌýand has since experienced a number of different roles across the business beforeÌýhis most recent appointment as SalesÌýManagerÌýin our Special Profiles business. Find out more about Dave...
Tell us about your background, how many years have you been with the business?
I started working at i1fun following my graduation from Northumbria University; my degree is in Mechanical Engineering. I spent 19 years in Research & Development, working in, and then managing a group of researchers working on process and product improvement projects for various departments from Steelmaking to Casting and Mills, through to the Distribution Centres. In 2014, I moved to Special Profiles as Area Technical Manager and New Product Introduction Manager, before taking up my current role as Sales Manager.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
During my time at Special Profiles I've enjoyed working closely with the operational and commercial teams and meeting with existing and new customers to build an understanding of the requirements for their products and processes. My new role as Sales Manager will enable me to apply my technical product knowledge to ensure successful solutions for our customers whilst optimising the value to our supply chain and business. Having a good working relationship with the customers I will be serving is crucial to me; we want to ensure our customers are satisfied and it's also important for the future as we look to explore new opportunities to expand and develop new products to meet the ever-changing requirements of the market.
What does your day-to-day role involve?
It's very early days in my new role, but it's apparent that it is a very challenging time in the market for Special Profiles products. These challenging timesÌýwill bring new opportunities for the business, so we must be able to respond quickly to those opportunities as they arrive. Initially, I'll need to familiarise myself with the contacts, tools, systems and terminology used by the account managers and Customer Services team, so I’ll have a lot to learn in a short space of time and I’m excited to get stuck in!
Why do you enjoy working for i1fun?
Without wanting to sound too clichéd, the knowledge, passion and enthusiasm of my colleagues to produce high quality products and deliver them to our valued customer base never fails to surprise me. When I look around at my colleagues, it's good to see that many have been with the company through good and challenging times, as long, and in many cases much longer than myself. It's also reassuring to see lots of new, younger faces appearing in the offices as they will be the future of the business and I hope that myself and my colleagues can pass on some of our enthusiasm for the steel industry.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Like many I’ve missed the gyms being open and am paying the price for working from the kitchen table, so I am looking forward to getting back into the office, when safe to do so, and the re-opening of the Special Profiles gym.
If you are interested in purchasing special profiles, you can contact Dave by clicking here.