David Hibbert, F. Ball Sales Director Retires

After 27 years with F. Ball and a total of 50 years in the flooring industry, David Hibbert shares some of his memories and gives his thoughts on the future.

F. Ball’s long-serving Sales Director David Hibbert, has called time on his 50 year career in the flooring industry and will officially retire at the end of July. Darren Kenyon becomes Director Designate, moving up from his position as National Sales Manager, to take over the role.

David joined F. Ball in 1992, with already over two decades’ experience in the flooring industry, as Liaison Manager before becoming National Sales Manager in 2000. He was appointed Sales Director in 2003.

F-Talk caught up with him to ask him about his time in the flooring industry and how F. Ball has changed since he joined.

Editor: What’s the biggest difference in the flooring industry to when you started?

DH: In a practical sense, trends for floor coverings have altered quite a bit. For example lino was a widely used product, especially in hospitals, and has now been very much usurped by vinyl. On a business level, people seem a bit more serious today, almost too serious, and perhaps don’t have as much fun as we used to do. Maybe it’s a result of the economic situation since the recession and the uncertainty around Brexit, but I think it’s important to enjoy yourself alongside doing a good job – especially if you plan to have a long career in the business.

Ed: Do you think the culture at F. Ball lets you do that?

DH: Very much so. What I always liked about F. Ball is the way the company allows people to be themselves and let their personalities show through. After all, business is really about people and the way we interact with each other. Sometimes if you’re too ‘formulaic’ about it, you can lose sight of the personal side of it.

Ed: Anyone who’s visited the F. Ball factory knows what a pleasant environment has been created, was it always like that?

DH: Funnily enough, I joined the company at the end of 1992, a few months before F. Ball moved to its current site. We were working in cramped, old offices and some of them were full of people smoking. Imagine that today!

Ed: And what changes have there been since you moved to the Cheddleton site?

DH: The actual move itself was the biggest thing; moving to brand new, modern offices with lots more space immediately elevated us to a new level. Since then the biggest change has been the investment in the new powder plant, which made a huge difference to the production outputs. And the investments have kept coming: the creation of the training centre, additional offsite warehousing, a whole host of environmental upgrades such as solar panels and low energy lighting, and, most recently, a further multi-million pound investment in the powder plant in the original factory building to provide even more production capacity and additional flexibility.

Ed: As part of your job, you’ve been a regular exhibitor at the Harrogate Flooring Show, what are your earliest memories of the exhibition?

DH: Back in the early 80s, before I joined F. Ball, I was on a company stand, which offered the opportunity for visitors to win a Rolex watch, just by putting their hand in to a fish tank and picking up the watch. The only tricky bit was that the tank was also inhabited by live tarantulas, scorpions or piranha. I remember one year having to feed the piranha with bits of raw meat; by the end of the show, the place stank of rotting flesh.

Ed: Did anybody get the watch?

DH: No.

Ed: What will you miss most about leaving the role?

DH: The people. F. Ball has been a real family over the years as we’ve worked together towards a joint goal, and many of our customers have become personal friends over the years.

Ed: How do you see the future for the industry and F. Ball – are you optimistic?

DH: Very. As long as you have floors, there will always be a flooring industry and as long as F. Ball doesn’t lose sight of its family values and its main purpose, which is supporting flooring contractors, it will continue to thrive well into the future.

Ed: What are you most looking forward to about retiring?

DH: Being able to choose for myself when I do things rather than having to fit everything in around work. I’m looking forward to playing golf, walking and going on holiday more often. I’ll also step up the charity work that I’m involved in.

Ed: So, is this a firm goodbye to the flooring industry or is there anything that might tempt you back?

DH: After 50 years, it’ll be strange not to be part of it, so I would never rule it out, but we’ll see what happens.