“IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR HIGH SERVICE AND QUALITY STANDARDS, INCLUDING OUR EXCEPTIONAL DELIVERY TIMES, WHILST SUPPORTING CONTINUED BUSINESS GROWTH.” WAYNE JOHNSON, SALES DIRECTOR.
Wayne, our sales director and co-founder, set Quercus up from the very beginning and is, like the rest of our team, supremely knowledgeable and passionate about our timber trade. So, we thought we would sit down with him and get his views on the company and timber as a whole – here is how it went.
Q: How did you first get involved in timber and why?
A: “Well, my father had always been involved in the timber industry, and so you could say I grew up with timber and I even worked with him for a short while after I left college back in 1997. That must have been what really got me into it.”
Q: What have been your favourite memories from your two decades of working in the industry?
A: “I must say, I have really fond memories of the three or four years I spent working at Timbmet, where I made lots of really good friends in the industry. Also, it goes without saying that setting up Quercus in 2009 sticks out as real high point, along with our recent move to the new premises in Brackley. The new site is much larger, and gives us chance to stock an even larger range of products enabling more competitive pricing.”
Q: What have been the toughest parts of your career in timber?
A: “The actual process of setting up Quercus as our own business was one of the most challenging things, but obviously the rewards that came with that made it all worth it, it’s been a real rollercoaster.”
Q: Where do you see the business heading in the coming years?
A: “That’s a difficult one really, because it’s a balancing act: we’ve seen continued double digit growth in recent years and that’s great, but I think it’s really important that we maintain our high service and quality standards, including our exceptional delivery times, whilst supporting continued business growth – that’s the main challenge going forward.”
Q: What would you say are the main changes you’ve witnessed in the timber industry since you started working?
A: “I think one of the major changes in the industry that I have noticed is a shift in purchasing habits, they’ve changed a lot. Traditionally people would buy a particular timber that they were using on a project, and what was left over could be used on the next project or one in the future. Nowadays, however, a lot of people are buying products in a fixed price format for the project, where they give us a cutting list and we produce a price for that particular job that is all encompassing.”
Q: Finally, what do you enjoy most about the job?
A: “Well, I think I will be in trouble if I don’t say that working with my wife, Faye, is the most enjoyable part of the job. But also, with it being a family business, it means we are hands on and gives us the freedom to make quick decisions. It is a varied role, which makes it enjoyable due to no two days being the same. We appreciate and enjoy the whole thing, working with so many great customers and supply partners; we enjoy the day to day trading. It’s always a challenge, especially when working with a natural product, it is constantly changing and adaptable, the business never stands still!”
