In the first instalment of our Spotlight on Rhino Site Systems feature, we meet Paul Andrews, Managing Director, to learn about his background and experience in manufacturing, his day-to-day role within the company, and his ambitions for its future. 

Tell us a bit about your background and career history to date.

I joined Rhino Site Systems as the company’s Managing Director in July 2021, following its establishment as a separate entity from Rhino Doors, which designs and manufactures high-performance doors. 

Prior to leading the Rhino Site Systems team, I worked for over 20 years in industrial valve and pump manufacturing, for companies which were predominantly working in the oil and gas industry. 

I’ve held several positions over the years, including UK General Manager and UK Sales Manager, and my last role, Operations Manager, saw me overseeing the day-to-day running of two manufacturing facilities. 

I am also a qualified Six Sigma Black Belt and have run major continuous improvement projects around the world. 

What does your role as Managing Director involve? What does the average working day look like for you? 

The average day in my role depends on which depot I’m at, as we currently have two in the UK. Our main base is in Port Talbot, South Wales, where our sister company, Rhino Doors, designs and manufactures all the doors we install and commission, both mechanically and electrically. 

This is where our team of service coordinators are based, and my role is to ensure the smooth running of the day-to-day business, such as scheduling and organising fitters, providing quotes for work to be carried out and organising the servicing of our customers’ doors. 

Our second depot, which we opened earlier this year, is based in Bamber Bridge, just outside of Preston in Lancashire. As well as having a service team based there, we have production facilities, and this is also where our design team is based. 

How does Rhino Site Systems’ aftersales and maintenance provision differ from other market competitors? 

The main difference between Rhino Site Systems and other service providers is that we are part of the Rhino Engineering Group, the company which manufactures many of the doors which we install, maintain and service. This certainly gives us a competitive edge, as we are very familiar with a range of different products and installation sites. 

Aside from this, our team provides us with an advantage over our competitors, too. Many of our fitters have been with the Rhino Engineering Group for more than 25 years, and as a result, their experience and ability is second to none. 

There are various regulations in place which businesses need to adhere to, in terms of maintaining their doors. Is this something that businesses are generally aware of and why is adherence to the regulations so important? 

Very few businesses which own doors within commercial premises know what is required by law, in terms of maintenance and upkeep. For a door to be considered fit for purpose, there are many different regulations that need to be adhered to. 

These include Regulation 5 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (1992), Regulation 6 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998), and the Supply of Machinery Regulations (2008). 

As part of our work, we always make our customers aware of the importance of these regulations, as there is currently a rather limited understanding of their importance. We educate our customers so their products last longer and operate to the required standard, with minimal issues. 

Are there new areas that you envisage Rhino Site Systems moving into, as the company grows and evolves? Are there different services you’d like to be able to offer? 

We have ambitious plans for the future of the company and we’re aiming to have several depots across the UK, enabling us to enhance our provision for customers. A team based across multiple parts of the country will mean an even more efficient service for the companies we work with, and the ability to attend emergency callouts and carry out remedial work faster. 

We work a lot with our sister company, Rhino Doors, fitting and maintaining their products, but we are also working to increase our knowledge of third-party products, helping us to grow our capabilities and provide a first-class service to customers, no matter their products and requirements.

Find out more about Rhino Site Systems and its range of door installation and maintenance services here.