Game for a challenge

Summary
¦ Kevin Hayes joined agency Thomas Simson in 1979, William Brandtsin 1985 and Meyer Forest Products in 1988.
¦ He headed Meyer’s Merediths Direct business and had a short tenure as UCM deputy managing director.
¦ He launched Nelss (UK) Ltd in 1997 and now heads AKZ Timber Ltd.
¦ He was president of the TTF from 2008-2010.

A table tennis table occupies the drive of Kevin Hayes’ rose-surrounded Tunbridge Wells home and, as we navigate our way indoors past three large, lively dogs, he proudly relates that it was the scene of a gruelling five-setter with one of his sons the night before.

The initial encounter provides several clues on what makes him tick. He’s clearly determined and competitive, he keeps himself fit (he also plays football every Monday) and he’s got a sense of humour – the table, rather than the regulation clock or crystal decanter, was what he requested as a ‘thank you’ from The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) when he relinquished the presidency in June.

All these qualities have undoubtedly come in handy throughout a three-decade career in timber, but especially in what, Kevin admits, have been a testing last couple of years, both in business and at the TTF.

UK agency

First the business story. From the late nineties Kevin ran the UK agency for Latvian softwood producer Nelss – and very successfully, building UK annual sales to 270,000m³ (as an aside, he also met his Latvian wife Stella at the company). But last year came the economic crisis and consequently poor results at Nelss’s ailing Latvian DIY business prompted one of its two banks to pull the plug.

“It was March 18 to be precise,” said Kevin. “Black Wednesday!”

It was, he acknowledges, a “scary time”, not least because the Hayeses were midway through moving home. But all was not lost. Nelss’s other bank agreed to back the still profitable sawmill. It relaunched as AKZ and Kevin was again asked to manage UK sales.

“It was a huge relief,” he said, “and also good news for our Latvian colleagues and unswervingly supportive customers.”

TTF president

Heading the TTF since 2008 wasn’t quite so traumatic, but still challenging.

“With chief executive John White and his team, we had all these plans. Then recession hit and we were in survival mode. So I can’t claim my presidency was one of radical reform, more of holding the ship steady. Having said that, we saw increasing uptake of The Federation’s [environmental] Responsible Purchasing Policy and moved ahead on training, working with other bodies to sign Proskills as timber’s sector skills council. We also put the Federation on a sound financial footing by recruiting new members and, I believe, better communicated the TTF’s range of activities and what members get for their money. I hope it can now be seen as a dynamic, transparent organisation, a world away from the smoke-filled rooms and club-like attitudes of the past.”

Although times were tough, Kevin saw it as never less than a “privilege” to be TTF president.

“I’d sit at meetings alongside representatives of these historic timber businesses and think ‘wow’.”

He himself acknowledges he “just fell into the industry”. Born 52 years ago in London, and growing up in Kent, his first job was with NatWest, followed by a stint in the House of Lords accountant’s office.

“Even then we had issues with politicians’ expenses,” he said, “including one Scots lord who charged mileage for his trips to London and for his chauffeur to drive the car back between times to double up as gardener.”

Timber career

Interesting though working at the seat of power was, however, Kevin hankered after the commercial world. So he applied for a job at the Thomas Simson agency and began his life in timber.

“It was a traditional agent, selling Swedish and Canadian softwood, and a bit of a baptism of fire,” he said. “Early on a trader said to me ‘boy, if you make a mistake on a contract, you’re sacked’! A few years later I was given my sales wings, looking after business in Liverpool. I introduced myself to the first customer in my southern accent and he responded ‘what the hell do you think you’ve come here for lad?’!”

Obviously unfazed by his early experience, Kevin went on in 1985 to join William Brandts (Timber) as Finnish department assistant director.

This led four years later to an approach to be Meyer Forest Products’ purchasing manager.

“My time at Meyer was also my first real involvement with the TTF, with the boss Douglas Hillas asking me to stand in when he couldn’t attend meetings,” said Kevin.

After a time running Meyer subsidiary Merediths Direct and a short tenure as deputy MD at UCM, the opportunity to go it alone came in 1997. Kevin made his first connections with Nelss at Meyer and now, it decided, the UK merited a dedicated sales office.

“We started modestly with a small place in Sevenoaks,” said Kevin. “I got our furniture from IKEA and paid two blokes from the nearest pub to help me unload and put it together!”

Positive outlook

Thirteen years on, with the AKZ brand really bedding in, Kevin is clearly positive about business.

“We’re lucky enough to have some real blue chip customers in the importing/merchanting sectors,” he said.

And he’s equally upbeat for timber generally.

“We’re at the outset of a fashion moment for wood thanks to its natural appeal and CO₂ positives,” he said. “We’re also selling a better product than we did. When I started it was unseasoned Canadian, surfaced-one-side-one-edge, oversize-no-defect and so on. Now we have kiln-dried, graded, regularised, fit- for-purpose products we can really shout about.”

As for life beyond work, Kevin’s energies are largely consumed by football, the children (he and Stella have five between them aged 11-22), tending their sizeable garden and attempting to exhaust the dogs on long walks. But after our interview, he clearly had something to spare. His parting shot was to challenge me to a game of table tennis.