Meet the team: Rachael Waldock, Commercial Co-ordinator
After a few tumultuous years, disrupted by lockdown measures and work from home guidance, the Yamato offices are once again a hive of activity. With the team back in the office and looking forward to the post-pandemic era of manufacturing, we’re taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of the friendly faces that are working to serve and support you.
First, we catch up with Rachael Waldock, Commercial Co-ordinator at Yamato Scale UK, to find out what a day in her life looks like at Yamato and how the team is helping manufacturers to overcome the most pressing challenges.
Hi Rachael! You’ve been at Yamato for almost three years now – could you tell us what attracted you to Yamato in the first place?
Before joining the Yamato team, I worked in customer service and was looking to make a move from the B2C to B2B side.
I had already completed an apprenticeship in business administration at a manufacturing company, so I had some knowledge of the industry. I was mainly looking for a new challenge, which brought me back into manufacturing and to Yamato!
What does your role entail?
My role usually starts with an enquiry from a customer to the sales team to purchase a new system for their plant. Once I’ve received the query, I’ll pass it on to the tech team, who will create a specification. It then goes for sign off to confirm the pricing and build.
Once the quote is created, I send it to the customer – and if everything is good to go, I will follow the order through the production process and arrange shipping, with the aim of it arriving with the customer in a timely fashion.
What do you like most about your role?
Working with my team! After the challenges of COVID and working from home, it’s great to be back in the office and around everyone. The people here are one of my favourite things about Yamato.
My role is really varied, meaning no day is the same, and there’s constantly something new to learn. This also means I’m always working with different people across the business, including sales and production, and even global team members in Japan!
What challenges are manufacturers facing most today?
At Yamato, we’re talking to customers who are having to deal with the constant change in material costs as well as shipping issues stemming from the new paperwork and administration required to import and export post Brexit.
This is on top of the lasting effects of COVID-19, especially on the food industry, where demand has skyrocketed. Many have had to quickly scale up their operations and introduce new lines – which requires more equipment and efficient processes to meet the evolving needs of consumers.
How can Yamato help manufacturers to overcome those challenges?
With manufacturers having to meet increased demand, quality is critical. We are seeing a surge in demand for our x-ray systems due to the comprehensive quality control it brings.
More factories are understanding the value x-ray can deliver, especially when it comes to identifying a vast range of contaminants and other product flaws. It’s compatible with a plethora of product types too, making it ideal across all sectors.
Our x-ray systems are manufactured here in the UK, so they have a faster delivery timeframe than other competitor products. This is great as many are still facing delivery delays when ordering from abroad, despite having an urgent need.
How do you see the future for Yamato?
Our x-ray machine has already become increasingly sought after, so I think this trend will continue as x-ray becomes used more frequently for product inspection and becomes the norm in the food processing industry.
I also see the company continuing to grow as the industry evolves. Innovation and world-leading performance are always priorities for Yamato, so we’ll continue to bring valuable solutions to the market – and retain our edge over the competition.
If you want to find out more about Yamato and our solutions, or request a quotation, get in touch with a member of the team today.