A key member of the B&A Group management team, Sales Manager Ashley Bruno is responsible for handling the sales of recycled and quarried aggregates to customers across the South West. Drawing on ten years’ experience in the sector, he helps run the Transport & Aggregates division and ensures that customers are satisfied.
“First and foremost, it is about trying to understand how many vehicle movements a customer requires us to do to fulfil their needs”, Ashley explains. “We have a large fleet that can manage anything from six tonnes of topsoil to 200 loads a day out of Bristol Airport.”
As of February 2020, Ashley was instrumental in the set up of B&A Stone Supplies and works alongside Business Development Manager, Stuart Palmer, in the development of expansion of the B&A Stone Supplies division, delivering premium quarried aggregates to clients across the South West. According to Ashley, helping this new venture grow in addition to our existing services has been an “exciting challenge”.
Bristol born and bred, Ashley started out working in customer service for NatWest before joining Cemex as a sales representative. After climbing through the ranks he joined B&A Group in May 2015.
He has since been instrumental in helping B&A Group to grow sales and expand its business.
“I help to make sure everything is going in the right direction and in the last five years B&A has dramatically grown”, he comments. “We are now a company that can take on huge, huge jobs without batting an eyelid.”
Key to this success has been Ashley’s technical knowledge, people skills and ability to develop lasting relationships with clients.
“It is all about repeat business”, he explains. “There are many people that I’ve known for years and a lot of customers are now friends.”
Today, Ashley and colleague Ben Higham look after hundreds of customers between them. Ashley’s role includes everything from updating the yard manager each day on what is coming in and out of the depot to drawing up tenders for future work and visiting customer sites.
He also enjoys showing people around the £11 million state-of-the-art Hallen facility because “it shows people we are serious about what we do”.
He says, “I love my job. You have to be so switched on and it keeps me on my toes! Being part of the development of many projects in the South West is very rewarding”. He especially values building long standing relationships with our repeat business customers.
After a hard day’s work, Ashley always makes a point of getting home to partner Becky in time to tuck up his young son, Lenny, in bed. Last year, Ashley also welcomed a daughter, Bea, to the Bruno family. Outside of work, Ashley loves making time for football, family and friends.
One of the perks of the job, according to Ashley, is the working environment at B&A Group.
He comments: “B&A Group is a great place to work. It is hard work but rewarding, a family-run business where everyone looks after everyone – you can’t ask for more than that.”
Experience During Lockdown
We spoke to Ashley about his experience during lockdown and how his work has changed over the past few months…
“Lockdown has been difficult for everyone. You get used to having your team around you and it takes time to safely build back up.
Construction is a place where health and safety is top of the agenda and rightfully so. Helping to complete the Avonmouth Fire Station and supporting the utilities world has shown how we can help key workers and ensure South West functions did not grind to a halt.”
A huge thank you to Ashley for his continued hard work and dedication to everything we do here at B&A Group. We would not be where we are today without you and we’re excited to see how you continue to develop B&A Stone Supplies and our Transport and Aggregates divisions over the coming months.
