In 1985, Great Britain was experiencing a post Falklands war boom, Margaret Thatcher was an ascending prime minister, the miners’ strike was ongoing, EastEnders debuted on TV and the UK’s first mobile phone was just released.
There was the backdrop of the hedonistic eighties music scene culminating in the Live Aid concert that raised over £50m for African famine relief – this was a year heralding the future shape of things to come.
On July 1 that year the Hickson timber products publicity team was joined by a mild mannered but ambitious young man called David Law.
Steve Young, executive chairman of the Wood Protection Association (WPA) and chairman of the Timber Decking & Cladding Association (TDCA), recalls that day:
“The Hickson Timber Products’ publicity team was being expanded to provide a public relations role for the Hickson International Group and the Castleford chemicals manufacturing site.
“As part of the PR programme we had a major sponsorship deal with Castleford RFC – Dave was a huge fan! He made it clear that if he was to join Hickson to lead the design team then management of this contract and interface with the club had to be part of his role.
“I didn’t hesitate and I have absolutely no doubt at all that Dave’s tireless work and diplomacy was the key factor in the long-running success of this sponsorship deal and its PR benefit to the Hickson Group.
“In the first sponsorship season the Club made it through to the Challenge Cup final at Wembley.
“Dave came up with the idea of a car window sticker with the slogan ‘We’re Backing Ca’.
“The sticker became so popular that the print run of 10,000 had to be repeated several times. That sticker became ubiquitous with the 1986 final, which Castleford won.
“When Castleford re-branded as Castleford Tigers it was Dave who came up with the design for the new Tigers logo and helped the club with its rebranding programme.”
Janet Sycamore of the TDCA recollects those times: “I worked with David for 10 years and his work ethic was just to get his head down and crack on with things. He was so hardworking and dedicated and his capacity to get things done was immense.
“He thought nothing of putting in extra hours, regularly being first in and last to leave.
“Even when we changed names and/or addresses for the umpteenth time and all the literature had to be re-done, it never got him down – he made a list, missed nothing and got the job done.
“He became a pro at making sure everything fell in to place.
“It’s his enthusiasm and dedication and his calm and methodical approach that impressed and inspired.”
Dr Mark Hull, Lonza senior field technical services manager, recalls David inspiring him during their time working together:
“I have had various mentor figures who I have always looked up to for guidance and Brian Winter, Terry Chiddle and David were always part of that group.
“However, as is inevitable, my mentors have retired one by one and David is the latest to reach the ‘Final Vacuum’ of his working life.
“I will make a promise to David and try my very best to become a ‘Next Generation’ mentor but I know that his shoes will be very difficult to fill. I am very grateful for the advice and support he has given me over the years.”
Steve Young said re-organisation of Hickson Corporate operations in the late 1990s saw the communications and public affairs department split into two teams, with Dave leading the Hickson Timber Protection marketing services team from Castleford.
When US chemicals group Arch acquired the Hickson Group in 2000, they also acquired a marketing services function that would subsequently be recognised as a template for developing relationships with customers.
Tony Kelly and John Abbott recall the launch of Tanalith E under Dave’s hand as involving planning and organisation unseen before in the wood preservation industry. “The special dinner hosted by Phil Tufnell is ingrained in our minds forever.”
Lonza MD Tony Kelly appointed Andy Hodge as marketing director at Lonza in 2014, with Andy and Dave teaming up that summer. Andy recalls:
“I remember walking into the Castleford marketing suite for the first time and meeting Dave. The offices were dated but the creativity was abundant and I knew instantly this was friendly and fertile territory. I had met Dave on many occasions at trade shows and events and admired his attention to detail. In all honesty I was looking forward to working with him.
“The last seven years have flown by and I believe that we’ve accomplished some great projects as a team. I know that our customers will greatly miss Dave’s can-do manner and enthusiasm.”
“It is a testimony to his skills and temperament that Dave performed at a consistently high level over a career spanning from the late 1980s to 2021. He has maintained the respect of everyone who came into his orbit and retires as one of the outstanding characters of the wood protection industry.”
TTJ editor Stephen Powney asked David about changes he had seen in the industry over the years.
“The thing that stands out for me is there are a lot fewer people treating timber now and the way they are treating timber is to a higher standard than before. That is partly due to regulatory actions.
“The biggest change is the move away from CCA (chromated copper arsenate). These were quite general preservative products with the same formulations. “The newer products are very different between each supplier in terms of their composition.
“If you are a company looking to do timber treating, you have to make sure you have a preservatives supplier that is set up for the future.
“Regulations are going to get tighter and tighter and the preservatives supplier has to be ahead of the game.
“The environmental side of things is now much bigger than it used to be, and rightly so. There is a smaller list of what we can use from a biocidal point of view and we have to look at new products.
“The Wood Protection Association, Timber Trade Federation and other industry bodies seem to be getting together and driving a consistent message promoting the correct timber treatment for specific end use.
“There are new people coming into the wood-using trades all the time, so it’s a message we need to keep banging the drum about.”
On fire retardants side, David pointed out that fire-retardant treated wood can give good fire performance, even favourable to some other construction products.
But he said there is still an ingrained perception to overcome in some people’s minds about using wood in some applications in construction.
David said he has thoroughly enjoyed his years in the timber trade and would not have swopped it for anything.
“I just think the timber industry is on its own and has its own language. There are so many different people – a wide range of nice, skilful and helpful people and I feel very privileged to have been a part of this sector. It’s been fun working for 35 years in the same job.
“My advice is make sure you enjoy what you’re doing, because if you’re not enjoying it then you’re not in the right job!”.
