People: Airedale Group; Filstorage; Harlow Consulting; and more

Cross Hills-based chemical manufacturer and distributor, Airedale Group, has doubled the strength of its sales team by appointing new sales managers from across the industry. 

Five recent appointments and the promotion of a new sales director, brings in more than 120 years of experience.

Marc Helliwell, sales director, said: “We have seen our customer base grow consistently over the last couple of years and this has been reflected in the expansion of the sales team. 

“Having moved into the role of sales director from the position of head of sales, I am confident we have the team in place that will help deliver our bold growth strategy.

“We have hand-picked some of the industry’s most experienced players as well as emerging talent that we believe will give us the strength and skill to take the business into the next exciting chapter of Airedale Group’s evolution, as each of the team members bring their own specific skill set to the department.”

David Wright has worked for many of the biggest names in the chemical industry during his career and was drawn to Airedale Group as an independent family-owned business with an “excellent infrastructure”.

Andy Armstrong has 40 years of sales experience and John Durrant has spent 45 years in the chemical industry and was attracted to the business’ ambitious growth plans and its ability to quickly turnaround business decisions.

Helen Farrar and Tom Windsor complete the line up of new faces with Tom having moved into the sales department from elsewhere in the company and Helen joining from Lake Chemicals ingredients business as a specialist advisor to Airedale Group’s food and beverage division.

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Mike Ayliffe

Racking and storage specialist, Filstorage, has made two key appointments to its commercial team. 

Mike Ayliffe joins the East Yorkshire company as the regional area manager covering the west of England and south Wales, and Steve Elwick joins as contract support manager. 

Ayliffe started his career as a designer using CAD systems to create layouts for factories and other commercial and industrial clients. 

It was here he developed a passion for the storage industry, in particular racking and shelving.

He said: “I really enjoy the racking and shelving side of the industry. It just clicked with me. I like finding the solution that works best for that particular client. 

“The main focus for me is builders merchants, timber merchants, and associated  businesses. I cover from the West Country into South Wales and north beyond Birmingham. It is a big area with lots of potential. There’s a vibrant building sector here.”

Elwick brings more than 11 years’ experience of contract management in the storage industry to Filstorage. 

His role involves supporting the area managers in ensuring they put together precisely the right package clients need to take their businesses forward. 

He said: “I started as a designer and then moved into project management, so I have a high level of technical knowledge and experience.

Steve Elwick

“Over my career, I’ve worked across retail, office, industrial storage, heavy duty use, car showrooms, and more on a national scale.”

Mike Gorman, sales director, added: “I believe we’ve appointed two very strong additions to the team in Mike and Steve, both of whom bring significant industry experience and knowledge to the business.

“The west of England and Wales are big markets for us; we have some very loyal customers in the area and I’m sure Mike will do a great job of looking after them.

“Steve’s role will ensure we continue to deliver the bespoke solutions and quality we have become known for in the industry over the past three decades.”

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James McNaught

Harlow Consulting, a research agency based in Harrogate, has expanded its team.

The agency has experienced rapid growth since it was founded by Jennifer Brennan and Clare Vokes in 2019, growing from its two directors to a 10-strong staff team.

Its client list includes Historic England, Innovate UK, the NHS, and Skills Development Scotland.

James McNaught, 25, has joined as an entry level researcher. He studied Sports Science at Leeds Beckett University and worked as a self-employed personal trainer before joining the agency.

He said: “When I was a personal trainer, the directors of Harlow Consulting Clare and Jennifer, were clients. Their work really intrigued me. I always had a natural interest in research, and so when I saw there was an opening I applied.”

His role involves desk research, data analysis and fieldwork, conducting interviews and questionnaires.

Kirsty Ainslie has joined the agency as research and operations administrator.

Her background is in financial services and the insurance sector. Her previous role was compliance advisor for a global organisation.

She said: “Harlow Consulting is a fast-growing agency so they were seeking more administrative support.

“I was really attracted to the agency’s strong culture of wellbeing for its employees, which makes it such a great business to work for. It’s refreshing to be in that culture.

“Harlow has a strong reputation for the quality of its work, so I’m keen to develop my career here.”

Kirsty Ainslie

Brennan said: “James and Kirsty both aligned well with our culture and values. James has a positive outlook. His enthusiasm, curious mind, and transferable skills make him a natural fit for a research career.

“His background in sports science also opens up potential new avenues for future project work.

“Kirsty has an impressive background, and her organisational skills are essential for us as our agency continues to expand.”

The latest expansion follows the hiring of a new research and operations director, Kathryn Purdy, at the beginning of the year, and associate director, Dr James Legard, who joined last year.

As part of the expansion, Harlow Consulting has also promoted Dr Ben Kehoe to research manager.

He joined the agency just over three years ago in the role of researcher and has since progressed to senior researcher before his recent promotion.

He said: “I greatly enjoy the varied nature of the work and get a real sense of achievement in finding answers to our clients’ questions and delivering research that has real impact.

“It’s a joy too to play an integral part of a small, self-supporting team.”

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North Yorkshire-based noise monitoring equipment specialist, Cirrus Research plc, has appointed Alex Robertson to its senior leadership team as operations manager.

A key appointment for the company, he joins at a time of growth for Cirrus Research, following the recent confirmation that it has evolved its Optimus+ range of sound monitoring devices, launched new software updates to its NoiseTools technology and has won a large contract in Germany, the biggest in the organisation’s 50-year history.

As part of the Cirrus team, Robertson will oversee daily manufacturing operations and production processes for the business, and will handle quality management, taking care of the company’s industry accreditations.

Daren Wallis, CEO, said: “Alex is a very welcome addition to our management team and he joins us at an exciting time of expansion.

“His background aligns perfectly with the approach and values we have here at Cirrus and I look forward to seeing him apply his knowledge and experience as we continue to strive to be the very best in our field.”

Robertson will be based at the firm’s headquarters in Hunmanby, where it manufactures specialist equipment designed to measure and assess noise levels for a range of environments, from entertainment and sporting venues to residential and working environments including factories and construction sites.

With over 13 years’ experience in operations and manufacturing, he brings the skills and experience to ensure operations and processes at Cirrus are optimised, with a particular focus on product quality.

He has previously worked for international organisations including in the automotive, aerospace and defence industries.

He said: “I am excited by the opportunity to inspire and lead the teams at Cirrus.

“My aim is to maintain the company’s market-leading position, exceed business goals and create a lasting effect within the organisation, to help ensure current standards are maintained and contribute to the growth of this forward-thinking business.”