We are delighted to give a warm welcome to Paul Boyes who has joined HPP as our new Warehouse Facilitator.
Paul, 49, has extensive experience of the UK fitted furniture industry including 20 years with the former Mark Two distributor, which supplied national trade, DIY and retail chains including Wickes, MFI and Tesco.
Paul began his career as a bench hand joiner and later moved into shift and warehouse supervisor and then senior manager roles.
He said: "My role at HPP is a new position created to help the business develop across various departments and operations. The business has grown significantly in many ways over recent years, for example with expanded vinyl-wrapped door manufacturing, worktop distribution and warehousing facilities. Now we are looking at other aspects of the business which have perhaps had less attention.
"I'm looking at improvements to processes, efficiencies, customer service and supply. I'm working across various departments with staff at all levels including department heads to give everybody a better understanding of different processes for the common good of HPP.
"It's quite a hands-on role, which I enjoy. I like working on the shop floor and speaking to people about the issues and opportunities they come across. I've recently been working with the fittings department. Everyone has made me very welcome. HPP's staff and ethos are excellent. I've got great respect for the business."
Paul is from Radcliffe in Bury, Greater Manchester, and attended the former Radcliffe High School when younger. After school, he became a bench hand joiner making window frames, staircases and other bespoke timber products for the former DEVA Joinery between 1987 and 1993.
He then joined the Mark Two kitchen and bathroom distributor in Bolton, where he spent the next 20 years. Mark Two clients included Wickes, MFI and Tesco along with smaller independents.
He said: "I joined as a nightshift picker when Mark Two was relatively small. I later became a supervisor then nightshift manager. After that, I became the dayshift manager and then warehouse manager, running the warehouse in its entirety. Finally, I was running three sites.
"I went through all the ranks at Mark Two, which gave me a good skills set and understanding of what different people need across a KBB business, from shop floor staff to the owners."
In 2014, Mark Two Distributors entered administration after sister business Mark Two Home ceased trading. Paul was then offered a job with Faith Furniture Company, also in Bolton, which was launched by a former Mark Two Distributor director. A number of former Mark Two staff joined Faith Furniture and Paul spent three years there as warehouse, transport and logistics manager.
Between the summers of 2017 and 2018 Paul temporarily stepped back from work to support his family during a relative's terminal illness. He then worked briefly for a recruitment agency and a clothing warehouse but was keen to return to the KBB furniture sector.
He said: "Since joining HPP, everyone has been superb and very accommodating. Working in the kitchen and bedroom furniture industry is in my blood and I'm delighted to be back in this sector. This is an exciting new chapter in my career."
