Farewell Joe!

After an amazing 31 years of service with F.H.Brundle, Joe Bryers, our Southampton branch manager, retired on Friday 31st January.

Joe joined us on the 1st January 1994, and what a journey we have been on – he has helped us transform F.H.Brundle into the modern business we are today.

Joe started in our Eastleigh branch, it was our second branch away from the original London site. Nottingham being the first.

Joe’s background was steel, something we didn’t even sell back then. So Joe set about adding a range of steel and attempting to build a new name in steel stockholding on the South Coast. This was no mean feat! F.H.Brundle was relatively unknown in the area back then. Prior to opening, we occasionally sent a van down from London into the area with welded mesh on, but other than that, we had little business.

Due to Joe’s good relationship and knowledge of the local fabricators, he had early success in bringing new customers on board. Little by little we chipped away at the local market. The friendly, efficient service we offered down there gave us a foundation to grow from. That service is still so important to the entire business today.

The Eastleigh site was a million miles away from the look of our branches today. We had some basic steel racks, a small amount of pallet racking, and a pile of black buckets we used to store the wrought iron and small components in. There was no inter-branch transfer, unless my dad was visiting, upon which he would load his car full of stock.

In the early days, I used to drive down and help Joe in the warehouse at Eastleigh during university holidays. He even visited me whilst I was studying in Bristol, to take me out for a meal and a few beers (this was 1996!). On several occasions we have both attempted to play golf, very badly, at FHB charity days. With Joe once almost hitting the tournament starter with a stray golf ball, who was standing in a gazebo near the tee.

Joe’s mission early on was to get the other two sites stocking and selling steel sections, and with his advice and guidance, we have slowly but surely transformed all 8 sites into steel stockholding facilities. It is now our largest and most important product group.

Of course, none of what Joe has achieved could be done without the help of his awesome team in Southampton. For whom I know he is, as am I, incredibly grateful. Everything we have achieved could not have been done without our lovely team there.

I have worked incredibly closely with Joe for decades. It has not always been plain sailing, over that time we have had some highs and lows together. But throughout, Joe has been there to offer me great support and advice, when needed, for which I will be forever grateful.

Joe is, no doubt, one of a kind. He is so well known in the industry and so well respected, and from many of the messages I have received, he will be sorely missed.

I do hope for Joe’s sake that Rangers win the league forever more, the sky is always blue, and he is surrounded by goats wherever he may be.

I am sure you will all join me in wishing Joe all the best. May he have a long, happy and healthy retirement – he really does deserve it.

For more information on Farewell Joe! talk to F H Brundle