08 June, 2026 | Category: News, Premier People, The PCC Team
The next iteration of Premier People is all about Steve White, our Quality Manager.
You’ll often find him at RAF sites, (Duxford is one of his favourites), with a passion for the RAF, aeroplanes and engineering. There’s not much Steve White doesn’t know about the aviation industry. Or bespoke label stock for that matter!
Steve White has been with Premier Coating & Converters for over 13 years. In the past year, Steve’s loyalty to the business has been rewarded with a promotion to Quality Manager.
Steve joined the business as a shy, unassuming teenager and has blossomed into an assured and respected member of the labelling community. Many of our customers and suppliers speak regularly with Steve and have done so for many years. He works closely with the shop floor team within the management structure and has the respect of his colleagues.
Steve, you’ve recently been promoted to Quality Manager within Premier. How have you settled into your new role?
I’ve enjoyed getting started. I started this role in July 2025, but I’ve been working in the lab for nearly ten years. Bruce (Paddy, Technical Director) and I have seen more products through the door than most! The sales team always kept us on our toes. We’d get phone calls from Steve (Flood) regularly saying “I’ve had this enquiry, I’ve got materials on the way to you, let me know how you get on with testing”. Those conversations happen with Lewis and Lee now, but it’s great to know we’re still pushing the envelope when it comes to producing products. As well as not standing still!
I’ve been working for the business for over 12 years. In today’s job market people tend to move around a bit more, but I’m so pleased that I’ve progressed to this role. I’ve been working hard with Health & Safety practices and ISO. My colleagues would probably say I’m quite meticulous, so bringing that to my new role is really important to me! I like being here and this has given me a new challenge to tackle.
Talking of challenges, are there any barriers you’ve had to overcome with the new role?
Like I’ve said, we’ve definitely diversified our ranges over the years and added a vast number of new label stock products to the business, meaning I’ve needed to do some research into the new products, adhesives and materials that we’re using. But we’re very well equipped when it comes to experience.
When you work within this industry, there is a lot of chatter around eco-friendly products at the moment (PREMECO™). I feel like as a business we’ve nailed that. But challenges come in all forms when it comes to adhesion, printability and durability. This is something that we are continuously talking about, making sure we’re doing everything we can to support the people on the shop floor, in turn creating magic with the self-adhesive products we send out. That language is consistent, and important.
So, when it comes to quality, as a business we can’t sell these products without them being right. Those challenges arise at times; however, we find the solutions. It’s what we’re known for.
You originally worked on the factory floor here when you joined in 2013, how important was that for you?
Massively. We talk a lot in our Quality and Efficiencies meetings about machinery, our workforce and how important it is that we understand them. When I first joined as a Production Operative, I had experience on both coating and slitting machines. Predominantly slitting, but I could run either the coating lines or slitting machines today if you asked me. And that’s not uncommon for a lot of the management here. That’s so important. If one of the Production Team come over and needs advice on something, it means that they have all the right people giving that advice. We grow from within and we build our team up. It’s rare for them (production team) to ask, but it’s important that they can and feel comfortable to do so.
You’ve progressed in the past 12 years to join the management team, what are you aspirations for the future?
I want to make sure that quality is at the forefront of all our minds. I’ll work with the team closely to ensure that is continuously instilled in our culture and products. We need to continue to hold a microscope to the work we do, and that’s where I come in. I worked closely with Bruce in the lab for nine years, so I understand how he wants us to perform. The next few years are exciting, especially with new developments and products.
You’re an aircraft obsessive and an aviation enthusiast, what sparked that interest for you?
To me, it’s all about pilots who are without doubt, the very best at what they do. The are up there, controlling complex systems, in incredible pieces of technology, doing a job that captures imagination. That’s what really grips me.
It looks graceful, exciting and co-ordinated, and underneath it all, they’re built to last. I’ve always been interested in the RAF. Locally we have the Army Air Museum, so for me, it’s ideal!