DLM Names Carly Collins Director

Dynamic Load Monitoring (UK) Ltd. (DLM), of Southampton, has named Carly Collins sales and marketing director.

DLM is a specialist in the design, manufacture, repair, and calibration of load cells, load monitoring, and cable working equipment for the offshore, renewable energy, marine, subsea, and lifting and rigging industries.

Collins, who joined in 2016, has held various positions, most recently sales and marketing manager. She became the fourth family member to join the business; after retirees, the dynasty is continued today by Collins and brother, Martin Halford, managing director. Chris Scrutton, technical director, occupies the third seat in the boardroom.

All sales and marketing employees report directly to Collins. She will lead on strategy as a wider restructure of leadership positions the company to realise ambitious growth plans. As announced earlier this year, DLM has opened a machine shop, taking a new lease on two buildings already fitted out in Vancouver Wharf, Southampton.

Halford said: “The promotion was the natural progression. Carly has revolutionised the way we market ourselves and brought lots of new ideas to the table, which have been very successful. Prior, our marketing was sporadic and inconsistent; Carly has brought a consistent high standard to the way we do things and what we put out to the world. She has also grown significantly in terms of sales and has been pivotal to increasing our standard product sales over the last three years. In particular she has developed key relationships with major players in the lifting industry.”

He added: “Carly will work with key distributors and partners around the globe, while actively looking for new opportunities and potential partners. We want to ensure that we always offer the same customer service and experience we have become known for, no matter how large we get; it will be Carly’s job to spearhead that strategy and create a plan for maintaining it.”

Collins said: “Martin and I are kindred spirits in our attitudes towards customer service; we have already created a strong brand, renowned for setting high standards, so taking a shareholding in the business and stepping into a more prominent role as we enter another phase of growth felt as natural to me as it did to Martin. Along with Chris, we have a dynamic leadership group, with a breadth of complementary skills.

“Directorship will further energise me to drive continued improvement within the business; develop our working culture; and empower a team, all while expanding my leadership qualities. Immediate priorities include embedding our mission statement into every facet of the company, supported by ongoing workforce development.”

Carly Collins, sales and marketing director; and Martin Halford, managing director, at Dynamic Load Monitoring (UK) Ltd. (DLM).

Sustainability directive

Collins has already pioneered a series of measures to inspire the engineering sector to be greener and more sustainable, aligning the business further with the industries it services day-to-day, especially renewable energy.

DLM has been ISO 14001 certified for many years, which means it meets the criteria for an environmental management system and can be certified accordingly. ISO 14001 maps out a framework that a company or organisation can follow to set up an effective environmental management system. This has supported much wider sustainability strategy that serves as a blueprint for other businesses to follow.

Halford said: “Sustainability has always been big on Carly’s agenda, and it has changed the way we do things for the better — driving down cost and making us more aware of the impact we have on the wider world. She has been a strong advocate of our drive to make the company digital; the first task was to digitalise the sales and calibration department, encouraging employees to adopt completely paperless working processes.”

With the machine shop getting up to full capacity — recruitment to computer numerical control (CNC) machining positions continues — DLM is destined to become an almost fully vertically integrated manufacturer. Further, it has developed a suite of state-of-the-art technology and software that complements an advanced range of hardware.

Halford said: “We have a clear vision to be the most respected brand for load monitoring and offshore equipment in the global market, embedded in every continent by 2035. To do this, we need to ensure we have the right people in the right positions, along with the correct infrastructure, to cope with the increased levels of business we anticipate. We want to always maintain our core values, but actively develop new products. We have clarity in our plan — and the leadership to execute it.”

‘Martin and I are kindred spirits in our attitudes towards customer service; we have already created a strong brand, renowned for setting high standards’ — Carly Collins, sales and marketing director, DLM.

Away from the workplace, Collins has two young children; the family enjoys leisure activities and camping. An avid traveller and adventurer, she has worked overseas and continues a legacy of sports development and wellbeing despite the fast pace of a career in the family business.