We are delighted to welcome our new Director of Scaffolding, Mick Judge, to the team!
With a career across three decades in the scaffolding industry, Mick brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and insights to our company. In this Q&A session, Mick shares his journey, lessons learned, and the principles that drive his approach to scaffolding and leading a team. From the importance of never cutting corners to the age-old principle of treating others how you’d want to be treated, Mick’s perspectives offer a deep dive into the values that underpin a commitment to quality and safety.
Join us as we explore Mick’s professional experiences and vision for making our scaffolding services the go-to choice for clients.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what led you to join our company as the new Director of Scaffolding?
I was brought into the scaffolding industry back in 1992 as a scaffold labourer by my brother John who was a scaffolder for Palmers Scaffolding on ICI in Runcorn. I was lucky enough to be able to work alongside my brother for many years where his guidance helped me progress as a scaffolder. I worked for Palmers up until 2004 before moving to NSGUK (now part of the Altrad group) where I spent the next 20 years progressing with the company holding several positions including supervisor, project manager/contracts manager then finally site manager prior to me joining Studley.
When the opportunity was offered to me by Studley to join the team and set up the scaffolding arm of the business I was, to be honest, slightly nervous of taking the step into the unknown. However the more I began to realise what an exciting opportunity it was going to be, I knew I had to make the move.
What is your vision for the scaffolding arm of our business?
The vision for me and the company is to provide clients with a high-quality service where HSEQ is at the forefront of everything we do. To have the best quality tradespeople with the correct attitude and work ethic to help inspire growth.
How does your previous experience in the industry influence your approach to your new role?
Over my time within the industry, I have gained a vast amount of knowledge on the best practices and what excellent looks like. So my goal within my new role is to utilise my knowledge and experience to ensure Studley Elevation is the go to company for clients.
Can you share a few key lessons you’ve learned throughout your career that you plan to bring to our team?
For me personally, one of the main lessons I have learned in my time is “don’t cut corners”. Especially on safety and quality as they go hand in hand in providing a safe place to come to work.
Another key lesson is to always treat people with respect. It’s an old but true saying: “treat others how you would want them to treat you”. I believe a good approach to management is key to building a team around you if you want to achieve success.
What motivates you personally and professionally?
Both my personal and professional motivation is to have a good work/life balance. I have been very fortunate in my career and have worked with some great people, most of which I call friends. I often say to my children be careful what career path you take because you never want to look back with regret. We spend most of our lives working so why not have a little enjoyment on the way.
In your opinion, what are the most significant trends and innovations currently shaping the scaffolding industry?
The industry is still a very labour-intensive profession, however the introduction of differing types of scaffolding solutions such as system scaffolding and high yield scaffolding tube which is 20% lighter than conventional tube is slowly but surely reducing the number of musculoskeletal injuries.
Other changes within the industry is the approach to health and safety in and working at height. The working at Height Regs of 2005 were bought in to provide better protection for those working at height and especially for those in the scaffolding profession. This new legislation made the construction industry sit up and take notice that working at height safety was not to be ignored.
What can our clients and partners expect from the scaffolding arm of our business in the near future?
Studley Elevation are committed to providing a high standard quality service with an approachable supportive team.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about your new role or your vision for the company?
I would just like to state that I am really looking forward to now building the scaffolding arm of Studley. The opportunity to employ quality tradespeople and providing a quality product will be essential for our success.
Building the Future of Scaffolding at Studley
Thanks to Mick for sharing these insights with us! We hope you found this Q&A session enlightening and inspiring. With strong leadership, we are confident that our commitment to these principles will help us achieve our goal of being the trusted name in scaffolding. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and stay tuned for more updates and insights from our team.
