New faces at HPP

Furniture industry doors, boards and fittings supplier Hill’s Panel Products (HPP) has appointed two new recruits, Josh Bland and Damon Lees, in production planning and accounts roles.

HPP has its head office and manufacturing site in Oldham with a second distribution centre in Sheffield.

It has over 2,000 UK trade customers and 200 staff.

The company serves the national kitchen and bedroom fitting industry, manufacturing its own products and additionally distributing others from major brands across the world.

Josh (20) from Hollins, has joined as a production planner.

He said: “I help in planning the production of components needed for customer orders, looking at their furniture needs and business requirements.”

Josh attended Hathershaw College then Oldham College.

He had considered becoming a plumber but then decided he wanted a different career.

He became aware of opportunities with HPP through some friends and then visited the company to find out more, where he met managing director Keith Wardrope.

He said: “I was impressed with HPP during my visit and thought it looked like a very good business.

"Everyone here has made me very welcome and I think it’ll be a really good place to develop a career.”

Meanwhile Damon (25, pictured above), from Delph, has joined HPP’s accounts and credit control department.

As part of his development, he is studying for professional Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualifications through night classes at Oldham College.

He said: “My role at HPP involves dealing with customer orders., payments and accounts, and also customer support and queries.

"Everyone has been really helpful and HPP’s a really good place to work and develop.

"I’m currently on the second year of my two-year AAT programme.

"If I pass this level, then I can progress to a higher-level AAT programme.”

Damon attended Saddleworth School and Hopwood Hall College’s sport and rugby academy.

A keen sportsman in his spare time, he is a former Saddleworth Rangers rugby player but now plays five-a-side football weekly at Soccer Village in Milnrow, near Rochdale.

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