Life on the Yard focuses on the people who work in the metal recycling industry, from crane operator to managing director.
Name: Joss Francis
Job title: Chief Representative UK – Onesteel Recycling
Time spent in metal recycling: 15 years
1. What does your job involve?
I liaise with suppliers in the UK, giving out prices on a daily basis, which involves my checking on sales options in China, India and Pakistan to be able to give our suppliers the most competitive prices. This part of the job also involves my placing price fixations with banks when customers want to fix orders. As well as having to update colleagues across the world about UK markets, part of my job entails arranging for containers to collect material and ship it to the Far East.
2. What is the hardest part of your job?
Dealing with claims on material that the buyer is not entirely happy with and negotiating with our suppliers to settle as amicably as possible. I hate this because all our suppliers are great and I regard them as friends, so it makes it really hard!
3. What three things help you to do your job better?
My mobile phone, so I can check the market anywhere, pick up emails 24/7 and speak to customers at any time.
My colleague Laura, who is a star! She is super-efficient with all the documentation and never flaps about anything, even if there is a crisis (which doesn’t happen very often thankfully!)
And finally, our freight forwarders, who arrange all the containers and shipment for us, they are great and offer a very efficient service.
4. What are you most proud of in your career?
That I’ve progressed from being a PA to Trader! I started off knowing absolutely nothing at all about scrap metal, unlike so many in the trade who are born and bred into the business. I know a huge amount now – but I still learn something new every day.
5. What is the best advice you have ever received?
Make sure you are nice to everyone because it will hold you in good stead for the future, and the door to opportunity is marked ‘push’!
6. What one thing would we never guess about you?
I was on the TV show This is Your Life aged six months as the star guest at the end of the show to surprise my grandfather Dick Francis.(Editor: I'm not worthy!)
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