Leading KBB manufacturer and supplier, Hill’s Panel Products (HPP) has appointed industry veteran, Jason Taylor, in the newly created role of Contracts Manager.
He joins the Oldham-based business after 27 years at the UK arm of Pfleiderer, the German manufacturer of premium engineered wood products, laminates and resins, where he was General Sales Manager for 20 years and then Managing Director for seven. Before that, he spent nine years at panel manufacturer Kronospan, where he started his career in 1986.
His brief is to build on HPP’s current success in the KBB industry while seeking out new opportunities and marketplaces to broaden the firm’s business operations.
Jason says: “It’s a wide-ranging role where I’ll be looking at the existing customer base, HPP is very well known and kitchen and bedroom-centric, but there are a lot of other markets out there where HPP’s stock ranges can be consumed.
“An example is student accommodation – it’s a big market that HPP does some business in, but it could do a lot more. Those are the types of things I’ll be looking at and working on.”
HPP’s Deputy MD Gareth Evans says: “We are delighted to get Jason on board, and we can’t wait to get him started. We’ve known Jason for years and he’s known us. I started here when I was 17 and I remember Jason knocking on the door to see Martin (Hill, HPP’s joint owner with brother Stephen), so to have come full cycle and have Jason actually working with us is really exciting.
“He adds kudos from the roles he’s held, the places he’s worked, the people he knows and his understanding of the industry.”
HPP has been manufacturing and supplying board, doors, fittings and accessories for the fitted furniture industry, particularly kitchens and bedrooms, for the past 33 years. As well as its HQ in Oldham, it has a trade counter in Sheffield.
Jason adds: “I’m looking forward to working in a good, growing business where you are given scope and trusted to grow the business and be a contributor to its success. I’m a team player – that’s something that attracted me to HPP – as they have a good team and it’s totally inclusive.
“I like to be thorough in what customers’ needs are, to find solutions if they have problems and create sustainable business growth through good relationships with no false promises. When you look at what HPP has done, and how they’ve done it, they’re obviously getting the fundamentals right.”
Outside of work, Jason, who is married to Sian with two grown up children, is a big Wrexham FC fan.
“No one knew much about us a few years ago but we’re now very much in vogue with the Hollywood connection,” he adds, referring to the investment of movie stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
