MOVERS & SHAKERS – PHIL EMSLEY
With almost half a century in the timber treatment industry, Phil Emsley really is a pioneering ‘mover and shaker’.
He started out at Rentokil back in 1976 as a Timber Technologist in their R&D division before moving on to become Product Support Director with Osmose, later to become Koppers, in November 1995.
Twenty years later, in 2015, Phil took the leap and set up W&P Consultancy, offering support to the timber and industrial wood preservatives industries.
He’s involved in helping timber treatment firms comply with the IED (Industrial Emissions Directive) and covers all aspects such as management systems, permit conditions, baseline reports, training, audits, and inspection reports.
Phil, who turns 65 this year, explained:
*“I started out as a lab technician at Rentokil but, within a year, became a timber technologist, and I enjoyed my time there.
“I had a brief stint at Mid Sussex Timber and then was approached by Osmose, who had decided to set up a UK operation as an expansion of their US business.
“There were four of us who set up the firm, including Andy Hodge, another mover and shaker, and within four years, we’d built up a significant business.
“Between us, we established an office, logistics, and a brand-new customer base. I became Product Support Director for the whole of the UK and Ireland in 1998 and also provided technical support for our European and US operations.
“In 2015, I decided to branch out and set up my own company, W&P Consultancy, operating from my home address in East Sussex. This greatly reduced the amount of travelling and time I spent away from home.
“The main thrust of what I do is IED, although training plays a big role too. I train around thirty to forty plant operatives each year, which takes me all over the country, so I guess I haven’t completely given up the travelling!
“The industry has come a long way. Over the past ten years, we’ve seen a lot more legislation which has placed additional ‘hefty’ burdens on businesses. I’m here to help them navigate their way through complying with the regulations and thoroughly enjoy that role.
“It’s hard to believe where the time has gone, but I do believe our industry is better placed to face the future,”* he concluded.
Based at Uckfield in Sussex, Phil is a keen golfer who plays off 14. He’s a regular competitor and sponsor of the Fencing News Golf Day and has two children, a son (26) and a daughter (23).
Phil has no plans to ‘hang up his boots’ just yet and will continue to help and advise the timber treatment industry for years to come. That’s good news in our view!
