Promotion for Stuart Henstridge

Fahr Industries is excited to announce the promotion of Stuart Henstridge from Designer to Sales Manager. Stuart has been with Fahr Industries for more than ten years and has contributed greatly to his role as a Designer by developing product designs and working closely with the design, production and assembly teams to ensure the manufacturing process runs smoothly and efficiently.

Stuart has more than 10 years of design experience in the playground industry, evidenced by his ability to consistently exceed the expectations of our customers. We sat down with him to discuss his journey with Fahr Industries. We have no doubt he will continue to brilliantly represent Fahr and shine as our new Sales Manager.

When did you join Fahr?
I joined Fahr in April 2010. It'll be 11 Years next April!

Did you always know you wanted to design playground products and furniture?
I studied Product Design at University and I've always had a passion for design and wanted a career in the industry. I saw the role advertised in a local newspaper and was invited to interview. The rest is history!

What have you learnt in your role?
The list is endless really. Specifically? I've learnt how to design high quality playground equipment including development stages of products from incubation to installation and building relationships with clients to determine their requirements.

Can you describe what a typical day in the office looks like?
No day is the same at Fahr! A typical day might include liaising with customers, working alongside the design team to oversee products, assisting the assembly team with in house documents, collaborating with the programming team to provide production files or queries to ensure components are cut correctly and working with not only the Design Director but also the Commercial, Production and Managing Director.

Tell us about your favourite projects.
One of my favourite projects was a redevelopment at Legoland. I also had the privilege of working on Primary Spaces which was a government-led initiative with Sport England and National Lottery to inspire physical exercise in schools. Product wise, I've loved designing our PlayTronic range of products including our RotoGen series.

In 3 words, how would your employees describe you?
Friendly. Helpful. Enthusiastic.

Your new role is different from your previous position. What are you excited about the most?
Learning about the commercial side of the business. Developing new and existing customer relations. More importantly, really making customers aware of what we're truly capable of. Working closely with the Commercial Director in overseeing our customer accounts.

2020 has been an unpredictable year. What can you expect from your new role in 2021?
I'd like to think normality might resume in 2021 but it's so difficult to predict. I'd like to become more client facing and build the company recognition at national and international shows.

What tips would you give to the person stepping into your previous position?
Be adaptive. As the sole in-house Designer, your responsibilities aren't limited to design. Every day is different. You'll be working with all the teams in the office from production to assembly. Be open to learning and developing in a team and personally too.

We would like to wish Stu all the best in his new role and look forward to more sales ;-)