20 | Hamilton: APL Window Solutions REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ‘Our culture is definitely family’ T T Richard Loader Warehouse manager Terry Clarke has been working for APL for 21 years: “I’ve grown in confidence, leadership and technical capabilities.” What Terry Clarke really loves about working for APL Window Solutions is the company’s very big family culture and recognition of success. “Our culture is definitely family,” says Terry. “That family culture is where people are happy to come to work. If you work hard you’re recognised and rewarded for that. APL is a private company and our owners are a family. That projects onto the staff. “We also have many people working here who are in the same family. If we have one person working here who understands how successful we are they will bring in other family members to work here too, because they know we have a family environment. “Technically I’m in my twenty-first year working here and throughout that time I’ve had really good support systems around me and that has helped me to succeed.” When Terry talks about members of the same family working for APL, he’s talking from experience as his wife Silvia also worked for APL, and in fact that is how he was introduced to the company. “I had been working as a department manager for Kmart and attended an APL work function with Silvia back in 1997. “I got talking to one of the managers and explained I have skills to develop process descriptions and also managing people. I was invited back for an interview and then offered a job.” Terry waited a couple of years before accepting the invitation but has never looked back. Apart from three years when Terry and Silvia moved to Melbourne, taking an opportunity to help open a warehouse called Architectural Window Systems (AWS), Terry has continued to develop his career with APL. In 2017 he accepted a role as the day time Warehouse Manager, responsible for a team of 67 staff with five supervisors reporting directly to him. “This has been another great role for me. I enjoy working with all people and seeing people succeed. While managing a production factory comes with challenges they are very rewarding.” A big part of Terry’s role is dealing with situations and having those difficult conversations with people, implementing processes, planning, KPI’s and how the warehouse operation can be improved. Proud of his achievements, Terry says that during his time with APL he has grown and developed both as a person and as an employee. “I’ve grown in confidence, leadership and technical capabilities. “I’m aware my managers, peers and staff trust me to get the job done. “I think I’ve always had these qualities but APL has provided the experiences and opportunities for me to hone and develop them over the years. “I’ve been able to work hard and get to the position that I am now in, because that hard work has been recognised.” Passionate about his work and the business he works for Terry offers an encouraging hand to those people looking for job security, and the opportunity to learn and develop in a family environment. “This has been another great role for me. I enjoy working with all people and seeing people succeed.” The Architectural Glass Products (AGP) site, a new state of the art 44,000sqm facility in Hautapu which started operation in 2020.
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