In every issue of our Aycliffe Business magazine, we take a break and sit down with a different employee or business owner/leader to ask them 20 questions about a variety of subjects.
In our latest edition, 3M Aycliffe plant manager Paul Hind answers our 20 questions over a cuppa…
1: What do you do?
A: I’m the plant manager for 3M, the science-based technology company, on Aycliffe Business Park. We manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (or PPE – specifically, respirators) for several markets, including the NHS.
2: Who have you worked for in the past?
A: I served an apprenticeship at Thorn Lighting in Spennymoor and had six months at Schott Industrial Glass in Aycliffe before joining 3M in 1999.
3: Best part of your job?
A: Watching our people develop when they deliver improvements and/or solutions. Seeing them grow into new roles is by far the most pleasing part of my job.
4: Is there anything about your job that you really don’t like?
A: Not really, I love manufacturing and all aspects of it. I’m not a lover of admin but it’s a necessary evil for all.
5: Favourite thing about working on Aycliffe Business Park?
A: There’s a few…. It’s very close to home, I know a lot of people on the park, it has some nice places to eat/drink and there are loads of scenic walking routes.
6: Which company/individual on the park do you do the most work with?
A: DPE – Durham Precision Engineering and Ross/Wright, we’ve done a lot of work with them over many years and we have an excellent relationship with both.
7: Which Aycliffe business or individual do you tip for future success?
A: I really hope that all the non-manufacturing businesses continue to grow – it’s making our business park and town a lot more interesting to have such variety. When I first started work here on the business park it was purely industry. I love watching companies start up and grow.
8: Four famous people you’d love to have round for dinner and why?
A: David Attenborough, Michael Palin, Ricky Gervais and Alan Shearer. They’re all my heroes of things that I’m interested in, and I’d enjoy listening to them asking questions of one another.
9: If you could do something else in business, what would it be?
A: I’m in manufacturing for life but if I was pushed. I’d work in the education or care sectors.
10: Who’s your favourite Tweeter?
A: Ricky Gervais – he can be so caring about animals and wildlife in one Tweet, yet brutally antagonistic in the next. He once said “Twitter is like watching 50,000 cats fight over a laser and I’m the one holding the laser pen”.
11: Have you ever done anything really daring?
A: Not really, I’m no daredevil. I’ve done my fair share of daft things when I was younger – let’s say I’ve ran through several fields of wheat.
12: What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
A: Probably more related to manufacturing: “If you get your safety and quality correct, everything else will follow.” It’s so true.
13: If money was no object, what would be your ideal car?
A: I’d have to say a Bugatti….. at $19m money really would have to be no object.
14: Money no object, your dream holiday would be?
A: A world cruise – my parents have been on two since they retired and they had the time of their lives. Travelling at a leisurely pace but seeing so many countries really appeals to me.
15: Do you have a favourite band or type of music?
A: I’ve several favourites – The Stone Roses, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, De La Soul, Nas. I also like a lot of 60s and 70s music.
16: What is your greatest achievement?
A: Probably my BSc, which I did via the Open University while I was working. It was a tough but rewarding five years and I learned a lot from it.
17: How would you best describe yourself in four words?
A: Approachable, driven, gregarious, sincere.
18: Where do you see yourself in five years?
A: Still in manufacturing but ideally working with several 3M plants across Europe.
19: Who’s the most famous person you’ve ever met?
A: The Queen and Prince Philip – they visited Thorn Lighting when I was an apprentice.
20: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
A: Being as lazy as possible on a weekend! It’s important to recharge and I’m great at doing nothing. Family, hot tub, sunshine, music, good food and a few beers.