National Careers Week 2026: Celebrating sustainable and long-term careers at wienerberger UK

A spotlight on inspiring career stories at wienerberger UK, celebrating the people whose skills, passion, and commitment shape our success.

At wienerberger UK & Ireland, our employees are the core of our business, and we believe that when our people grow, our business grows with them. This is why we are committed to building for what’s next and supporting individual development and career progressions.

To mark National Careers Week 2026, we are highlighting some of our employees and the incredible careers they are building at wienerberger UK. Their journeys reflect a workplace where development is encouraged, potential is nurtured, and every story is celebrated.

Leigh Smith, a Stockyard Manager at wienerberger who works in multiple sites across the north of England, joined the organisation in 2007, working for Sandtoft roof tiles. Over the years, he’s witnessed the transition of the business and the transformation of his career.

“I started in clay operations in Broomfleet on the factory floor and progressed into my current position as Stockyard Manager where I run and organise depot stockouts on the three tile sites. My job includes roadway repairs, line marking, health and safety signs, road systems, and traffic safety. I could be at any one of the three sites, sometimes all three sites in one day. I also organise the three teams of forklift drivers that load the lorries in the dispatch department. Typically, between 400 and 500 lorries of products leave Sandtoft per week, carrying about 2,000 different products”

When asked what his proudest moment has been so far, Leigh comments.

“It’s been a big step up over the years and one of my proudest moments is being successful in my application for Stockyard Manager. Another proud moment was completing a unique packaging project; the introduction of semiautomatic pint wrappers, which has had a huge impact on health and safety across the tile sites in the north of England. We have saved 50 tonnes of plastic per year and save £10,000 every nine weeks in plastic costs through this project. We’ve also had a large impact on health and safety because we’ve limited use of gas and naked flames.”

Leigh’s mentor is his manager, Geoff Yeardley, Stock Control Manager.

“My manager, Geoff Yeardley has been extremely supportive in my career. He’s always there as a guide, someone I can talk things through with and he makes sure I come to the right decisions in the right way.  

So far, my wienerberger story has been success through hard work. I started at entry level nearly twenty (20) years ago, and now I have 25 of my own staff across three sites. I have developed successful teams and relationships and I’ve seen the rewards of caring for our people.” – Leigh Smith, Stockyard Manager at wienerberger – multiple sites. 

Shadreck Jombe, Production Assistant at wienerberger’s Sandtoft site, first joined the business in 2024 as an agency worker and later became a full-time staff after a few months working in the factory. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Shadreck relocated to the UK in 2001 to work as a teacher. He later left teaching before joining wienerberger.

“When I started working at wienerberger, I was carrying out different tasks in different factories here in Sandtoft where we produce tiles. So, when a vacancy came up, I was invited to join the company, as part of the production team. I’ve been here for about two and a half years, and I’m enjoying it.”

When asked about his daily work routine at the factory and how he manages challenges, Shadreck comments.

“My job is to make sure the production line keeps running. From when we receive the sand, sieve, prepare and put it into the mixer, to the end of the production, everything is closely monitored to ensure every part of the line is active and the tiles come out right at the finish line. Under normal conditions, we produce about 30,000 tiles in 3 hours if the production line does not stop. In an eight‑hour shift, we could produce over 60,000 tiles. Shadreck also commented on the progressive nature of the job and the people he works with.

In the past two years, I’ve worked in four different factories, making four different products from large format to smaller roof tiles. My colleagues are very friendly, and we support each other to achieve our collective goal. My wienerberger journey has been progressive, like that of raw sand that goes through different stages of modification to become a tile.”

When asked what he enjoys the most about his job, Shadreck says it’s the fulfilment he gets whenever he sees wienerberger tiles outside of work, knowing he was part of the manufacturing process.

“I’ve seen many houses around where I live with wienerberger tiles and in shops. Because our tiles have our name printed on them, I can recognise it and it feels good to see the end product that keeps many homes warm.” – Shadreck Jombe, Production Assistant, wienerberger Sandtoft.

Danny Peter Feve, is an army veteran who joined wienerberger two years ago as a Yard Operative at Sandtoft.

“I started here on the paint line and after 21 months progressed into a Yard Operative. My job is to move the freshly made product from the factories and store them in the yard. I start my day by preparing the truck, doing my checks, and getting everything ready for when the line starts up. Once the line’s started, I take the product to wherever it needs to be stored. My role also involves quality control as we are the last line of defence of the product before it’s dispatched to the customer.”

Drawing on his military experience, Danny believes in teamwork as people need each other to build a strong defence. 

“Working as a team is very important to me, that’s what I was taught in the army and that’s the same culture we have here. At the end of the day, we’re all humans and deserve to be protected and looked after by our loved ones and colleagues.”

When asked about his proudest moment, he continues. 

“My proudest moment was getting this job at wienerberger. Having job security for my family was my priority. I believe the benefits we receive both in finance and training is very good. Not a lot of companies out there provide you with this kind of stuff.” – Danny Peter Feve, Yard Operative at wienerberger Sandtoft.

Danny, who usually interacts with our customers and tradesmen directly, says his favourite part of the job is getting positive feedback from them. 

“We are working tirelessly to make sure that the quality of the product our customers receive is at high standard. So, when tradesmen comment on the good quality of our products it shows that our work is worthwhile.” – Danny Peter Feve, Yard Operative at wienerberger Sandtoft.

We are proud of the career growth of our people and as we mark this year’s National Careers Week, we deeply appreciate their resilience, dedication, and commitment to building for what’s next through individual and collective work.

Happy National Careers Week, from all of us at wienerberger UK & Ireland.