As our longest-serving Manager, Dave Vernon, one of our Warehouse Managers, has witnessed some amazing changes throughout the company’s 60-year history. Below is an interview with Dave, where he reflects on his journey since joining Boughey and shares some memorable moments along the way.
What is your current role, and what role did you join us with?
I started in the Packing Room (Co-Pack), and I am now Warehouse Manager.
Can you tell us about your journey with us?
I began work in January 1988 in the Packing Room (Co-Pack) on a temporary contract, tipping tables with tins of Russian salmon or bright (unlabelled) tins of tuna that required relabelling. I had a brief hiatus due to a broken leg and returned permanently in September 1988. I became a Senior Operative, running a small team on a shrink-wrap machine, converting boxes of varying products into smaller quantities in shrink-wrapped trays.
I was appointed Packing Representative, and after one meeting with senior management, I was relocated to the warehouse as I was “going to be trouble!” There were lots of new contracts being won and, after gaining some experience, I ended up in Warehouse One, running a contract with Star Mealmakers along with a few smaller contracts. I became Chargehand (Team Leader) and was soon promoted to joint Supervisor with a Senior Supervisor, Martin Grieve, overseeing a larger contract with S&W Berrisford.
Boughey was growing, and new warehouses were being built regularly. Warehouses 9, 10, and 11 were constructed, and I soon became Warehouse Manager. Warehouse 12 followed, which included the return of Princes Foods, a major contract.
We temporarily ran out of land at Wardle, and due to a growing relationship with Tesco, a depot at Winsford was established. I set it up and ran it with a few existing members of the Wardle team while also building a new team.
More land was later acquired at Wardle, but due to a newt problem and winning a significant new contract with HP Foods, we hurriedly secured a warehouse in Deeside. I began the process of building a new team there, again with a few team members from Wardle but predominantly new colleagues. I remained at Deeside for around 10 years, returning to Wardle occasionally for various projects, including a collaboration with Asda that required building a team of around 20 from scratch in just two weeks!
Just before Deeside closed, we implemented SAP as our WMS, where I was involved in the physical side of the go-live process. I then returned to Wardle, where I have since managed Zones Two and Four, re-establishing existing teams, welcoming new colleagues, and being involved in new contracts and additions to our business portfolio, including Palletline and e-fulfilment.
What’s kept you with the company for so long?
What I’ve shared above is only a small percentage of the challenges, new experiences, contracts, people, and teams I’ve worked with over the years. Boughey has given me the opportunity for personal and professional growth, often without me even realising it! This diversity and change have kept everything fresh and continue to present me with new challenges and learning opportunities on a regular basis.
How has the company changed since you first started?
At the beginning, there were very few systems – for example, no WMS and health & safety was almost an afterthought. Most products were boxed robustly, with no straight-to-shelf packaging, making things simpler in many ways.
What have been some of your standout moments over the years?
Every new warehouse opening, contacts won and the pride of building a new team, then sharing in our collaborative success.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your time here?
Regardless of new innovations, systems, processes, and procedures, our people have been and always will be, the key to our growth and success.
How has your role evolved over the years?
It has transitioned from being very hands-on – out of necessity, hardly pausing for breath due to a lack of systems and processes – to now being able to allow processes to run smoothly. This has given me the time to focus on structuring and nurturing the team.
How has the warehouse and its processes changed from when you first started?
In the beginning, there were few processes and systems, and we relied heavily on people knowing how, where, and when to do things. We would spend a lot of time walking the floor, either looking for lost products or available space.
Now, everything is far more systemised, and many manual interventions are no longer necessary. Health & safety and quality systems are at the forefront of everything we do. These have always been important, but the focus – particularly on safety for everyone entering our sites – is something I really value.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career with us?
When interviewing – many people will attest to this – I always say, “At Boughey, you get out what you put in.” This is as true today as it was when I first began.
What’s been the most rewarding part of your job?
The growth of the teams, the people and our collaborative successes.
