Accu Welcomes Richard Durr As UK Operations Director

We are excited to welcome Richard Durr to Team Accu, who joined us as UK Operations Director in September 2023. 

Bringing a wealth of experience in managing operations for SMEs both in the UK and the US, Richard has honed his skills over many years in the manufacturing sector. This includes picking and packing for overseas customers, running operations in production, engineering, planning and purchasing and managing teams in logistics, quality control, and supply. 

Richard's expertise is certain to play a pivotal role in Accu's future operations, aiming to enhance efficiency, refine processes, and provide an unparalleled experience for both our team and customers.

Crafting an Inspiring Space: Richard's Vision for HQ2

With Accu, Richard is taking his first venture into the world of ecommerce, inspired by the compelling announcement of our HQ2 investment. 

With former experience managing projects to a similar scale, Richard was eager to join the Accu team, picking up the project and finding ways to build on it to make it even better.

As such, Richard envisions creating a space that is not only practical for the team but is also exciting and inspiring. He emphasises the importance of everyone being part of the HQ2 project, shaping it into a place tailored specifically to the needs and personality of the business. 

HQ2 wasn’t the only thing that brought Richard to Accu’s door. He was also captivated by the energy at Accu, the rapid pace of change, and dynamic growth. Richard saw a place with values close to his heart - where he could offer guidance and contribute to the growth of the team.

The People At The Heart Of Accu

At its core, Richard believes that the ‘team’ is the backbone and ultimately the determinant of success for any organisation. 

As Operations Director, he stressed that this is the most important part: to lead, mentor and support your team, creating better experiences and driving them towards success.

“A business is its people.” Richard shares. “Having the right people will help you to grow and succeed. This is something that Accu does very well, and I am excited to be a part of it, enhancing it even further.”

With an aim to do just that, Richard has made great efforts in his first two months to seek new ways of keeping the team connected.

Bringing his love of the outdoors into the workplace, Richard has orchestrated group walks amidst the breathtaking Yorkshire moors, conveniently located right on our doorstep.

With plans for many more team walks in the future, this perfectly reflects Richard's belief that a united and collaborative team is fundamental to propel Accu towards new heights.

Another aspect of Richard's commitment to fostering growth is his passion for apprenticeships.

Dedicated to providing young people with the best possible start to their careers, Richard recognises apprenticeships as a key driver in Accu’s future.

He stresses the importance of sparking students’ interest in engineering from an early age, something he has actively pursued through prior work in schools with the aim to inspire them to explore potential career paths. 

Throughout the years Accu has actively pursued this very goal through various student-focused initiatives. These include apprenticeships in partnership with Kirklees College, sponsorship of engineering student teams and our recent involvement in STEM programmes within local schools. Not to mention the the annual #AccuDreamJob experience day, the successful launch of our Building Tomorrow Scholarships, and our active engagement in many other university events.

We are thrilled to hear Richard echoing these sentiments and we are sure that his addition will further reinforce our commitment to student initiatives in the years to come.

A Passion For The Outdoors

Away from the office, Richard maintains an active lifestyle, relishing outdoor adventures. Over the past ten years, he has developed an affinity for boxing fitness, clay pigeon shooting, and has even challenged himself with the famous Yorkshire Three Peaks on more than one occasion.

In addition to his outdoor pursuits, Richard is training to become a magistrate and has an active role in charity work and mentoring in schools. His dedication to giving back to society reflects his philosophy - that charity is at the heart of a successful society.

Fun fact! Richard also has a hedgehog sanctuary (Shelley Hedgehogs) in his back garden, a testament to the brilliant passion and hard work of his wife, Mel. On top of her full time job, Mel works with a dedicated team of volunteers to look after hundreds of hogs throughout the year!

Welcome To The Team!

Reflecting on his new journey at Accu, Richard expressed, "Joining Accu feels like an adventure. The energy, the forward-thinking approach, and the priority given to both innovation and people is inspiring. I am eagerly looking forward to being part of Accu’s evolution, turning HQ2 from a promising vision to an exciting reality where we will be able to grow.”

With his extensive experience and a commitment to driving Accu’s operations forward, we are confident that Richard will play a transformative role in our future growth.

In the words of our Managing Director Alastair Morris, “We are delighted to welcome Richard to Team Accu. He brings valuable experience to our operations at an exciting time in Accu's growth. He will spearhead the move to our new warehouse, increasing capacity 6 fold and making even more product available for same-day dispatch.”

Welcome aboard, Richard!