Celebrating 35 years of service at Denton Works: Paul Davies reflects on career journey at wienerberger UK

At wienerberger, every individual plays an important role, and our commitment to providing diverse progression opportunities enables our people to build rewarding careers with us. Through skills development, collaboration, and opportunities across sites, we equip our employees to manufacture building materials that last and build life-long careers that have impact.

For Paul Davies, Quality & Environmental Officer at Denton Works, wienerberger has been a defining part of his working life. He joined the organisation in 1991 as a Process Controller and has since built a career across multiple roles. Now marking thirty-five (35) years of service, Paul reflects on his journey so far. 

“I was 27 and very shy when I first joined wienerberger. I was eager to learn and encouraged to engage with different people daily. These constant interactions with colleagues and external stakeholders boosted my confidence, not just at work, but outside as well.”

Paul’s early career was greatly impacted by two managers he’s worked with.

“Ged Forbes was the Works manager when I first joined, and he had the biggest impact on my journey. Jim gave me both guidance and freedom to schedule my daily activities. I also had to work hard and meet targets so Denton Works would be known as a site where we do it right. My second Manager gave me the opportunity to progress to Purchasing Manager, a role that really shaped my early years and changed me on a personal level.”

Paul’s current role supports everyone on site, ensuring standards are met while building trusted relationships.

“Now I work with everybody in the factory that is involved in manufacturing the bricks at Denton, from maintenance and production to management staff. I’ve learned that to get things to work properly, you need to build relationships, so people feel confident and comfortable approaching you. My morning routine requires me to inspect every corner of the factory to see what has happened overnight in the production lines, and what’s left to be done. We hold meetings to share vital information, after which I carry on with my routines to help keep the factory running smoothly.”

Alongside his main responsibilities, Paul is also a Mental Health Ambassador at Denton Works, offering support to colleagues facing personal challenges.

“As a mental health ambassador, colleagues can approach me to discuss their personal concerns. While this can be challenging, wienerberger provides the tools to help me deal with people’s situations. I’ve had moments where someone was in a crisis, and I took them out of work and got them the help they needed. I’m trusted to do what’s right my colleagues and I’m glad I’ve been aided with the right tools to do what’s needed.”

Paul says his work–life balance gives him time with family, though he never takes his mind off work, especially since he sees brick structures every day, everywhere.

“I’m obsessed with the bricks, and they always catch my eyes. One day, my wife and I were driving past a building site, and she said, ‘Oh, doesn’t that look nice what they’ve done there.’ I said, ‘Yeah, that’s a woodland mixture with some over above detailing.’ I was talking about the bricks. She was talking about the flowers in front of the next building.  That scenario always makes me laugh.”

As Paul looks ahead, he is clear about what matters most, passing on his legacy.

“I’m now in my sixties (60s), with approximately six (6) years until retirement. So, the important thing now is to pass on as much of my knowledge as I can to the next generation, to ensure the factory continues running with brilliant minds. wienerberger is a good company and well-positioned to give everyone a good future. We aim to make things better for everyone and make products that are sustainable, securing long‑term futures for the factories and the people who work in them.  The products have developed over the years and will keep developing for future customers. It all comes down to maintaining a strong workforce to ensure everything continues to run smoothly.” - Paul Davies, Quality & Environmental Officer, wienerberger Denton Works.

Progressive careers at wienerberger are built daily by people like Paul Davies, who take pride in their work and care about leaving a positive legacy. We appreciate these commitments from our people who continue to shape our business and build for what’s next.