20 April 2021
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Faye Maddocks is the commercial and marketing development manager for leading environmental product specialist A-GAS. Having joined through the company’s graduate scheme, Faye has gained experience and qualifications in ozone depleting substances that help in her role to develop the A-GAS brand.
Tell us about your background?
I have been with A-Gas for 11 years now. I graduated from the University of West of England in Bristol and joined A-Gas on their graduate scheme. I have worked across various teams in the UK and Australia, and A-Gas International now employs me in Portishead. I began my career in the A-Gas graduate management training scheme. The scheme is the ideal way to enter the business and learn about the cooling industry as you gain experience working across different departments.
My first year involved working within the production and transport team, and commercial and marketing departments. I quickly realised my passion was in dealing with customers and that my career would head down this path. In my second year I spent six months with A-Gas in Australia at their office at Laverton near Melbourne. That was great not only from a professional perspective but also as a personal experience. I enjoyed being there and learned a lot about life outside of the UK. I returned to the UK to work in the commercial team as a customer services manager.
What qualifications do you have?
I have a first-class degree in business studies. I have also completed my City and Guilds 2079 in F-Gas and Ozone Depleting Substances.
What does your job involve?
My job is very varied, from contributing to internal initiatives and messaging to developing the external brand and everything in between. I support A-Gas regions worldwide by helping them with day-to-day tasks and broader business objectives. To achieve this, I have to understand the regulatory differences across the globe and how this affects our products and our service offerings. Tasks can vary from trademark registrations to disposable packaging designs. Internal and external communications, the intranet and websites all fall under my responsibility too.
My job reaches beyond marketing. I also look at how we can develop the commercial elements of the business. This can involve taking my knowledge of our products and services in the UK that may be further forward in development than in other parts of the world – and sharing this with A-Gas teams in other countries. I also look at the synergies linking our regions across the globe and explore how they can be developed further. No day is the same, and no day is a quiet one.
What’s been your most significant achievement to date?
I was heavily involved in the launch of our next generation leak detection product, Trace-A-Gas. I saw this through from idea initiation to launch. This involved following a detailed new product development process and working with all A-Gas departments, from quality and compliance, operations and purchasing to marketing and customer service. This product has been an enormous success for A-Gas and is something I am particularly proud to be involved in.
Trace-A-Gas is used by many in the industry to ensure their systems are leak-tight. It is a five per cent hydrogen and 95% nitrogen mixture which is non-flammable, non-toxic and safe for the environment – the perfect solution for locating even the smallest of leaks.
What do you like best about your job?
The people – the team at A-Gas are a great bunch to work with. We have fun at work while also working hard to get things done to the highest possible standard. Time has flown at A-Gas and it really is down to the people.
How do you make time for a job and a family?
Being a working mum comes with its challenges, but I wouldn’t change it. I work long days and short weeks to ensure I have time to deliver at work while also being there for my family. A-Gas has been very flexible in its approach to my working arrangements. I work in a great team and that really helps.
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I like to attend my local gym where I participate in group exercise classes. Maintaining a good level of health and finding time to keep fit is important to me. During the coronavirus pandemic I’ve had to adapt my fitness regime. I now work from home and in my spare time I go running outside which has added a new dimension to my fitness programme.
How do we encourage more women to take up a career in refrigeration?
We are seeing a rise in the number of women joining our industry and initiatives such as the Institute of Refrigeration’s Women in RACHP Network, supported by ACR Journal, are helping to drive this forward.
After the Covid-19 restrictions are eased, I would urge women to attend industry events to ensure we are well represented when there is a gathering of the cooling community. A greater presence of women can make a difference, and getting on board and supporting the initiatives already out there will contribute to this.
Women role models are very important too. In recent years some of my female colleagues and friends have progressed their careers leaps and bounds. Nothing is unachievable in today’s modern society. We have to show what can be achieved in building a successful career and follow our dreams to get there. We should not forget that this is an equal opportunities world we are living and working in.
What’s your next career move?
Looking back on 2020, nobody could have predicted that the year would turn out as it did. Like everyone else, I hope that the world will return to some form of normality this year. With Brexit, further refrigerant quota step downs and the ongoing battle against Covid-19, there is much to occupy the minds of those working in the industry this year.
On a personal level, I became A-Gas group commercial and marketing development manager only last year. I am still finding my feet, so who knows what the future may hold?
