In this edition, Roger Murrow interviews Hubert Watson, Sales Director of Maximus Screening and Crushing

An interview with Hubert Watson, Sales Director Maximus Crushing and ScreeninOne of the most important people in the world of mobile crushing and screening in the last thirty years or so has been Hubert Watson. Now approaching sixty, there is no sign in him slowing down despite a career that has seen him help build the Powerscreen brand into what it is today, as well as establish his own highly successful company Fintec (which along with Extec formed the basis of Sandvik’s mobile crushing and screening division).

Hubert qualified as cost and management accountant in 1982, joining Powerscreen as a company accountant. From this embryonic beginning Hubert became general manager of Powerscreen USA in 1984, before becoming financial director of Powerscreen International in 1988.

Continuing success saw him become managing director of Universal Conveyors 1989, managing director of Finlay Hydrascreens in 1991, and following its acquisition by Powerscreen in 1995, managing director of Pegson.

Following irregularities concerning Matbro, Hubert returned to Northern Ireland in 1998 as chief operating officer on the main Powerscreen PLC board. Here he played a major role in concluding the sale of the Powerscreen Group to Terex in 1999, which saw him subsequently leaving the company.

From here Hubert became managing director of Finlay Block Making. Following the completion of a state-of-the art manufacturing plant in Ballygawley, Northern Ireland, Hubert purchased the business from its owner, Stephen Finlay, and then in conjunction with Sandvik, launched his own range of mobile crushers and screens – Fintec.

Fintec was bought out in its entirety by Sandvik in 2007, and was then merged into a separate Sandvik business area, alongside Extec, which was acquired at the same time. Hubert then stayed with the new division as its sales director, and continued to help Sandvik’s OEM business as well as other Northern Irish companies.

Having worked out that retirement was not for him, Hubert soon found a new challenge, becoming sales director of Maximus screening and crushing in 2015.

A keen footballer all his life, Hubert is now in his 44th year as player, manager, and now chairman of Dollingstown FC which plays in the Mid Ulster football league.

In the early years of your life, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Is there one person in particular that has had a major impact on the direction you took professionally?

Can you briefly describe how you came to be Sales Director of Maximus?

You spent many years at Powerscreen (the Group), what have been your personal highlights?

What lessons have you learnt from your time in the crushing and screening industry? Is there anything you would have changed?

Maximus has a reputation for excellence of product; have you found competitive advantage from these? If so, can illustrate with some examples?

In layman’s terms, can you please describe what makes the Maximus product offering the ‘special’?

Why is the Maximus range so highly regarded?

Where is Maximus now, and where is it going?

What business segments have delivered the most growth in recent years?

What is the most successful product that Maximus has introduced since you joined the company?

What other market segments do the Maximus products cater for?

Is there any particular Maximus product that really ‘excites’ you? If so, please can you tell me why?

When we ask manufacturers, what is the number one request from the end user, we hear a variety of responses from better fuel efficiency, lower maintenance costs, higher productivity, immediate availability of parts and service. What do customers most commonly ask of Maximus?

Looking forward, what are the major customer operating trends that will affect Maximus product development?

When the workday ends for you, what makes it a ‘good’ day?

If you could give one piece of advice to the younger you, what would it be?

http://www.maximusscreening.com

About interviewer Roger Murrow:
Roger is an editorial contributor to the FocusOn Group to offer interviews, insights and comments on the latest developments in the industry.  

Roger has been involved in the quarrying, tunnelling, construction, demolition and recycling industries for 25 years. His experience involves senior marketing roles in a number of manufacturers, then as the founder of internationally renowned PR Consultancy MMC 2100 Ltd. In recent years, he has been using this experience to write articles for numerous international magazines on a variety of industry subjects.