Andrew Gerlach can’t wait to see what the future has in store for him and Keenan Recycling after marking eight years with the company.
Having switched trading high-end cars to become regional sales manager at one of the UK’s largest food waste recyclers in October 2015, the 47-year-old hasn’t looked back.
His role at Keenan Recycling has evolved over time with Andrew now Head of Customer Service and leading the service department in the main office in Aberdeen.
He said: “The pandemic changed my position at the company as we re-focused ourselves after a difficult time.
“That has really helped us stay ahead of the game and we now service more than 100,000 food bins per month, which is incredible and means our service levels need to exceed our customers’ expectations.
“I often think about how far the business has come from when Grant Keenan starting food waste collections in Aberdeen in 2009.
“We now collect from every mainland postcode in the United Kingdom, from London, Cornwall, and up to the far north of Scotland.”
Andrew’s career with Keenan has seen him go from travelling the length and breadth of Britain to overseeing a seven-strong customer service team of passionate experts who value each other, customers, and suppliers.
He continued: “It’s a fascinating industry and I would recommend it to anyone looking for work.
“Through support and guidance, our team can solve problems quickly – sometimes so fast that clients are shocked and surprised by the speed of response. We aim to fix and solve a query at the first contact.
“We deal with queries within an hour thanks to a hardworking group of individuals, who are enthusiastic and have bought into the core values that this company is built on.
“It is one big family, and everyone genuinely looks after one another. For example, if we have a mechanical issue with a truck the driver’s colleagues step in to make sure each client is serviced as normal.”
Andrew, who resides in Dollar in Clackmannanshire, is relishing a bright 2024 and beyond for Keenan Recycling.
He added: “We continue to progress and the office space we have in Aberdeen is wonderful with high-spec equipment at our fingertips.
“New legislation is coming in for England and Wales soon, so we need to be ready for that, which we will be.
“There is £2 million worth of trucks on order as well as plans to grow my team in the future.
“It’s great that the company is constantly developing, but it’s also wonderful to know that each client is important, whether that is a multi-national operation or a café with 20 seats.”
