ALEX (RED) VALENTINE

OAMARU BRANCH MANAGER

Alex is Oamaru’s branch manager, the man who solves problems and ensures everything is smooth sailing. With a head like an encyclopedia, he trains the new guys and exercises his knowledge through service and sales.

Born and bred in Australia, Alex has spent 30 years over the ditch working in heavy mining and quarrying and served as a belt splicer in the underground coal mines of Queensland.

In 2000, Alex got a call from Murray; he proposed an offer and asked Alex to come to New Zealand and help set up the service division at Applied Conveyor Auckland, which was the only branch at the time. The two had originally met in 1995 on a job and have had a good relationship ever since.

So, they opened the Oamaru branch in 2009, and Alex has been running it ever since.

“The guys here are pretty good; everyone knows their job well and gets on with it”. Alex does all sorts of bits and pieces for the business, and when you’ve been doing it for 43 years – “Sunday is my favourite part of the job,” laughs Alex. He’s usually at the shop on a Saturday because the phone doesn’t ring, which means he can get a lot more done.