All Change At Cosalt's Lowestoft Branch As New Manager Takes Charge

Online, October 20, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Cosalt has appointed Darren Short as the new manager of its Lowestoft branch as part of a restructuring operation designed to make it easier for customers to get expert advice and speak to the right person on specific enquiries. The thriving branch now has an Operations Manager, an Engineering Manager and a Sales Office Manager as well as a Branch Manager. Together they run a 40-strong team of skilled engineers, riggers, technicians, sales, administration and support staff.

Joining Darren on the management team is Operations Manager Chris Lark, who has worked for Cosalt for over 20 years. He is responsible for the smooth operation of the Marine Service Bay and Ratchet Manufacturing Facility. He also looks after the Warehouse, Goods In and Dispatch functions. New recruit David Vesty, who brings with him a wealth of experience from a number of engineering sectors, is the branch's new Engineering Manager. David runs the Rigging Workshop, the Engineering Department, the Test Bed facility and the Hire Department. Keeping on top of sales and administration is Amanda Easter who has joined Cosalt as the new Sales Office Manager.

Explained Branch Manager Darren Short: "This new structure means we can provide customers with a single point of contact for dealing with specific queries or problems. If, for example, a customer has a question about the servicing of a liferaft, they will speak to Chris. If it is an enquiry about a chain block, they will speak to David. With three senior managers now working underneath me, my time is free to visit customers and speak to them personally. It means I can get to know their business better and what they need. This is an important part of the service we provide."

After starting his career as an apprentice sheet metalworker, Darren moved into technical sales, selling tools and machines into the metalwork, plastics and steel construction industries. He built up formidable understanding of the engineering business, handling key accounts that included Caterpillar, Ford Motor Company and Lotus Cars. He joined Cosalt to develop the company's engineering business, particularly the lifting and inspection side, but his knowledge will now be put to wider use as the new Branch Manager.

Added Darren: "This is a great opportunity for me to take the business to the next level. Cosalt has an excellent reputation in the South East and my job is to make sure everyone at the branch is focused on delivering excellent service to our customers at all times. We offer a very wide range of products and services and we have the resources that few of our competitors can match. The expertise we have within our branch is breathtaking."

Cosalt's clients are mainly in the shipping, passenger ship, oil and gas, renewables, civil engineering and emergency services sectors. The company's core activities cover marine safety, fibre and wire rope and lifting and inspection services. The Lowestoft branch also has extensive workshop facilities for refurbishing RIBs and Fast Rescue Craft and carrying out glassfibre repairs. In addition, it operates the largest horizontal Test Bed in the South East of England. The 250 ton facility is used extensively to test subsea and umbilical cables for key offshore customers. For more information visit www.cosalt.com.