We have recently hired Rob Hinchliffe as our Purchasing Manager to enhance company experience and build stronger relationships with our manufacturing partners.

Rob Hinchliffe joined as Purchasing Manager towards the end of 2022 and will be at the forefront of partnerships with our global range of manufacturers. Using his industry experience and prior relationships with some of our suppliers, Rob will liaise with our sales team to manage product forecasts and organise the logistics of order fulfilment. Having previously worked in the telecoms sector for over eight years as well as gaining indispensable experience in purchasing for a kitchen manufacturer, Rob’s expertise will be a vital part of our team.

The position of Purchasing Manager is a new role we have created to ensure we keep and build on our strong relationships with manufacturers. Rob will be the front face to our suppliers and will ensure our partnerships are maintained, alongside our Junior Purchaser, Mike Okolo. This involves forecasting customer supply chain needs for the year, managing warehouse logistics and always being aware of any issues or potential product shortages to assure a smooth sales procedure. Altnets are invested in the whole procurement process, from supplier to customer, and Rob’s knowledge, experience, and previous connections with suppliers, will establish an even better business plan.

Rob says:

“Despite Altnets being a young company, they have expertise in a booming industry which has an ever-growing list of opportunities and I wanted to be a part of this growth. There is no reason the business can’t thrive after having seen their relationships with their suppliers and manufacturers.

“On my first day it felt like I was just back off holiday. The team are really great people and I knew many of them already, but even those who I didn’t, I found we were all really similarly minded. Everyone has the same objectives and wants to work hard to help the business grow.

“Working at Altnets has been a big eye opener for me. I learnt that it isn’t all about chucking big cables in the ground! I never appreciated the complexity of some of the telecoms builds and the level of industry standards of the products we supply. However, this means that my role is always interesting and there’s always something new for me to learn every day.

“The way the internet has evolved so quickly intrigues me. Merely 25 years ago we were mesmerised by dial-up internet, and now every house can get full fibre broadband. I love not knowing what will come next, the new products I’ll get to see and how the industry is never static – it will forever evolve and improve.”

Director Paul Britnell, who recruited Rob, says:

“I knew Rob would be a valuable addition to the Altnets team and would fit with our team ethos and culture. Wherever possible we try to recruit the best experts from within the telecoms industry, which is why we brought Rob on board.

“The new role of Purchasing Manager is really important as our business grows. With Rob acting as the main point of contact for our manufacturers, this smooths the procurement process for our sales team and creates efficiencies across the company which in turn benefits our customers.” We are delighted to have Rob on board – welcome to the Altnets team!