6 Minute Read
Introducing Andrew Richards, DCC Managing Director
From the introduction of our industry-leading, robotics-powered warehouse to our increasing focus on circular economy solutions, we are actively investing in areas that directly benefit our customers.
One such area that is especially important for customer-centric organisations is great leadership. That’s why we are thrilled to introduce Andrew Richards, who joined Direct Corporate Clothing as Managing Director in May 2024 and is already having a significant impact on our ability to delight our customer base.
We recently sat down with Andrew to find out a bit more about his background, why he was attracted to DCC, and his plans for the business’s future.
David: Andrew, please give us a brief introduction and overview of your experience:
Andrew: Sure. In a nutshell, I’m a seasoned senior executive who has had the privilege of leading organisations as CEO, MD, and Divisional MD across diverse fields like M&A, private equity, and family businesses.
Industry-wise, my experience spans everything from marine safety, PPE and uniform supply to refitting passenger and military vessels, civil engineering, and bomb disposal (though I wasn’t personally involved in said disposal!)
My passion and expertise lie in building strong customer relationships and driving successful business development strategies, particularly in complex business models with multiple channels to market. I meet challenges head-on with a calm and considered approach, which I see as a key foundation to effectively leading teams and businesses toward consistent value creation and growth. Given my leadership experience spans Europe, Asia, Australasia, and North America, I feel I bring a global perspective that is especially well-aligned with DCC’s ambitious expansion plans.
David: Great, and what would you say are your proudest career achievements so far? How do you think they’ve prepared you to lead DCC on its exciting growth journey?
Andrew: My greatest achievements would have to be the securing of major contracts under my leadership, be it for ferry outfitting, securing PPE managed service contracts, or designing and supplying lifejackets for RNLI or other rescue services globally.
These contracts were all won and retained on the basis of great product/service offerings and strong customer relationships built over time through constant investment in continuous improvement and clear added value. In that sense, I see many parallels with Direct Corporate Clothing and so I look forward to leading the company to greater heights through an even more customer-centric approach.
David: What attracted you to join Direct Corporate Clothing?
Andrew: This is a pivotal time for DCC and Workwear Uniform Group as a whole and I recognise just how much of an opportunity we have to take the market by storm.
The business boasts an already enviable blue-chip customer base and has invested in genuinely market-leading technology to differentiate itself from other market players, which is a game-changer.
Consider AutoStore, our unique, robotics powered warehouse for example, which not only eliminates human pick errors altogether but also reduces emissions per pick by 75% while quadrupling usable storage space. This facilitates quicker deliveries, reduces emissions associated with fulfilling customers’ orders, and enables us to store significantly more branded stock for customers for rapid dispatch.
Then there’s the fact we exist within a wider group of companies, providing us with complete visibility and control across the entire supply chain, from auditing, design and manufacturing through to embroidery and recycling. This vertical integration enables us to pass cost savings onto customers while delivering the best quality products. This is all underpinned by excellent customer and IT support as part of a managed service. We are a true one-stop shop.
David: What’s your vision for the future of DCC and the Group as a whole?
Andrew: In short, both DCC and the wider Group will be using the aforementioned competitive advantages to attract and serve more blue-chip customers while continuing to deliver industry-leading customer service and support to our existing customer base.
As a customer-centric business built on the strength of our relationships with our customers, our approach is to be selective with the customers we partner with and to limit this to a relatively small pool. This enables us to ensure we offer the best possible service at all times.
Through this approach, we are aiming to double the size of the current business by 2030.
David: What do you feel differentiates DCC and the Group from other organisations operating in the same industries?
Andrew: Fortunately, many things set us apart and have played a role in the company’s continued success. To name a few:
- Supply chain: Our vertically integrated supply chain enables us to source and manufacture the best possible products at the best possible price while completely eliminating the supply chain risks that come with reliance on a small pool of suppliers. This unique level of supply chain control, Group owned facilities, and a global network of audited suppliers means our customers know that their PPE, workwear and uniform needs will be met, no matter what the world throws at us.
- The Family Ownership Model: Workwear Uniform Group (and therefore DCC) is a family-owned organisation. This freedom from outside investor pressure gives us the flexibility and agility to take bold action in the face of new opportunities that push the business past the status quo for the benefit of our customers. Our investment in AutoStore (which is already proving invaluable to our customers) is a tangible example of this, and it’s an approach that is paying dividends.
- Investment in Infrastructure: As a customer-centric organisation, we have made £16m worth of infrastructure investment to create a better future for our business and our customers. Specifically, in the past 12 months, we have implemented a world-class ERP system which feeds data directly into customer’s online dashboards and pulls through real-time data from the aforementioned AutoStore warehouse.
David: As you know, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration across the industries we serve. How much of a role do you see sustainability playing in DCC’s future, and what initiatives are you most excited about?
Andrew: Sustainability already plays a huge role in DCC’s offering and this is only growing as we further expand our range of sustainable products and circular economy solutions.
We are in the process of introducing a fully circular economy solution that will ensure all PPE that reaches the end of its life can either be recycled into new garments/yarn or otherwise processed into Ammonia, Hydrogen or CO2 for industrial applications. This will effectively enable the diversion of end-of-life products from landfill altogether, which is something our customers share our excitement about.
David: And now for a couple of quick-fire questions. What are you passionate about outside of work?
Andrew: Dog Walking, Welsh Rugby, and sailing.
David: What is one fact about you that would surprise people?
Andrew: I’m a really good cook if I say so myself!
