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Under the spotlight:

Laura Plummer, Internal Sales

Find out more about Building Systems UK and how we’re better serving the construction industry, as I have the spotlight turned on me.

Learn how we’re ready to go out and win more business, and how we surprise people when we tell them about the biodiversity at our Shotton site.

Or maybe you’d just like to find out about some of the many alternative career ideas I’ve had over the years – and how Building Systems UK helped me to find work I’m passionate about.
 

Laura Plummer
What is your role at Tata Steel and what does it entail?

 

I'm an internal sales estimator within Building Systems UK, which means being the point of contact for pricing on our complete range of products – panels and single skin cladding, ComFlor® and RoofDek.

We look after a range of customer accounts, from contractors to distributors, and I respond to calls and emails from those customers, providing quotes and so on.

What is your background and how did your career path bring you to Tata Steel?

 

At university I studied psychology, which is a bit different to what I’m doing now! I actually intended to become a dietician. Even when I started working at Building Systems UK I was toying with other ideas, so in some ways I’ve fallen into my current career by accident.

My first role within the business was in order administration. I then moved into customer services and found a real passion for it, so much so that I became customer service team leader. About a year ago I transferred to sales, and I’m finding my feet with that.

What are you most proud at having achieved at Tata Steel so far?

 

When I applied to join Building Systems UK, I had to do a maths test as part of the recruitment process, and I got the highest ever score in that test. I don’t know if they even do those tests anymore, so maybe I still hold the record!

Seriously though, it’s the way I’ve progressed and grown within the company. It’s like a family here and I’ve been supported in moving through departments and taking on different roles and responsibilities.

What projects or innovations most excite you for the future?

 

There’s a real feeling of excitement around BSUK generally at the moment. We’ve rebranded, moved into new offices, and we’ve got the Optemis Carbon Lite campaign . It’s great to see that we’re all ready to go and put ourselves out there in the marketplace.

Being in sales, we obviously want to win projects, so I’m excited to see more new customers coming on board. We can really take them under our wing and look after them with the service we have to offer.

What is something about the steel industry that might surprise people?

 

From the outside, the steel industry is sometimes viewed as heavy and dirty. Our mission statement is to build to a sustainable future and I don’t think some people realise that. They don’t know that steel is infinitely recyclable, and that it’s at the forefront of everyone’s mind to create a more sustainable steel sector.

There’s also the commitment to biodiversity made at Shotton. Our site has been an area of special scientific interest for over twenty years, and we get over 80 species of birds on the site each year. When we tell customers about it, it’s the last thing they expect to hear from us!

How do you see the built environment changing for the better?

 

It’s changing for the better in how everyone is striving to reduce carbon.

A lot of work comes across my desk, and you can see the trend for better U-values and lower carbon.

A lot of that is regulation-driven, of course, but the overall direction of travel is changing as well.

What hobbies and activities do you enjoy outside work?

I've got two children and two dogs, so we love family days out and dog walking. That keeps me pretty busy. My daughter has different hobbies on five days of the week, so we have to work around her. She’s got a bigger social life than me!

I'm really into my fitness and running, going to the gym, things like that. And then a bit of socialising and shopping, when I get the chance.!

If you could do another job in another industry, what would it be?

There are lots of things I’ve given a thought to over the years. At one point I pictured trying to become a dog groomer!

But if I’m going to say anything, it would have to be a wedding planner and stylist. I really enjoyed planning and styling my wedding, getting stuck into Pinterest and all that. I loved it!

What’s a fun fact about you that people may not know?

 

I love planning trips to old and pretty European cities, especially if they have any link to the Romans.

There are still lots of places on the list to visit, but Rome has been my favourite so far, closely followed by Pompeii. Sightseeing, then people watching in the market square with a glass of wine in the sun – bellissimo!

Rome