Fasteners and supply chain solutions provider TFC is powering up its new facility in Portadown, Northern Ireland, and has recruited a new area sales manager to drive customer interactions and support.

TFC recently added to its team in Ireland by hiring new area sales manager, Kevin Basketfield. His 16 years’ of experience in the construction industry will bring a new perspective to the team at TFC’s Portadown facility. Basketfield’s role will include advising customers on how they can streamline their supply chains using VMI.

Chris Billinge, group business development director at TFC, said: “Following the pandemic, restricted travel to Ireland has made it difficult to arrange face-to-face meetings with our customers there. Opening our Portadown facility and hiring talented staff like Kevin has been an important step in getting closer to customers in Ireland. This means it will be easier for us to reach our customers in a short space of time and better support them.”

Basketfield added: “TFC’s strong commitment to customer service really aligns with my own values. Meeting customers is a vital part of my role and the pandemic has meant that we have had to find alternative ways consult with customers, including video conferencing. However, as a team we’ve risen to the challenge and I’ve enjoyed getting to grips with this new way of working. As always, my priority is supporting our customers in the best way possible.

“I want to build on the strong reputation that TFC has built over the last 50 years and bring that to Ireland. By working closely with customers and tailoring products and packages to their needs, we can establish a strong presence in the Irish market and begin to build a plan for long-term growth in the region.”