Business - Appointments

Selectech, the UK-based specialist supplier of ink, media and accessories to the professional wide format sign and display print market, has appointed Kate Channon to the newly created position of Customer Services Manager.  In her new role, Kate will be responsible for ensuring that Selectech’s customers are fully supported from the moment they place an order through to the successful delivery of their chosen products.

Kate will be responsible for ensuring that Selectech’s customer service meets the standards laid out by the Selectech Customer Services Charter.  This Charter – which can be found online at www.selectech.co.uk – serves as Selectech’s mission statement and outlines the basic philosophy that all staff are expected to adhere to when dealing with customers.

On her appointment, Kate comments, “Selectech has grown rapidly because it has great products at very cost-effective prices.  Our goal now is to add exceptional customer service to the mix to ensure we continue this growth without compromising our valued customers.”

Selectech’s recent success and rapid growth has been boosted greatly by impressive sales of Colorific ink.  The company has been busy converting OEM ink customers across to this high quality, cost effective, alternative ink solution to ensure that they can make significant savings in their ink costs – typically around 30%.  Selectech is one of only two Colorific Premium Partners in the UK – the other being Robert Horne Group.

Kate Channon can be contacted on 01628 560890 or by email - kate.channon@selectech.co.uk

Robert Horne Group has announced two key appointments within its Sign & Display division. Angus Whiteman is the new Sales Director and Clare Rayment takes the role of Customer Service Director.

Formerly Key Account Director with DHL Express, Angus’ main responsibilities at Robert Horne will include driving sales on a local and national level, strengthening existing relationships and forging new ones.

Prior to joining Robert Horne Group, Clare was Sales Operations Director for Thomas Cook. In her new role, Clare will be responsible for managing the Sign & Display branch network and will implement new strategies and processes to better manage and enhance the customer experience.

“These two new appointments underline our commitment to the Sign & Display sector and to helping our customers leverage new business opportunities. Both Angus’ and Clare’s wealth of knowledge and commercial expertise will be a great asset to the company and to our senior management team,” says Adrian Dennis, Robert Horne Group Divisional Director Sign & Display.

“We’ve recently won some significant new pieces of business with leading brands such as Stansted Airport, Range Rover, McDonalds and Lufthansa and have a clear strategy for growth that will put customer-centricity at the heart of our business.”

Hollywood Monster has underlined its commitment to digital print by employing eight new recruits and creating a brand new digital print sales team.  The new new recruits have joined Hollywood Monster in response to increased digital print demand.  The company plans to win significant new business across the UK.

Joining the company's rapidly expanding workforce based in Tyseley, Birmingham, are Dan Whitford, sales manager, Chris Kelly, sales executive, Mike Clarke, project manager, Richard Green, quality manager, Richard Hinckley, business development manager, Steve Allen, installation manager, Paul Marsh, project manager, and Brad Davies, senior creative designer. The creation of the new team brings the company's total workforce up to 80.

Hollywood Monster's managing director, Tim Andrews, comments, "We are very excited about the new team and our drive to secure a greater share of the digital print market. It marks a huge investment on our part but we are confident that this is the right move for our future success. The aim of the team is to look into bettering communication with our existing clients as well as welcoming new ones on board.

"The combination of having the right people in place, alongside our recent investment in the latest technology, means we are geared up for the Olympic London 2012 work we've won and will be able to secure further new business to drive Hollywood Monster forward."

He adds, "Increasing the digital sales team is in an effort to move the company to the next step. We believe in service as a journey and, with a dedicated projects team already in place, a dedicated sales team brings a great balance. We are also proud that in these times, when jobs are scarce, that we can promote job creation and investment in people in Birmingham."

Annual turnover is expected to increase by around £1 million to £6.5 million this year. A business improvement project designed to provide clients with a better service but also make the company more efficient is paying major dividends. It is also working towards the Quality Assurance standard ISO 9001.

The company has invested £2 million in the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment to enable it to widen its services to customers – a key ingredient in its current growth.

Tim concludes, "More and more customers are recognising and appreciating the quality of our work and Hollywood Monster has gained a great reputation for delivering projects on budget and on time. As the business grows, so will our people and that - particularly in this tough economic climate - is one of the most satisfying aspects of the success we are currently enjoying."

Products produced by the company include banners, building wraps, billboard posters, backlit skins, flex face signs, wallpapers, exhibitions, back drop and displays.   Hollywood Monster works with major companies including Next, Virgin Media, LilyWhites, Ann Summers, Coach, Whistles, HMV, Westfield, Carillion, Morgan Sindall, Lovell Homes, Redrow, Bovis Homes and Barratt Developments.  Sectors it is active in include commercial and residential property, construction, retail, corporate, exhibition, outdoor media, event, stadium, museum and theatrical.

For more information, please visit www.hollywoodmonster.co.uk.

PaperlinX Limited has appointed Richard Barfield as Group Chief Financial Officer, effective 1st June 2012.  He will be bases in the United Kingdom.

“Richard is a highly experienced and well respected Chief Financial Officer who has recently completed the turnaround and sale of Bezier Group in the UK. His experience and track record of improving the fortunes of businesses through restructuring and well considered management of the balance sheet will be invaluable to PaperlinX”, said Toby Marchant, PaperlinX Chief Executive Officer.

Richard was previously Chief Financial Officer of two listed companies, Northgate Plc and Spring Plc, and his earlier career involved roles at KPMG Peat Marwick, SmithKline Beecham and Bell South.

SA International (SAi) - a leading provider of solutions for the professional sign making, large format digital printing and CAD/CAM for CNC machining industries - has hired Dean Derhak as a new senior product manager. Dean brings more than 10 years of successful product marketing experience and a strong background in the wide format digital printing industry to SAi.

"Hiring Dean enables us to strengthen our growing product offerings and enhance SAi's ability to deliver value to our customers around the world," states Don Feagan, President and COO, SAi. "Dean's vast product marketing experience and background in the industry is a perfect fit for where we intend to take our company in this time of growth. We’re very excited to have Dean on board."

Dean has been in the wide format industry since 1995 and has held positions in product management, marketing, sales, engineering, and technical support. Dean has more than 20 years of experience in computer-related technologies in addition to managing his own Internet consulting business. Most recently, he held product and marketing management positions at ONYX Graphics, Inc. where he was responsible for winning numerous customer-choice “best product” industry awards. He earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication from the University of Utah and is an AIPMM certified product manager.

Sihl Direct UK has appointed Craig Barker as its new logistics and technical manager.  Craig will be based in the Altrincham UK head office, where he will be responsible for the warehousing and order processing as well as pre- and post-sales technical support.

Craig has joined Sihl Direct UK following a period of time as a self-employed photographer. Prior to this he held several positions at Ilford, where his final position was as a systems technologist developing new digital products in the desktop and wide format Ilford product range, as well as handling systems and procedures to help manage the running of the business.

“Craig brings an awful lot of experience to our company,” says Ian Turnbull, Operations Director at Sihl Direct UK. “He has worked for years at the coal face of this industry, dealing with photographers and working extensively with photographic-specific products as well as display and POS media.”

Craig Barker adds, “I am really looking forward to the challenge of working at Sihl Direct and feel that I can bring a lot to the company. I am already familiar with many of the products and hope that I can be a real asset to the company and our customers, particularly with my specific photographic experience.”

Craig started on 1st May and his first task is to take over the responsibility of running the warehouse and distribution to supply the UK market quickly and efficiently. “New IT systems are in place and with orders coming in and good people joining us, Sihl Direct is already starting to establish itself as one of the leading media providers in the UK,” concludes Turnbull.