Having been born in Kidderminster, there was really only one industry that Nick Oakley was destined for.
Our Sales Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH region) turned his love of languages into an opportunity to explore the world and enjoy a 40-year career in the hospitality sector.
“In the late 1950s, around 28,000 people were employed in the carpet industry in or near Kidderminster and it was once the carpet capital of the world,” explained Nick. “At school, I really enjoyed languages, starting with Latin and moving onto French and then German. This later turned into my taking up summer jobs in Switzerland, Germany and France.”
Nick, who now also has German citizenship and has lived in the country for nearly four decades, joined Brintons when he left College and since then has worked in various roles within the hospitality sector.
He joined Ulster Carpets in 2022 and has used his extensive experience and market knowledge to build further on our success in the DACH region.
“Being a global company doesn’t mean that you can’t have the personal touch and local knowledge. As a family owned and run company, that is something which is very important to us at Ulster Carpets,” he said.
“Our success is based around building relationships, working in partnership, and delivering a local service that is tailored to your needs. I really enjoy meeting customers face-to-face and working with them to turn ideas into reality.”
Based between Frankfurt and Cologne, Nick’s week sees him typically travelling across Switzerland, Austria and Germany meeting Architects, Interior Designers, Hotel Owners and Managers, as well as General and Flooring Contractors and helping them develop bespoke wool-rich carpets and rugs for their projects.
Nick is finding that, in addition to a focus on design, our customers are also interested in the sustainability credentials of the companies they work with.
“Sustainability has become more and more important in recent years and our Sustainability Strategy underlines our long-term objective of becoming a Net Zero manufacturer. In addition to this, working with a company with nearby production facilities is becoming a more important factor in a demanding market.
“Our focus is very much on design and our customers are amazed what we can create in woven carpet with a choice of three widths,” added Nick. “Having such talented Designers makes all the difference and we also have the technology to weave wonderful designs in beautiful colours.
“We have vast experience of working on the world’s leading hotels, casinos and cruise ships and this expertise is vital within the hospitality sector. Our customers want their hotel to stand out and whether it is a subtle style or something more eye-catching, we can help create that.”
If you are working on a hospitality project in the DACH region, get in touch with Nick to discuss how we can work together and what Ulster can deliver. Telephone +49 0151 1763 2257 or email nick.oakley@ulstercarpets.com
