Established in 1997, Broadway Colours specialise in producing cost-effective, polymer-specific custom colour masterbatches, as well as supplying a range of functional additives and process aids for use across the entire plastics industry. Commercial Director, Nick Barber, last year celebrated twenty years with the company; he is the next PlastikCity Partner to face the HotSeat…
What trends do you think will shape the future of UK plastics? How will Broadway Colours respond?
A good question that could be answered from several different angles, but fundamentally I feel that sustainability and recyclability will be at the centre of the plastics industry, dominating consumers, producers and designers thoughts.
Although there is not a silver bullet product that ticks all the boxes across all industries, Broadway Colours is working to produce a whole host of products that use recycled materials but also products that offer smart savings in terms of total manufacturing cost but also products that have an overall less significant impact on the environment than conventional plastic.
How has Broadway Colours developed during your tenure?
In many ways, Broadway has changed during my tenure, but I am also pleased to say that some things have remained the same. The business has transformed from a small family company to high-quality global supplier that will soon be branching out to new facilities in Germany.
Legislation, health and safety and operations have had a complete overhaul since the appointment of new and experienced directors which has allowed me to concentrate on sales and achieve double-digit growth for the past five years. The same company values for service and quality have remained, as well as being a good, innovative and exciting company to work for which means we retain most staff for many years – something I would never want to change.
What do you credit as the key to your success?
Drive and ambition from all staff members to become the best within the industry. Broadway has employed a young and vibrant team who are keen to be successful and in turn, are rewarded with a fantastic place to work. This means we hold onto key staff members and as their experience grows, so does their passion for achieving more, leading to aligned personal and company goals and milestones.
What has been the greatest challenge in your career?
Without any doubt, it would be managing people. During my early career as a manager, it was very hard to try and maintain a clear direction, while managing high levels of growth. Managing staff as a new task multiplied this challenge many times over. As you deal with more people, you learn how important it is to understand their needs and try to see things from their perspective, while never taking your eye off the overall strategic company objectives.
I have found it’s all about balance and letting people make decisions and learning to let go of trying to do everything yourself.
What advice do you wish you’d had on entering the industry and does that differ from the advice you would give to an apprentice joining now?
I think it would be that there is so much opportunity within the industry and that whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability and learn as much as you can. I feel with this mindset, it will open up so many avenues for future growth it will really set you apart in an industry that is starting to evolve at a rapid pace.
What hidden talents do you have?
I spend most of my time actively searching for talent I do have so I can assure none are hidden!
