The company's new structure features Eric Dugard alongside longstanding Sales Director Colin Thomson and Managing Director Jamie Young, all of whom are active operational leaders within the business.
According to Dugard, the restructuring creates a dynamic leadership team where all three directors are actively involved in day-to-day operations, enabling faster decision-making and more agile responses to market opportunities. This represents a significant shift from the previous structure where Eric Dugard was the sole active director and employee among 14 shareholders.
"You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs," Eric Dugard said in a statement. "We have now shifted from a very complex shareholding structure to a much more streamlined one, with three shareholders who are very active members of the board. The shareholders and the board are now aligned and helping us to move forward."
"What this has enabled Eric, Jamie and me to do is to be much more dynamic with the decisions for the business," Thomson added. "The three of us are fully invested in the business - we're not just shareholders, we're active members of staff with a propensity to promote business growth.”
Enhanced Customer Service and Support
Dugard said that the restructuring has allowed it to introduce several customer-focused improvements, including changes in technical and operations leadership, with Sean Ford promoted to Technical and Operations Director, which will allow for unified oversight of service, applications, and spares departments to guarantee coordination from machine orders through to installation and beyond.
From a customer perspective, the streamlined platform uses new protocols that route all interactions centrally for faster responses. It also improves project management by monitoring each customer and enquiry weekly, the company said, ensuring coordination of delivery, installation, staffing, and communication for turnkey projects.
Strategic Supplier Partnerships
The company has also strengthened relationships with key suppliers, turning longstanding partnerships into collaborations. Suppliers now visit UK customers regularly and engage more in end-user applications and automation solutions, supporting Dugard's expertise and partnerships with its principals.
"If anything, in the last year, we've become much closer to our suppliers," Dugard added. "It's more like a partnership than just a supplier-dealer situation. They're far more involved in the actual end-user aspect of our projects, which at the end of the day is the most important thing."
The company has recently expanded its portfolio with the addition of the range of Zopo machining centres, beginning representation in early 2025 after a considerable evaluation period. The company has already successfully sold machines in the market from this comprehensive range, and further details will be presented in the autumn.
Market Position and Future Outlook
"This restructuring gives us the opportunity to move the company back to where it was - back up to the top again," Thomson said. "We can make the decisions we need to make, invest in the machines and staff we need, much more quickly and easily. Now, there are three highly experienced and motivated directors that can sit around the table and make the ‘yes or no’ decisions without a committee of legacy directors that were holding our business back."
The company maintains its complete technical team, sales force, and service capabilities, ensuring continuity for existing customers whilst positioning for future growth.
