News

Part of the company since:  

November 2011  

What do you like doing in your free time? 

I play golf as much as I can, which became a little harder after having my daughter Molly (nearly two)! I try to play three times a week, with one of those being the Barnard Castle team match on a Wednesday evening.  

I like spending as much time as possible with Molly! I like taking her to do fun things, especially days in the outdoors! She loves parks and animals – these are always a good combo.  

I also like the pub and cinema, can’t miss them out!  

Random fact about you:  

When I got happily married 4 years ago, my lovely wife Sarah and I combined our surnames of Woodhead and Sculthorpe, creating Woodthorpe. 

I was also once on ITV’s ‘Ladette to Lady’ when working in a pub in town. The girls used to come in even though they were banished on an evening, I ended up trying to beat one of the ladettes at downing a pint – they won! 

One then asked me to buy them a packet of cigarettes and I wouldn’t, so she started on me. Not ideal.  

Best part of working at William Smith: 

This is an easy one, the people! I enjoy the team environment, it’s great to come in to work with people who help you when its needed – you’ve got their back and they’ve got yours.  

The crack also helps, we’ve got a good working spirit across the departments, which is hard to find.   

Explain your role: 

In a nutshell I process orders – creating timings and estimates for each department to get the job out as efficiently as possible.  

The step-by-step process: 

• Quote for the requested project 
• If the customer is happy, they will reply to the quote to confirm they would like it to go ahead  
• Process the order and produce a hard copy of an order. The metal goes to one department, the printing for digital/reflective goes to the other and then meet at the end! 
• Schedule production into each department where it’s needed e.g., Artwork (to perfect the design), Machine Shop (router/bend), Production (Durst and sign faces), Despatch (getting it safely packaged for delivery to you!)  

What do you enjoy about your role as Production Co-Ordinator?    

I think I mostly enjoy working with the customer and our Smith team to ensure they get their signage when they want it. When you’re able to help the customer meet an important deadline, especially if their customer has a large job, it’s good to be a part of, plus it creates customer and job satisfaction! 

Although my job is a desk job, it doesn’t always feel like that which I enjoy and works well for me. I need to be up and about working with each department – more people + varied day = win win! 

What are your pain points?  

I know this often can’t be avoided but it’s tricky for myself and production when customers have already agreed an install date with their customers. In an ideal world they would discuss their project with us first, I can then organise production, find out industry lead times and we’ll go from there.  

Another small point is when I process an order, often the customer doesn’t check the despatch date – try to look out for this where possible.

What is the most requested type of signage you receive?  

The most popular has to be ‘Illuminated Trays’, I think because they’re easy to install, can be bespoke to any size or shape and most importantly, look really good! 

Illuminated trays can also be fabricated to say whatever you want, plus the front tray can be removed and replaced with a new/different design further down the line, meaning this choice of signage can often be very cost effective.   

The fact they’re populated with LEDS means they’re cost effective for the end user too. 

What's the most exciting/creative project you have been involved with?  

Not long after I started, a customer got a flight from Nigeria to Heathrow, then a train to Darlington and then a taxi to Barnard Castle. I gave him a quote for some (not even that much) signage! He paid for the signs there-and-then, in cash, then made his way back to Heathrow for a flight home to Nigeria!! Strange, but we felt like we needed to help him as best we could under the circumstances.  

Anything else to add that might be of interest/help to customer: 

A lot of time customers think we don’t do something, and we do. They end up getting different products from different places e.g., traffic signs from one company and tray signs from another. Always check! Material, traffic signs or built-up letters – you don’t want to be getting everything for different spots, you want a one stop shop – which is what Smith is! 

What is your prediction for the future of the company?  

Hopefully that I still work here for one, but most importantly that we become considered as one of the top commercial signage suppliers in the country – quality wise. We want to continue to expand and grow, getting projects out to customers as quickly as possible.  

Sum William Smith up in one word:  

Canny