Since its formation in 1997, Cromar Building Products states that it has taken advantage of its independent ownership to respond to market demands and provide customers with “exceptional service and value”.
Its extensive product range is designed to provide builders’ and roofing merchants with a “one stop shop” service for all flat and pitched roofing products, along with a full portfolio of building chemicals, timber treatments, adhesives, sealants, tanking membranes and DPCs under the company’s key brand names such as PROGRP, Cromapol, Vent3, Leadax, ProRidge and Flexiglass.
PBM speaks with Greg Senior, Sales Director at AlphaChem — a division of Cromar Building Products
Q. How did you get into the industry and to your current position?
A. I got my first job in sales when I was just 22 (with a full head of hair) selling ink for laser printers. The printers were very new to the market at that time so it was a really tough job that involved lots of ‘knocking on doors’. In hindsight, it was a great apprenticeship as it taught me from day one that you had to work very hard to achieve any level of success — it truly was a numbers game!
My first sales job in the merchant industry came about in 1992 at Vallance, the original putty manufacturers.
Q. How do you feel the industry has changed in recent years?
A. I think the 2008 recession had a huge effect on where the market is today. Many of the small to medium sized manufacturers that supplied into the merchant marketplace struggled, resulting in many of them simply going out of business or being bought up by larger corporate entities with stronger, deeper foundations.
The number of actual manufacturers is now significantly less than it was 10 years ago which means that the merchant does not have as many options on where to buy from.
Q. What are the current challenges facing your company?
A. One of the biggest challenges that faces a privately owned, family business like ours is that we don’t have huge corporate budgets to spend on advertising and PR — this does however make us think very carefully about how and where we spend our money. But the Merchant sector is still strong — we still see good volumes and consistent ordering.
The biggest challenge to our business is the amount of stock that we need to keep to ensure that our customers get the service that they need to keep their customers coming back. And I certainly don’t think that it is all about price — keeping stock is a costly business and our customers rely on us to keep them in stock and number one in the minds of their own customers. Stock always has been and always will be king.
Q. Which individual has influenced you most in your career?
A. David Seymour, the MD of Valance back in 1991 and who I went on to work with at Everbuild Building Products, which we started in 1993, until 2014. David had a massive work ethic that rubbed off on me — he was the first one in and the last one out every day.
David taught me that success doesn’t come easy and certainly not to those that don’t work hard. I like to think that I pass those same values onto the younger people that have worked with me over the years.
Q. What has been the highlight of your career to date?
A. I have experienced many career highlights over the last 27 years so it’s hard to pin down just one. I suppose that watching youngsters develop into fine sales people has been one of the most satisfying highlights of my time in the industry.
I’ve always believed in employing very ‘green’ bright young things, and investing time and resource to develop these people into the Captains of Industry that they are today.
Q. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
A. I see myself happy and content and working with a successful team of people that enjoy what they do. I’ve been lucky enough to be successful at a relatively young age so I know from experience that a smile on my face is worth far more than £10 in the bank. It’s not about where you are sat but who is sat there with you!
For more information, visit www.cromarbuildingproducts.com.
