Team Talk with Mike Sharp

In this month’s Willerby Team Talk chat we speak to Mike Sharp, Head of Department - Internal Supply, who joined us 30 years ago.

Mike began his Willerby career as a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Router, making cabinet doors for holiday homes, before becoming a Computer Aided Design (CAD) Operator, drawing programmes for the Computer Numerically Controlled machines.

He later became Team Leader in the Machine Shop and Process Manager for Supply before he was appointed Head of Department – Internal Supply in 2020.

Q. Tell us about your job and what it involves.

A. My job is to supply all five production lines with all the materials they need to build the holiday homes and lodges. This includes furniture, external cladding, ply and chipboard. I manage a team of five, including a manager and four supervisors.

Q. What’s the best thing about your job?

A. Diversity. It’s different every day and we have different challenges every day, which keeps us on our toes and thinking all the time.

We have to overcome various situations and respond to any supply challenges. We also have a lot of plant machinery which we need to manage.

Q. What does being part of the Willerby team mean to you?

A. It’s my life because I’ve been here for so long. The big reward is making sure everyone is safe and achieving the right quality and production targets. If we do that we’ve had a successful day and we start again the next morning.

Q. If you didn’t work for Willerby and you could do any job in the world, what would it be?

A. It would have to be something involving motorcycles. Riding and repairing Ducati motorcycles is my main passion outside of work and has been since I was a young lad.

Q. What’s your guilty pleasure?

A. My guilty pleasure is going out to really nice, high class restaurants whenever I have the opportunity. I like all food, apart from cheese, and having a nice meal somewhere is a real positive for me.