Top qualification secured by Turfmech employee
TOP PURCHASING QUALIFICATION SECURED BY TURFMECH EMPLOYEE
By Mike Bird 
James Till has marked six years' service with Hixon, Staffordshire engineering firm, Turfmech Machinery, by gaining a Graduate Diploma in Purchasing and Supply. Equivalent to achieving an Honours Degree, the award has enabled James to become also a member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.
Joining Turfmech in 2000, James worked initially in fabrication and assembly, helping build the company's range of specialist machines for the professional grounds maintenance and turf care industry. Moving within a short time to Turfmech's parts department, James decided to focus his career on purchasing and supply management and to achieve the necessary qualifications that would give him ultimately a management role within Turfmech Machinery.
With a Certificate and, now, a Graduate Diploma in Purchasing and Supply under his belt, James has risen to the position of Operations Co-ordinator for the manufacturing arm of Turfmech Machinery. Using practical and theoretical procurement experience gained over the past six years, James works closely with Turfmech's engineering director, Jerry Archer, to ensure that bought-in parts and components needed for equipment manufacture arrive on time and at the agreed price, quality and quantity - vital details negotiated by James prior to placing the order.
The result ensures very high consistency of production quality and gives Turfmech the ability to provide customers with an accurate delivery date for their machinery purchases.
NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR TURFMECH
Graduating in accountancy and finance from Lancaster University, Carl qualified as a chartered accountant in 1994 while working for KPMG in Manchester. Prior to joining Turfmech, he had been financial controller and finance director for major companies in the manufacturing sector, including GKN Automotive in Telford. Turfmech's managing director, Austin Jarrett, believes that the experience brought by Carl to his new post is essential in helping sustain the financial well-being and continued growth of the Turfmech group.
The group includes Turfmech Machinery, which is one of the UK's leading suppliers of professional turf and grounds maintenance equipment, and Steel Service Centre, a highly-respected supplier of contract laser cutting services to a large number of UK manufacturers.
In addition to keeping a close eye on the balance sheet, Carl will be ensuring that group companies comply with all current and future financial rules and regulations. He will also be providing senior management with detailed financial analysis, indicators and information to help maintain the group's forward momentum while identifying areas of the business where changes and improvements can be made for enhanced efficiency and profitability.