Arco’s new chief executive has told of his excitement at helping the fifth generation firm transition from family-run to family-owned.
Guy Bruce was appointed at the start of the month following managing director David Evison’s retirement. He joins from Equans, where he was interim managing director, having previously held senior roles with Sheffield-headquartered specialist building materials distributor SIG Plc.
The company has recently moved into new headquarters in Hull, the home city where its state-of-the-art national distribution centre has also been massively expanded, with safety centres offering high-skilled training also opening in strategic locations.
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Mr Bruce said: “I’m delighted to be joining Arco at this exciting phase in the company’s history. The chance to lead the transition from family-run to family-owned is unique and the prospect of accelerating our plans for growth are exciting.
“As we re-focus our efforts following the Covid-19 pandemic, Arco, like other businesses, will need to face the challenges of the current economic climate. However, our foundations are strong, built on multigenerational values and heritage, and will support us in continuing to evolve the business and build for the future.”
Mr Bruce is described as bringing with him a wealth of experience from the industry, with significant achievements in delivering transformative growth across distribution, retail, service and manufacturing businesses, both domestically and internationally, within private and public companies.
Arco has built a strong reputation for keeping people safe at work, focusing on joined-up safety solutions, which start with mitigating risks through to providing training and equipment.The company plays a leading role within the industry, helping to shape the UK’s health and safety agenda.
The company's strategic plan, Destination 2025, sets out how it will grow over the next three years and adopt new and innovative ideas to future-proof the business, and Mr Bruce is tasked with developing this strategy further, maximising the potential of the significant investments undertaken by Arco over recent years and by accelerating digital transformation, enhancing customer experience and driving sustainability.
As an advocate of collaborative working, he is also looking to increase engagement between the business and colleagues, strengthen supplier partnerships and work closely with customers.
Further to his comments on the appointment, Thomas Martin, chair at Arco, said: “I am thrilled to have Guy in post at Arco to help take our family-owned business forwards. Guy is a proven leader and his experience in delivering transformational growth throughout his career will be very beneficial to Arco as we continue delivering remarkable and effortless experiences for our customers, and ultimately keeping people safe at work.”
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