International Women’s Day

In support of International Women’s Day, NMSB wanted to showcase some of the women working in the business, to demonstrate the opportunities available in an industry that is perhaps overlooked by many ladies?

NMSB are classed as a mineral production and building supplies company predominately supplying the construction industry. In 2020, the industry body, the Mineral Products Association (MPA) published that 28,532 people were directly employed by their members in England and Wales, of which, 87% were male and 13% female. We are proud to be above the average with 18% of our workforce women, but we know that could be higher.

In a recent survey ‘Women in Construction’ organised by CIPR Construction and Property Special Interest Group, 77% of respondents felt proud to work within construction.

Women play an important part in the construction and supporting industries, and as a local employer across the South, we hope that by sharing some great experiences, more women will see the rewarding career, companies like ours can offer.

Karen Dickie, Merchant Branch Manager – New Milton

“I have worked for New Milton Sand and Ballast for six years, starting out in the sales office and progressing to Manager. I was then given a great opportunity, also tapping into my experience, to move into a different business area and manage our New Milton Builders Merchant. Building supplies merchanting offers a busy day with lots of customer interaction. I love supporting our customers and developing our teams. We have five women in the builder’s merchants, some with previous experience but some who have also changed paths.

‘NMSB are an excellent employer, hugely diverse and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to develop in their career.”

Claire Gale, Sales Office Manager

“I have worked for NMSB for almost five years, when I first started back in 2017, I knew that there would be opportunities for me to grow with the company and I knew through recommendation that NMSB were incredibly good at supporting their employees and helping them achieve their goals, so I was very happy to join the team. I am grateful that the company recognised my previous management experience and through my hard work they helped me to advance into my current role as Sales Office Manager. Although I am still in the infancy of my new role, I am excited to say that brilliant progress has been made so far for both the business and the Sales Team and we are excited to continue servicing the local community and trade to a high standard.

The sales team work across all areas of the business, with pretty much all departments. The team work in shifts giving some flexibility to the working week, and we have a fantastic trainee programme.“

Annie Smith, Weighbridge Operator – Masters, Wareham

“I enjoy meeting and helping all our customers as the first point of contact at our site, from the big haulier firms to the small one-man builders.

There are so many things to learn about when working for NMSB as the company provides so much. I really like learning about how our products are made and their variety of uses. So many people think sand is all the same but it’s not! And without it, we would have no roads, houses or trains.”

Beccie Dempsey, Sales Coordinator

“I joined NMSB in 2018 from a sales background, but the sand and gravel industry was new to me. It is a really rewarding industry to be a part of, to see the genuine help we provide customers in building or expanding their properties.

NMSB supported me in achieving my goals and recognised my efforts through our employee recognition programme, which lead to merecently being promoted to Sales Coordinator. I support the field-based sales executives and our customers, and no day is the same. I am looking forward to progressing further in my career with NMSB and am confident that they will continue to encourage my development.”

Pippa Hinds, Legal & Compliance – Transport

“I love the variety that comes with working in transport. Every day brings new challenges, and my role is ever-changing, which keeps me on my toes! I work with a great bunch of people, who always go above and beyond to help the customer."

Lucy Dupoy, Marketing Coordinator

“I have worked for NMSB for almost five years, during which time I have progressed through the sales team, received multiple promotions and completed a course with the University of Derby. I have now moved into a role in marketing and the company is supporting me further in gaining the qualifications I will require to progress. I am so grateful to be working for a company that is so keen to encourage growth, and for the investment they have shown me which has helped me to develop my career and find a role that suits me. I am very passionate about our brand, the work we do, and I feel inspired by my colleagues to reach higher goals.”

Sam Holden, Sports & Horticultural, Sales Executive

“I joined the company in 2018 as part of the sales team and enjoyed learning all the aspects of the business. In 2020 I took the decision to broaden my knowledge and move over to the Sports and Horticulture department, which provides specialist sands and composts to the amenity industry. In this time, I learned as much as I could and worked hard to strengthen relationships with our customers. With the support of management, in 2021 I was promoted to Sales Executive. I am now enjoying my new role visiting customers and generating new business. I look forward to the exciting things to come within this role and beyond."

Drivers

Sally Samways has been working for the company for 15 years and predominately drives the concrete tanker and Tina Barksfield, has just joined us, changing careers to drive, and is looking forward to being part of the team and working locally with our customers.

Senior Management

Gemma Lund, Head of HR

“The industry is becoming more diverse and that is great to see. Being part of the construction chain, and genuinely seeing the difference our products and services provide, is extremely rewarding. NMSB is a great local employer offering such a variety of careers, in management, supply chain, accounting, sales, production, mechanics, driving, environmental, health and safety, HR and so much more. It’s an exciting time for us with new projects, development plans and sites coming on board, and we hope to continue to excel in helping all our teams grow and aspire to reach their own personal goals.”