Management change and continuity at Freefoam
After 19 years Tony Walsh, one of the founders of leading roofline and rainwater manufacturer Freefoam Plastics Ltd, is swapping his role as Managing Director to take up the position of Chairman in the New Year. Freefoam’s Commercial Director Aidan Harte becomes Managing Director.
Over the years, Freefoam’s success has been based on a strong management team with shared values and a commitment to growth. Under Tony Walsh’s direction, Freefoam has pioneered many industry firsts, including the switch to calcium zinc (now called calcium organic) lead free roofline. The wisdom of this switch allowed Freefoam and its customers to flourish during the Pinking disaster, which brought some large producers and many of their customers to their knees. The high profile campaign was criticised by the then established market leaders who tried to suppress debate, but Tony’s courage and persistence paid off. Those who switched to lead free formulations were untroubled by problems of discolouration while others paid a very heavy price in Pinking liabilities.
Under his leadership Freefoam also pioneered higher levels of UV protection as climate change brought rising UV levels. His innovative 20 year guarantee changed the industry and other roofline companies responded by increasing their own guarantees. And his early pioneering approach to colour supply is leading a rapid change to colour across Ireland and the UK. Freefoam is now acknowledged as one of the top three brands and is market leader in colour.
Although Tony is stepping aside from day-to-day management, he will maintain an active role in the technical and operational aspects of projects at Freefoam’s manufacturing facilities in Cork and Northampton. This will help Freefoam continue its commitment to innovation and service as the company enters a new phase of growth.
Tony comments: “I would like to thank everybody for their help and hard work over the years in making Freefoam what it is today. I am handing over at a time of great change to a strong management team. I wish Aidan, and his team, every success in his future role.”
“Winning management teams tend to be characterised by continuity,” confirmed Aidan Harte. “Although Tony and I are changing roles the top team isn’t changing. We’ve always worked very closely and well together, and this will continue. Our strategy and objectives remain the same. Years ago we set ourselves the goal of becoming No 1 in Europe for roofline and rainwater and we are still on course to achieve that.”
Image caption: Freefoam’s Tony Walsh (left) is now Chairman while Commercial Director Aidan Harte becomes Managing Director.
