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Have you ever wondered what the industry's influential figures have on their desks? From classic car magazines to documents on LED lighting, you can tell a lot about a person by their desk.
Paul was born and raised in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. Here he studied into his teens and despite the distraction of “girls and beer”, he completed three O-Levels in Physics, Math and History. With the support of his parents, Paul then decided to venture out into the “big bad world” and find employment. Here Paul landed an enviable apprenticeship at Thorn where he worked in its commercial department. After his apprenticeship, he was offered a sales role and grew within the company for over 13 years. Paul then realised he wanted to move into a management position, so he left Thorn, went back into education and took on various roles to further his career and “broaden his horizons”. His first management opportunity arose at Philips Lighting, where he managed a team of seven people and took on the role of Northern Regional Manager. From here he took on the role of National Sales Manager in Public Lighting, where he sold outdoor products to local authorities and street lighting contractors. He managed a team of 14 people and set up a successful PFI Team. In 2005, Paul became the Sales Director of Philips Luminaires at the time when a big change towards LEDs was beginning to take shape. It was in April 2010, Paul jumped at the opportunity to return to his first employer, becoming Managing Director of Thorn UK & Ireland. This career move had Paul centralise everything at Thorn’s HQ, creating a better work relationship between operations and sales. Along with adopting a whole new management team and restructuring the company, Paul is taking the business to the forefront of the LED revolution.
“My role is to reposition this business, which was good to me through training and investment, to where it belongs – as market leader in the UK,” said Paul.
“The old Thorn was seen as a sleeping giant. The new Thorn is a multi-niche business that clearly understands the needs of its customers.”
1. BFA 2009 Factory of the Year Award: Thorn’s Spennymoor factory near Durham was named Factory of the Year 2009 at the Best Factory Awards (BFA). These awards recognise and celebrate UK manufacturing excellence. Thorn’s winning factory stood out from the rest because of its attention to quality, cost and delivery. Along with the factory’s fast material flow design, Thorn’s investment in its staff's technical skills and equipment was a factor in its win. Many of the employees are multi-skilled and are able to make any product in the range.
2. LEDON Lamp: LEDON (along with Thorn) are brands within the Zumtobel Lighting Group. This 6 watt LED lamp has the same light output as a 40 watt incandescent lamp, providing an energy savings of 85%. LEDON lamps are now available in the UK and can be found at your local wholesaler.
3. Thorn Product Catalogue: This comprehensive catalogue is filled with a wide array of innovative light products, including indoor, outdoor, emergency and LED lighting solutions. Thorn's new catalogue was published in September 2011 and is available to order and download from the thornlighting.co.uk website.
4. Thorn Lighting 2.0: This document was sent out to the press and it explains how a new Thorn is responding to a changing industry. The re-energised company is set to meet customer demands head on. Market segments will benefit from a multi-niche approach with a strong strategic focus on the target customers. Aligning itself to the energy efficiency and sustainability industry, Thorn Energy Solutions was developed. This dedicated division works with customers offering them a single contact for all their lighting energy needs. Read the full document here.
5. iPhone: Paul claims he is one of the “world’s biggest fans of Apple”. “Everything just works,” said Paul. “They create intuitive products and meet their brand promise.”
6. Practical Classics: Paul wants to buy an old classic car, more specifically, an old Triumph TR6. This magazine is filled with classic car options and information, giving Paul some inspiration for his big car shopping decision.
7. Trout & Salmon Magazine: As the title suggests, Paul reads this magazine because he is a big fishing enthusiast. “I like to go back to Yorkshire, to the upper reaches of the River Wharfe,” said Paul. “Fishing is a great sport because you can totally relax.”
8. LED Lighting Brochure: This document highlights Thorn’s new and innovative LED products, including the unique StyLED road lantern. This breakthrough U-shaped LED lights major traffic routes and residential streets. Download the LED Lighting brochure here.
9. Menlo3 Brochure: This market leading lighting solution is for high-end indoor applications, including office, education and commercial environments. Menlo3 enables you to easily comply with new guidelines, energy restrictions, ceiling types and installation practices. Download the Menlo3 brochure here.
10. Restructuring Chart: Thorn has restructured its business into four key units – public lighting, end user/specifier, area team (small contractors and wholesalers) and energy solutions. Paul’s arrival as Managing Director was part of a completely new management team.
11. Thorn Website: Found at www.thornlighting.co.uk, here you can find the latest product information, technical handbooks, lighting glossaries and information about lighting theory.
12. Photo of Daughter: This photo was taken of Paul’s adorable little daughter, Sophie, riding her horse, Hamish. Paul takes on the role of “dad’s taxi” over the weekends, providing support for his daughter’s tetrathalon training. Paul and his family live in Tysoe, a little village outside Stratford-Upon-Avon, where they enjoy a very rural lifestyle.
13. Lightstream 2 Downlights: This fire rated downlight range from Thorn is multipurpose, with high efficiency and delivers quick payback. Lightstream 2 is ideal for lighting homes and public buildings. Read more about Lightstream 2 here.