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I started out at the TECHNAL headquarters in Toulouse as an apprentice engineer. Qualifying three years later, the company hired me to service the International Market. Working in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, I was based in Singapore for four years supporting projects technically, which included skyscrapers towering an immense 50 storeys high.
Moving closer to home, I worked in the Netherlands as Project Co-ordinator and now am in the UK working as Technical Manager for Hydro Building Systems UK, out of our Tewkesbury Office. That's the beauty of working for a global company, you get some great opportunities and I have now completed 12 years in the business.
Taking a people-based, and where appropriate, digital approach, we make access to technical knowledge and expertise as easy as possible.
Each customer has an Account Manager and a Technical Advisor so customers can have daily exchanges with both contacts, which helps customer relationships develop.
We also have Field Engineers nationally who work with fabricators and installation teams delivering toolbox training and supporting with technical challenges on-site.
Sometimes, projects require mock-ups and system testing. And that's where our workshop comes in, building sample mock-ups, trialing and bench testing for performance standards.
My role is to 'oil' the technical team machine, making sure everyone is up-to-speed with training and has the 'tools' to do their job. I am keen on encouraging communication and knowledge sharing. Sharing technical experience is what ensures we add value across all projects.
Yes mainly, but we also work with the Hydro International Project Team, which helps customers secure cross-country projects.
It's simple. We don't just answer a technical query and then move on. If we think something won't work, or could be done differently, we will propose an alternative, or better, solution. Of course we have system product manuals but importantly, we're a company that wants to assist with technical challenges that push boundaries.
Following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire and the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022, there is definitely a greater focus on the quality of the technical submissions for our customer, which has to be a good thing.
Acoustics is also an area we're working a lot on with resources including acoustic test laboratories and sound calculation software to help our customers and clients at the earliest possible stages of the design process.
As a business, we've just launched a new range of curtain wall, door and window products that have been designed for circularity. They are made with 75% recycled material and are 95% recyclable at the end of their life. In fact, the UK is one of the first markets to launch so we're in the process of implementing training and educating fabricators and architects.
As part of Hydro Building Systems globally, we operate in different markets across the world with historical brands. As you can imagine, it comes with a very wide product offer. Going forward, we've taken a platform approach to develop something better by focusing our engineering and logistics, streamlining the range and making it easier for everyone.
DOJI TOWER, HANOI
One of the projects Damien supported on when working in Vietnam
Sustainability, for sure. This is the year things are actually starting to change. We started the EPD journey a long time ago but now we're getting more requests for EPDs and systems made using our Hydro CIRCAL 75R aluminium - a prime quality aluminium that is obtained by dismantling old windows, doors and facades that have reached the end of their lifecycle and remelting them for reuse again.
I love the fact that every day is different. Over the last 12 years with Hydro, I'm always learning new things and taking on new challenges.
