Alan McEwan was born in Glasgow and lives there to this day (“I never got very far!”). A “typical Glasgow boy”, he left school aged 16 to learn a trade, which for him was initially roofing and later flooring. His career in the flooring industry has spanned 20 years and after working for a vinyl manufacturer, he applied for the position of F. Ball’s technical representative for Scotland, which he has now held for 10 years.
“I had the notion of joining the police force when I was a boy, but that wouldn’t have gone down well in my area of Glasgow! I sort of fell into construction and have remained there ever since”, says Alan. “I actually knew F. Ball’s previous Scottish technical representative and some members of the F. Ball management team, so I applied straight away when the vacancy came around. I knew it was a good company to work for – they’re a great bunch of guys.”
As the F. Ball technical representative for Scotland, Alan advises around 25-30 customers per week and physically visits between 20 and 25, which, due to the geography of the country, means he spends a lot of time on the road. “If someone calls me from, say, Inverness, that’s a four-hour drive one way. Six hours if they’re calling from even further north, like Wick”, says Alan. “You can’t penalise customers for living far away, but it does mean I spend an awful lot of time driving from place to place.
“It is one of the things I like most about the job though: the diversity. Even though it’s the same product range we use, every day is different. I’ve had jobs where you go in and sit at the same desk every day, and that’s just not for me. I like to be out and about!”
What about the Scottish weather? (Not exactly known for its warmth…)
“Damp and cold – welcome to Scotland!” laughs Alan. “Actually, one of the most frequent problems I’m faced with is due to the climate: synthetic anhydrite screeds won’t dry out quick enough. I’m sure that the Irish technical representative, Chris Moore, has a similar problem over there!”
Apart from battling the Scottish climate, does Alan have any other achievements he’s proud of?
“I’m a member of the CFA (Contract Flooring Association), where I was elected Vice Chair of the Scottish committee and to sit on the national council. Above all else, however, my proudest achievement is my 100% commitment to F. Ball.”
That’s what we like to hear. We wonder whether Alan has any time to relax outside of his busy schedule.
“I have a wife and two kids: one boy, one girl. I used to play football when I was younger, but now that I’m old I have to make do with watching my son instead. He’s half decent, at least! I’m a big music fan too; I used to play tuba in a brass band, electric bass, harmonica, and guitar – badly.”
Forget being a technical representative – sounds like Alan could be a one-man band!