Paul Ogden, Site Manager
How long have you worked at Mabey Hire?
I’ve worked at Mabey Hire since September 1999.
I started as a Steel Erector when we only had the one gang and Mick Woods, who is now the Construction Manager, was the foreman. As we expanded the installation team, I became a foreman.
What does your job involve?
My job is a very diverse one. It is fundamentally managing Mabey Hire’s interests on the construction site we are working on.
That involves meetings with the customers prior to Mabey Hire’s arrival on site and going through our scheme. This will involve access and egress, health and safety and the plant we will use, to name just a few.
Once on site I’m responsible for the health and safety of everyone who is directly and indirectly affected by our works, keeping the job on programme, and meeting with customers and our own commercial team, again just to name a few.
I also go out to meet potential customers who are looking for solutions to the issues on their site and, along with our engineers, come up with suitable designs.
What do you like most about working at Mabey Hire?
The main things I like are the diversity of where we work.
Thanks to Mabey Hire I’ve worked on Premier League football stadiums, various London Olympic sites, navy dockyards, major international airports, and many universities.
I’ve worked in France, Ireland and all over the UK from John O’Groats to Lands End - literally!
What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned in your time at Mabey Hire?
We work as a close-knit team. We may be away from home for 14 days working and lodging together. You see more of the guys than your family some months. Our working environments can be hazardous, so you have to be able to trust your colleagues. Therefore I think my lesson learned would be: if you’re unsure, just stop and ask – don't feel embarrassed.
Darren Bent, Site Manager
How long have you worked at Mabey Hire?
I’ve been with Mabey Hire 20 years now. After serving a four-year apprenticeship as a Mechanical Engineer I got to see quite a bit of the world working on paper making machinery. After 14 years and a redundancy I decided a change of career was needed. So I moved into the construction industry with Mabey Hire and the rest, as the saying goes, is history!
What does your job involve?
My job involves carrying out the installation of our temporary works designs throughout the country, working closely with our Engineering team and customers to deliver schemes on time and within budget.
What do you like most about working at Mabey Hire?
The thing I like the most is the variety. I’ve worked on massive schemes such as the Olympic village or nuclear power stations and the following week I could be in the remotest parts of the Highlands of Scotland. There isn’t much of this country I haven't seen!
What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned in your time at Mabey Hire?
Teamwork can get you through even the most difficult of situations. Without teamwork, construction sites can be a lonely place. The team is vital.
