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Meet the Team: Chris Harvey, Chief Operating Officer

Meet Chris Harvey, our Chief Operating Officer here at Wilks.

Tell us about your background. What did you do before joining the Wilks team?

After completing an electrical apprenticeship straight from school, I joined a local extrusion company extruding uPVC windows and doors. I worked my way from an Operator to a Tool Setter in a short time.

After a few years, there was an opportunity to train as an Extrusion Technician; this involved looking after and maintaining older tools and tuning and correcting new tooling from Austria. Within this role, I became familiar with the toolroom machinery and equipment, which eventually saw me relocate to Essex as a Toolroom Team Leader.

Over the past 15 years, I have worked within the extruded netting, sheet, blown film and profile industries in various technical and commercial roles for organisations in the UK and Europe – with Bulgaria a personal favourite for me.

How long have you worked here?

I started working with Wilks as a Chief Operating Officer in 2019. The role stood out to me as it would be my first within the marine industry.

Tell us about a typical day – what does your job involve? 

I am responsible for all day-to-day manufacturing activities at our site in Tollesbury, which could be as straightforward as ensuring we have enough materials on site to developing new colours and manufacturing techniques and processes. There is never a dull moment!

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

We have great colleagues here at Wilks who, once they join, stay and grow with the company, this gives consistency and a depth of knowledge which is second to none. 

What would you say the most significant achievement at Wilks has been so far? 

We, as a company, have gone through a fantastic growth period where we have needed to automate some of our functions. I continually look to make improvements in what we do.

2023 will be my 30th year in the plastic extrusion industry. I look forward to continuing to forge excellent working relationships with our partners here at Wilks/Flexiteek.

What do you do in your spare time? 

Outside work, I have returned to the sport of clay pigeon shooting. Which I find a fantastic way to relax and have fun after a busy week.

For more information about Wilks’ team, please visit here.