Interview

CW: Tell us about yourself and how you got into the sector

KB: I have always been interested in tools and trade and I was able to secure a role at a pneumatic tool company early on in my career. Here, I gained a good knowledge of tools for construction and hire and when an area sales manager role at Makita UK came up in 1992, I seized the opportunity. Thirty years on and I still enjoy the industry and everything about tools and the Makita brand. I have been able to progress with several sales roles and my most recent position, as UK marketing manager.

CW: For those who may not know, can you give us an overview of the work that Makita does?

KB: Makita was founded in Japan over 100 years ago and is best known as being a global manufacturer of professional power tools for the construction sector. We are proud to be among the industry leaders when it comes to designing and producing tools that professionals in every sector can rely on. Scan any job site or tradesperson’s toolbox and it is very likely that you will see a flash of the teal blue colour that our tools are known for.

This year, we are celebrating 50 years of Makita’s presence in the UK and, in that time, we have released hundreds of new products with a focus on developing battery and tool technology to achieve a truly cordless job site. Notably, we introduced our LXT range in 2005 – the first lithium-ion battery platform for power tools and an industry first, which now has over 280 products in its range. In 2020, we launched the 40VMax XGT collection which is our most powerful range of cordless tools to date. With over 70 models across construction power tools and garden machinery now available in the XGT platform, these products are suitable for high-demand construction and outdoor applications.

CW: Tell us about your current role – what are you responsible for and what does the normal working day consist of?

KB: As marketing manager at Makita, it is my job to create awareness about our huge portfolio of products for professional tradespeople. This works in conjunction with the product roadmap and launches that are delivered as a result of our research and development team, as we

constantly refine and extend our range. For Makita to provide solutions that meet the needs of the trade, it is important to understand market requirements and developments. As such, my team works closely with the UK sales managers, dealers and our end users to gain valuable insight, which we feed back to product development and use to form our marketing and sales strategies.

CW: What are the best things about your role? What are the most challenging?

KB: There is a reason I have been with Makita for almost 30 years! I enjoy working for a leading manufacturer of power tools that continually develops and introduces new products and technologies. It has offered me a place to learn and grow and every new launch and innovation has made life interesting throughout the years.

The success of our business and market leading position means that the challenge is for all parts of the company to maintain that spot and stay ahead of the competition. With more product development and an exciting roadmap ahead, it is a challenge we are looking forward to!

CW: How has COVID-19 affected the industry?

KB: The hurdles the industry has faced with supply chain demand, reduced availability of materials and labour have been a challenge for everyone across every sector and we have not been immune. We have, however, been able to draw upon our global network and implement stock contingency plans to mitigate many of the issues surrounding the supply chain.

A further impact has been a reduction in traditional face-to-face contact, and many are still cautious of larger gatherings as a result of the lockdown measures. We have adapted to this and implemented new ways of working with dealers and end-user customers to maintain those important relationships. For example, we introduced our ‘Book a Demo Experience’ where customers could trial and evaluate new products in a COVID-19 safe setting at our Factory Services Centres (FSCs) or at a place of their preference.

CW: Aside from COVID-19, what have been the biggest changes across the industry in recent times? What will be the biggest changes in the future? KB: Reducing emissions and impact on the environment is currently, and will continue to be, a key driver for change. In line with this, Makita made the decision to cease manufacturing petrol engine products from January 2022. The continued development of new cordless products to replace petrol engine and electric counterparts is a key focus for us and we expect more and more tradespeople to adopt this more sustainable technology.

CW: What’s next for you and for Makita?

KB: As mentioned, we are constantly refining our battery and charging technologies, to support greener and cleaner products for the industry, as well as to provide the performance and power that tradespeople need. As such, we will further expand our newer XGT range of 40VMax and 80VMax machines which are ideal for professionals working on high demand applications, and we will continue to develop our long established LXT platform of 18V and 36V cordless.

Our aim is to enable a truly cordless job site, and the possibilities of interchangeable battery systems continues to expand. It’s not all about tools – we recently launched a cordless battery powered kettle for example, as well as a range of DAB radios, work lights, heated jackets and fans. It’s an impressive line-up, which just gets better each year!

CW: What do you think are the most exciting products or technologies coming to the market?

KB: By investing into a proven cordless platform, professionals are open to a huge range of possibilities to expand and modify their kit to best suit their needs. Simply swapping a battery between tools enables users to work more efficiently from anywhere, without the risk of trailing cables. With over 280 products in our LXT platform alone, users can enjoy more flexibility to tackle every eventuality on site.

We refine our range with launches almost every month, so there will always be something to excite the trade. For example, we recently launched our first cordless heat gun, in response to user demand. Powered by our 18V LXT battery, it’s a really useful addition to assist with heat shrinking, bending pipes and paint stripping.

CW: What are your interests away from work?

KB: I enjoy following a variety of sports, with football being my main interest and, as a lifelong Newcastle supporter, I’m looking forward to future seasons after several years of suffering! My youngest son is now playing under 15’s football, so my weekends are spent supporting him and his football team. Other interests are listening to and collecting music, as well as going to watch live bands. However, with most of my time taken up with family, football and work, I don’t have as much time as I would like for my music appreciation.