Hanningfield is thrilled to welcome Steve Hewitt as our new UK & Ireland Regional Sales Manager. Steve brings with him decades of experience in the pharmaceutical equipment industry and a wealth of specialist knowledge in the area of IBCs and IBC Blending Systems. To help you get to know Steve a little better, we’ve asked him a few questions…
What’s your background in the pharmaceutical equipment industry?
I have extensive knowledge of IBC systems within the pharmaceutical industry, from a design, project management, through to sales.
Before joining Hanningfield my time was spent at both GEA and Matcon with a heavy bias on IBC Blending and Washing Systems.
My time at GEA was spent designing IBC Wash Stations and Wash Booths solely for the pharmaceutical market.
At Matcon, my time was initially managing projects from point of order to final site acceptance. This gave me a tremendous amount of experience dealing with different cultures due to the global nature of Matcon’s customer base.
Moving from Operations to Sales seemed like a natural progression which with my experience of delivering projects put me in the unique position of being able to utilise my technical expertise in a selling environment, developing process solutions in a consultative manner.
What excites you most about joining Hanningfield?
There’s a number of reasons I’m excited to have joined Hanningfield:-
The most obvious thing that drew me to Hanningfield was James’ and Alex’s passion towards the success and growth of the business. There’s no doubt they have big plans for the business and this was a journey I wanted to be a part of.
It was made clear from the very beginning that my experience and unique skill set would play a part in the growth of the business, not just Sales but also from a technical perspective.
As an independent company, Hanningfield can pivot quickly to react to changing situations, this is something larger corporate businesses don’t often get right. The ability to deliver the right service at the right time is crucial in our fast-paced world. It excites me seeing the positive effect this is having on both our customers and Hanningfield.
They’re also a UK business.
What is your approach to working with customers?
The most important part of selling a solution is listening.
Listening to your customer’s pain. Understanding the impact these pains have on the day-to-day running of their business. Using my skill sets I work closely with my customers to develop, on occasions, multiple process solutions that will remove their pains.
I love nothing more than re-visiting a customer’s site when their new solution is in operation and listening to the positive impact I’ve had on their business.
What are some of the common challenges facing the pharmaceutical equipment industry today?
Pharmaceutical manufacturers face many challenges, which can change over time. These changes result in equipment suppliers having to adapt and occasionally bring new technology to the marketplace.
One of the most common challenges we see is changes to regulatory compliance and quality standards. Future proofing process solutions wherever possible is critical to a business’s needs.
Product development can impact on many areas of a business. The handling of new ingredients for example may result in a need to reduce manual handling. The implementation of automation has a significant positive impact on safety, productivity and profitability.
Competition and Intellectual Property is a challenging area for OEMs. Changing legislation often drives the need for the development of new technology, thus giving suppliers an edge, but that edge won’t last long without the complex and costly process of protecting their IP.
Explain how Hanningfield’s products and services can help customers overcome these challenges?
Hanningfield’s adaptability allows us to react to changes in legislation quickly. We pride ourselves on being able to deliver a ‘standard’ range of equipment with many ‘bespoke’ features.
We’re probably most commonly known for our excellent range of inline Sifters and Mills, but there’s much more to Hanningfield than just an equipment supplier. In the UK we have the ability to manufacture complete IBC Blending Systems, Hoists and Vacuum Conveying System. All critical for the development of end-to-end systems for new pharmaceutical plants and products being brought to market.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for Hanningfield in the UK market?
Our broad range of offerings positions us well for tackling most pharmaceutical applications within oral solid dosage.
I see Hanningfield’s biggest opportunities in the UK coming from increased industry awareness that we are more than Sifters and Mills. Our IBCs and IBC Blending Systems have incredible potential to improve pharmaceutical manufacturing within the UK.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of working in the pharmaceutical equipment industry?
This is a little thing, but I feel proud when I see a product on a supermarket shelf that our equipment is used within the manufacturing process.
Being customer facing, I find going to a customer’s site and meeting their employees very rewarding. The pharmaceutical industry is very knowledgeable, and I can guarantee that I’ll learn at least one new thing during every visit.
The most rewarding thing though is knowing that our equipment is making a difference to the quality of so many people’s lives.
What are some of your favourite Hanningfield products or solutions, and why?
I’m a systems solutions expert and therefore, I don’t have a favourite piece of Hanningfield equipment. My favourite part of our portfolio is the integration of it all into one end-to-end system, although, the mills do fascinate me…
What are some of your personal interests or hobbies outside of work?
Outside of work it feels like I’m a full-time dog walker, what with having two young Spaniels, they’ll never let you skip a walk!
When not walking the dogs, I find the time to run, cycle (both road and mountain bike), and strength train.
I’m currently training for the ‘Seriously Brutal Duathlon’, which takes place in the Snowdonia National Park. https://www.brutalevents.co.uk/seriously-brutal-duathlon
This race takes the format of a trail run around Llyn Padam at Llanberis, followed by a bike section on the undulating roads of Snowdonia and lastly the minor challenge of running up the second highest peak in the UK – Snowdon and back down.
…and when I’m not walking the dogs and recovering from training, I’m a MASSIVE Star Wars nerd! With a collection of original memorabilia, cast signatures, lightsabres, helmets and lego.
…and shoehorning family life in between of all that…
This is the Way!
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