Atlas Copco appoints Brian Barnes to head UK Compressor Technique Service division

Atlas Copco has appointed Brian Barnes as Business Line Manager for Operations within its Compressor Technique Service (CTS) division in the UK. As well as continuing its primary role in providing compressor and vacuum systems optimisation, and aftermarket services including genuine spare parts and scheduled maintenance plans, Barnes sees his mission as to help customers embrace the tangible business benefits that big data analysis, remote monitoring and predictive maintenance technology has to offer.

Brian Barnes has 26 years’ experience of working for Atlas Copco. He began his career in the UK, as a field service engineer, before progressing through technical support roles to become a service manager and regional team leader. Subsequently, he successfully completed international assignments both in Canada, in a service manager role, and in Egypt where he was business line manager for the local CTS division. Most recently, Barnes held the position of national operations manager for the CTS division in the UK.

In addition to his day-to-day role, Barnes believes it is his, and Atlas Copco’s, responsibility to help identify, recruit and retain the next generation of compressed air engineers: “In order to maintain the high level of technical skills required within our field service engineering team, we have to place a strong emphasis on offering compelling apprenticeship training schemes that will inspire young people to pursue a career in the compressed air industry. This will help us to bridge any skills gap between traditional mechanical engineering and emerging electronic engineering disciplines, which is an essential requirement when dealing with today’s ever-evolving air handling technology,” explains Barnes.

Barnes added that, in parallel with the company’s sales efforts and marketing communications, an important part of his new job is in educating and advising customers of the value-for-money benefits that switching to smarter and more energy-efficient solutions can confer on their applications. He commented: “One of my prime focuses has to be on promoting customer care and productivity. That responsibility extends way beyond maintenance matters to cover all aspects of customers’ systems, from advising how they can comply with the government’s latest carbon reduction measures to providing guidance on health and safety matters relating to their compressed air operations.”

This commitment to promoting best practice when it comes to health and safety also applies to the staff under Barnes’ direction, as he explains: “At Atlas Copco, we believe in a safety first mentality and this is particularly true for our field service engineers. For this reason, we ensure they receive the highest levels of technical training, and are also up to speed on our latest health and safety policies – whether they relate to being on-site or travelling on business. This ensures that both they, and our end customers, operate in a safe and productive working environment.”

Commenting on Brian Barnes’ appointment, Alexander Pavlov, Atlas Copco General Manager UK & Ireland said: “With his very broad experience in service operations, strong people management skills and deep understanding of the challenges in the aftermarket industry, Brian is the ideal candidate for the position of business line manager for Compressor Technique Service operations.”

In the leisure time he spends at home in Washington, Tyne and Wear, Barnes likes nothing more than to practice his guitar and his golfing skills; commenting that: “I used to be a 9-handicapper, but the demands of management now mean fewer opportunities to get on the course!”