Steve Dyball brings a lifetime of experience working in emerging markets. His four decades of experience include working as a chemist to regional operations manager. He brings a tremendous amount of real world experience with management of operations.

• BASF

  Regional Operations Manager

  2007 to date

  Operational responsibility for 19 manufacturing sites across 14 countries, this includes engineering, plant design and plant efficiency.

  Due to ongoing regional expansion the role includes new site location search in multiple countries, working with local authorities through the planning phase, management of tender development and contract award. Throughout all major projects I oversee the project management, from concept, through to project completion.

  Within the role I drive BASF and local standards in EHS through the engineering, best practice, plant improvements and operational practices.

  Regional management of all operating companies capital budgets.

  In the last 2 years I have managed the introduction of lean manufacturing practices to improve plant efficiency and reduce cost. Manage teams to create standard plant design for global implementation.

• JMHfzco (Now privately owned Fosroc International)

  VP Group Development

  2004 to 2007

  The role was to set up and run a group of departments that consisted of:

  • EHS – The department was tasked with bringing all operating companies up to international standards. Set up group audit procedures and schedules to monitor and direct operating companies in the goal of improving their EHS performance.
  • RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT – The company had two research centres, Birmingham UK and Bangalore India. I was tasked with increasing the activity of our Bangalore facility in both Admixture and sealant activities. During this period we expanded the facility and employed an increased number of chemists along with fully equipping new laboratories to meet the work demands.
  • OPERATIONS – Oversee all operational activities to ensure existing plants were tasked with efficiency improvements. Under this department all engineering work for the group was centrally controlled to ensure not only best practice but additionally EHS and quality was engineered in to our plants.
  • BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – This was a business support function with chemists providing technical support to the global sales team. The team consisted of:
    • Waterproofing and Sealant manager
    • Admixture Manager
    • Flooring and Grout manager
    • Electrochemical and Repair manager
    • The team was challenged with the globalization of our product ranges throughout our operating companies.
  • PROCUREMENT – This was a centralized function the global negotiation of the group’s major raw materials. A secondary function was the monitoring of local purchased materials to support pricing initiatives of best in market.

• JMHfzco

  Global Asset Manager

  2003 March

  The role was the same as with Fosroc international but now global project Engineer and with the additional role of global head of EHS.

• Fosroc International (Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, U.A.E.)

  Regional project Engineer & Board Director Fosroc Egypt

  1994 to 2003

  Fosroc is the leading Middle East manufacturer and supplier of specialist chemicals and associated products to the construction industry. Fosroc is a division of BP.

  I was appointed to spearhead a management of change by introducing supply chain management across each company and to upgrade all the manufacturing sites with up to date, state of the art manufacturing plant and equipment. As a board director to Fosroc Egypt a joint venture company, I represent the interest of Fosroc International ensuring that the company is managed in a manner to satisfy our goals.

  The initial priority was to ensure that we kept our competitive edge creating state of the art plants in each company, this would ensure product availability with high quality and low cost. In the last five years we have built four new plants, two in India, one in Egypt and one in Dubai. Our Saudi Arabia plant has been upgraded and we are presently planning further expansions at this facility. All of the plants have allowed rapid increases in sales without supply problems, ensuring we keep our dominance of the region.

  The next priority was to introduce supply chain management. Working with sales, marketing, finance and operations we developed in each company sales forecasts, stocking policies, purchasing policies, customer service agreements and capacity planning, along with new company management structures.

  To date all these improvements have allowed not only sustained top line growth but increased return on sales from 9 up to 13%, because of the increasing sales any capital increase effect has been negated allowing the Middle East to be the number one performer in the Fosroc world.

  The role demanded clear logistical and managerial analysis but, perhaps more importantly, the ability to work with people from different countries and cultures and lead them through what at first they believed were unpalatable changes to their normal work practices.

• FEB Ltd. (MBT UK)

  Logistics Director 1993 to 1994

  1993 to 1994

  I was appointed from within the MBT group to review all operational matters of this newly acquired company. Implement the necessary changes to bring the company into line with the group practices.

  As the Logistics Director, I controlled 80 personnel with line managers reporting directly to me across 'Manufacturing', 'Customer Service', 'Warehousing', 'Transport', 'Purchasing', 'Stock Control', and 'Engineering'.

  The initial objective was to analyse and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current systems. After I had completed research, I recognised the need for a more integrated system and produced an operation model.

  The priority was to improve liaison between manufacturing, sales and purchasing and to bring an understanding to the workforce that the operations are sales driven. I immediately introduced a new regime and philosophy. The keys to success were:

  • Improved EHS to create a safer and more pleasant place to work.
  • Improved planning techniques using forecasts rather than historical data.
  • Insisted on improved communication between sales and manufacturing to avoid bottlenecks and droughts.
  • Guided purchasers to examine wider options and to be more aggressive yet form partnerships with suppliers.

  Since appointment, savings in this sphere of influence are now at Stg. 200,000 p.a. some 6% of the budget.

  In order to turn around declining standards in distribution and customer service I carried out a feasibility study. The results of which lead me to centralise operations and change the operating system whereby the customer order drove the operational, warehouse and transport schedules. This brought about demonstrable improvement in customer satisfaction and we hoped would lead to improved loyalty.

• MBT Australia Pty Ltd

  Manufacturing Manager

  1989 to 1993

  I was approached by the holding company Sandoz to implement vital logistical and operational changes to our Australasian based supplier of chemicals and associated products to the construction industry.

  This was a multi-site operation in both Australia and New Zealand and in simple terms geographical distances presented the greater obstacle to getting the message across.

  However in four years the team achieved remarkable results increasing turn over from Stg. 8 to Stg. 11 million per annum despite a 25% downturn in cement usage.

  The keys to this success were:

  • Introduction and implementation of group EHS standards
  • More accurate forecasting
  • Improved customer service.
  • Planning and implementing the constructing of a state-of-the-art plant in Sydney plus up-grading the remaining sites.
  • Introducing an ERP system in sales, manufacturing and administration.
  • Restructuring the manufacturing management.
  • Standardising systems to ISO 9002.

  I was given an additional brief of designing a new manufacturing site for our Indonesian subsidiary, which was completed within deadline and budget and is now fully operational.

• Sandoz Products Ltd.

  Q.C. CHEMIST PROMOTED TO PLANT MANAGER

  1970 to 1989

  I joined this major chemical company from school as a quality control chemist and through further technical and business management education to degree level along with my personal work performance, I was successful in achieving a number of promotions.

  In 1975 I was promoted to plant chemist responsible for developing new product and refining manufacturing methods.

  In 1980 I was promoted to plant manager at their main U.K. site responsible for manufacturing chemicals and pigments used in a diverse range of applications and responsible for a team of 25 shop-floor and technical personnel.