25.09.2018

New business manager for Reid Lifting

UK lightweight gantry crane manufacturer Reid Lifting has appointed David Underhill as business development manager.

Underhill joins Reid Lifting from Holmbury, a manufacturer of hydraulic quick release couplings and valves, where he was regional manager for five and a half years. He began his career in 2009 when he joined GE as a project manager, moving to Yorkshire Plastic Recycling as technical sales executive the following year, whilst simultaneously holding the same role at Tradepak. He was responsible for both the purchasing of raw materials and for the sale of cleaned and processed product at both companies. In 2012 he then took on the role at Holmbury.

Underhill said: “Reid is at a very exciting time in its life. I knew that it had an excellent reputation for product quality but supply has always been somewhat constrained. The move to a new factory and implementation of new business systems meant that lead times have drastically improved and there is now the operational capacity to take on new business. This role represents a brilliant opportunity to go out and spread the message to the market about a high quality and versatile product mix. I was drawn to it largely because of the opportunity it presented to lead Reid’s push into new markets, such as oil and gas, aviation, and rope access.”

“Immediately, our main challenge is to communicate with our customers about Reid’s new manufacturing capacity and therefore greatly improved lead times. Longer term, the objective is to enhance our reputation as problem solvers in sectors that the company might not have traditionally been associated with. We have proven an ability to deal with large, technical, and international projects. We need to build on it.”
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David Underhill (L) and Nick Battersby of Reid Lifting

Managing director Nick Battersby added: “We have spoken a lot recently about the reliability and versatility of our product offering, and it’s those core attributes that suit the portfolio to such a vast array of lifting applications. There is so much potential for increased usage of lightweight gantry and davit cranes and, buoyed by enhanced manufacturing scope, I look forward to supporting David as he creates and seizes those opportunities.”