Dugdale quality – never retired
After 46 years of continuous service, Dugdale PVC’s Quality Manager David Ryder retired this summer.
David rose through the ranks at the company, beginning work as a Laboratory Technician in 1972, including spells in Health and Safety before assuming responsibilities as the company’s Quality Manager.
In truth, however, the technical expertise acquired through a lifetime of working with polymeric materials can never really be retired: Although enjoying some of the formal benefits and freedom of retirement David has chosen to return to some part time work at the Sowerby Bridge based company where his know-how and skill set continues to be of great value.
Managing Director David Outen says that ‘David’s body of expertise and his familiarity with our methods – partly his own creation – make him invaluable to our ongoing operations. He is also a true team player and for those reasons we are delighted to continue to see him in our new laboratories on an ongoing basis.’
Dugdale Technical Director, Dr Jeff Ryan adds that ‘our business continues to innovate and lead the way in many aspects of PVC compound technology. Ultimately, however, we are only as good as our quality and manufacturing methods allow and David Ryder has been instrumental in creating those methods and in steering us through various technical, design and environmental qualifications under the ISO categorisation. Such know-how continues to shape our business and promote and protect our products of the future.’
David Ryder also notes that the quality management role is a very broad one and contains much detailed structure, David says that ‘retirement means that I am no longer involved with all the day to day issues which allows me to use my 46 years of experience to focus more on specific tasks to the help the new management as directed and address issues that are more progressive from a quality aspect. It helps to have a great familiarity with all other Dugdale departments and functions across the business. All in all, we have succeeded in creating a very satisfactory and mutual arrangement.’
The Dugdale management team acquired the company in 2014 and since has succeeded in we have succeeded in growing the Dugdale brand and business. British industrial demand for our materials expertise continues to be high.
All of Dugdale’s innovation is made possible through Dugdale’s product development team. The quality function works in tandem with this team, led by Dr Jeff Ryan. Jeff’s team uses the company’s newly created testing and laboratory facilities and pilot line, not only to enhance Dugdale’s quality control but allows the company to work with customers to develop new materials and provide an essential technical service environment along with providing the means to manufacture samples for customers to evaluate prior to full production.
