“I love thinking up new ideas and solving problems”

Today, we say hello to Sam Harding, Business Development Manager and Senior Surveyor at SCOTGRIP® INTERNATIONAL.

Sam joined us in 2019 and brings a wealth of experience from a background in aircraft engineering from time in the Royal Air Force. Sam shares insight into his role at SCOTGRIP® INTERNATIONAL; upskilling the team and about the many countries he has visited as the company expands into further international markets.

Q: How did you get into the industry?

SH: I started in the RAF, as a Propulsion Technician, and through a lot of training and upskilling progressed through various roles including an Airframe Technician and laterally, an Aircraft Engineer. I moved away from the military ten years ago, worked in Dubai and Afghanistan for two years, and then moved to Aberdeen to work for a global oil and gas service company, before joining SCOTGRIP® INTERNATIONAL in 2019.

Q: What do you enjoy most about the work you do at SCOTGRIP® INTERNATIONAL?

SH: I like how diverse it is; no one day is the same. So, one day I could be doing manufacturing, product development, sales or visiting a client. I could be preparing a survey… I do like to do a bit of everything. So, it’s good.

Q: What product are you most proud of and why?

SH: I would probably say there’s two things I’m proud of.

Firstly, the surveys. Due to client demand, we have continually invested in scanning technology so it's now a core part of our solutions offering, allowing us to provide a fast, safe, and accurate digital worksite survey to ensure a fast and efficient turnaround time from enquiry to order fulfilment. Plus, I’m currently training one of my colleagues to be a Surveyor; we’re passing on knowledge, skills and learning from each other.

Secondly, our UHD Deckmate® Dunnage mats. A major offshore drilling client came to us with a problem; one of their clients had expressed concern over dunnage mats falling from containers or skips that were lifted offshore. These dunnage mats were of an unknown origin. We quickly designed a brand-new product for them to trial on multiple rigs, designed to prevent dunnage mat drops hazards offshore. Drops hazards are a serious concern in the industry and have the potential to cause serious harm. We’ve now got fleetwide agreements to supply only UHD Deckmate® Dunnage mats to some clients.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about your work?

SH: I like to see the products go out as quality products. It’s about the time invested and the skills invested by the guys.

My job, primarily, is to find the business and to grow the company with the guidance of George, Ralph and Mark. That’s enjoyable; I see progress from where we are now to where we’re going to be. It’s nice to be on that journey and to be on the inner fringes of SCOTGRIP® INTERNATIONAL but be on the outer fringes as well, when I’m out there doing the work.

Q: What is a typical day like for you?

SH: A typical day is responding to customers and customer requests; maybe speaking to customers who have queries about our products; liaising with customers to make sure their needs are met and suggesting products to fit their requirements.

My job is dynamic and changing day by day. Mostly I’m liaising with new and existing customers, finding new customers in our target expansion areas and I’m enjoying supporting the company’s international growth strategy.

As such, a typical day for me doesn’t always involve being stationed in our HQ. So far, I’ve travelled to meet with clients and carry out surveys in Doha, Australia, USA, Singapore, UAE, Canary Islands, Norway and Denmark.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?

SH: I have my little girl who’s 2 years old. She keeps me fit as she never stops! I spend a lot of my spare time with my wife and daughter, enjoying family time together. We’ll be moving into a new house soon so there’s plenty to keep me busy!

Q: Can you tell us something about you that others might not know already?

SH: I’m an Aircraft Engineer by trade; so that’s something I’ve done previously for about 15 years. I was in the Royal Air Force. And, generally, I like anything DIY or engineering related. I love thinking up new ideas and solving problems.

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You can connect with Sam on LinkedIn here.

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