At 7:10am sharp, the lights flicker on at our Alliance Seating manufacturing site – courtesy of Garry, our dedicated Production Manager, who’s been a cornerstone of the company for 34 years. After unlocking the site and powering up the facility, Garry begins his day with a simple ritual: a calming cup of green tea.
From that moment, the pace picks up. Garry moves on to reviewing holiday requests and timesheets while keeping an eye on staff arrivals. By 8:00am, he’s in the thick of it, leading a morning meeting with department supervisors to check progress and identify issues.
Garry’s role is hands-on. After the meeting, he’s straight to the production floor:
- assembling chairs
- checking off deliveries
- repairing faulty items
- contributing to product development
His knowledge of the craft comes from experience: starting at Alliance as an apprentice upholsterer, he worked his way up to fitting supervisor, and ultimately into his current leadership role.
By 4:00pm, Garry is preparing for the next day – organising paperwork, setting out job sheets, and ensuring machinery is safely shut down. Once the last team member heads home around 5:00pm, Garry locks up the facility and heads home.
He’s no stranger to long hours and big steps, averaging over 13,000 steps a day around the factory. One of his proudest moments? Setting a personal record by fitting 63 HIMP chairs in a single hour. Oh, and he’s also a qualified forklift driver.
Outside of work, Garry is just as passionate. A devoted Bradford City supporter and seasoned traveller, he brings the same energy and commitment to his personal life that he does to Alliance. From apprentice to production powerhouse, Garry embodies what Alliance Seating is all about – dedication, craftsmanship, and pride in a job well done.