Grant’s story at PD Ports started in 1990. But his first experience of the industry came long before that. With a Bachelor of Arts degree and a transition that’s seen him move from shop floor to senior leadership, Grant’s journey shows that every career is different.
“I had always found the docks fascinating as my father was a crane driver firstly on Smiths Dock and then Tees Dock. He spoke several languages, so he would regularly take me on to the ships to meet the crew and watch the operations. I would have only been about 7 at the time.”
Inspired by his childhood experiences, Grant began his career as a Stevedore in the Teesport Steel Terminal working in a range of operations across the dock. The next 13 years saw him develop his skills and progress from Crane Driver to Chargehand, Team Leader, Shift Manager and Operations Manager. This was a period of continual development for Grant, undertaking a range of courses to support his growth. Backed by a NEBOSH General Certificate and further understanding of the legal side of health and safety, Grant moved on to become General Manager of Bulks in 2019, followed by Operations Director Bulks two years later.
“I’ve been lucky to have been supported by mentors and colleagues throughout my career. Whether that was bulk processes or finance and cost management, I’ve been given the guidance, confidence and inspiration to believe that anything is possible; even for an operative that started on the shop floor.
“It could be anything from secondments and knowledge building to further education or other academic experiences, career development at PD Ports has always been supportive.”
During his career, Grant has seen plenty of changes and challenges. At Teesport, he’s helped the business navigate the transition from steel to bulk, growing operations from small numbers to over 3 million tons. There’s also been time spent at our Felixstowe and Groveport sites, improving health and safety processes as well as driving cost savings.
“PD Ports is like a family to me. The culture is incredibly positive and very supportive, and the work is engaging and allows for both individual and team input. But it’s also challenging – our business is very reactive to external factors such as Brexit, inflation and the housing market – we always have to be ready for change.
“The company values work life balance, and that’s something we’ve worked hard on over recent years. I genuinely look forward to every day.”
Head to careers to find out more about working at PD Ports and our opportunities.
