Logged in with… Jonathan Oldfield of Riverside Waste Machinery
Logged in with… Jonathan Oldfield of Boroughbridge-based Riverside Waste Machinery, a supplier of specialist waste shredding and baling equipment.
Tell us about your career highlights
When I left school I trained as an apprentice mechanic, so I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. But after a brief stint with a racing team I joined Riverside, and having worked my way up from the very bottom, one of my proudest achievements has to be when I became a director of the company three years ago.
I’m still very much interested in the engineering side of things though and have enjoyed working closely with our baler manufacturer to play a pivotal role in the development of a very efficient series of waste machines.
Who has had the biggest influence on your career to date?
Although it sounds a little clichéd the answer has to be my father Chris, who is Riverside MD.
Twelve years ago he saw an opportunity in the industry and he grabbed it with both hands. He works very hard and can be quite tough but he knows how to talk to people. Now the family business has a reputation we could once have only dreamed of.
He didn’t make it easy for me though – I’ve had to work my way up like anyone else. But I’m very much fuelled with the same level of ambition and desire for the company to grow. He’s kept me on my toes and given me the focus I need to succeed in business.
What do you enjoy most and least about your role?
I enjoy the pace of the business and the variety of clients I am lucky to work with; the waste disposal requirements of a small shop will be very different to those of an HM prison but having worked hard to build the right team of in-house expertise I have every confidence we can solve any scenario that we face.
The least enjoyable part is making difficult decisions during the tougher times, although hopefully they have now passed.
As a business leader, what’s the key to managing people?
An open, consistent and fair approach – I don’t believe in having hidden agendas that can jeopardise the level of trust between colleagues.
It’s important to make sure you have the right people on board from the outset and it’s crucial to strike the appropriate balance between a personal ‘hands on’ attitude to work and staff empowerment.
What are the biggest barriers to your organisation’s success?
Businesses continually want to improve their environmental stance, but in the aftermath of an economic downturn it can be difficult to justify capital expenditure on new waste machinery. So it’s important for us to educate clients, to show that the long-term benefits of an efficient waste management solution far outweigh the initial financial outlay.
We’re working closely with clients so that they can in fact create an additional revenue stream from their waste, thanks to increased productivity, reduced waste storage and disposal costs, and the creation of a profitable recyclable.
How well do you feel the region is placed to weather the recession?
Yorkshire is blessed with a central location, a diverse range of industries and a talented workforce, so I have every confidence that we are well placed to further strengthen our recovery from the recession.
It’s difficult to say how the next 12 months will pan out but I believe we have already demonstrated that we are one of the UK’s stronger counties.
How has technology changed your life over the last five years?
Massively. Due to technological advancements such as laptops, palmtops, remote connections, the iPhone and most recently the iPad, the split between work and home life is becoming evermore blurred. If not carefully managed this could upset the balance but in reality it allows me to work wherever I am, productively and with ease.
As waste technology becomes evermore innovative, revolutionary machines have the capability of shredding and baling a diverse range of materials.
Technological innovation has therefore played a crucial role in allowing our company to target new markets and ultimately grow.
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what alternative career would you choose and why?
I have always been fanatical about motorsports and am a keen rider in my spare time so to pursue a career in racing would be an absolute dream.
Which sectors do you think will thrive/struggle in the coming years?
Under the new coalition government, I think we’ll have to wait and see which sectors will thrive and struggle over the coming years. The public sector is likely to be particularly hard hit but I have high hopes for the UK’s manufacturing base.
Changes won’t happen overnight but I think in the next five to ten years the country’s deep-rooted manufacturing heritage will once again have a chance to shine, albeit with new areas of focus.
In five words, describe your character
Work hard, play hard, committed.
Which actor would you choose to play you in a film?
Brad Pitt – we have a similar taste in women!
