MEET THE TEAM - TOM ASHLEE
MEET THE TEAM - TOM ASHLEE
SIG Roofing has a wealth of knowledge across its team of 900 people. In this series of articles, we want to showcase their value and the part that they play in delivering a better customer experience.
Next up is TOM ASHLEE, Operations Director at SIG Roofing.
“Our Operations function is all about helping the business to balance high levels of customer service with being as efficient as we can be, ensuring the business is compliant, creating great places to work, and making sure our staff and customers are safe when they visit our sites.”
Plotted Career History…
Tom lives on the outskirts of Leeds in West Yorkshire and joined the SIG business in 2020 as our Warehouse Optimisation Manager, bringing more than 20 years' experience in his specialist field.
His career began at Ikea’s Leeds store, a job that started part-time while he was at school and continued after he left, whilst studying for a Mechanical Engineering Degree (BEng) at Leeds University. After completing his degree, Tom moved into a full time management role with IKEA overseeing warehousing, replenishment and logistics operations at the Leeds store.
By this stage in his life, he was married with two small children and was ready for his next career challenge, moving to Premier Farnell in Armley, a global B2B electronics business, and spent a further 10 years focusing on continuous improvements in its supply chain and logistics functions. He remembers it being a busy time, completing a three-year part-time Master of Science (MSc) degree in Supply Chain & Logistics Management, whilst managing the go-live of Premier Farnell’s new 362,000 sqft state of the art automated International Distribution Centre in Leeds.
He then joined the SIG Group as Warehouse Optimisation Manager in 2020 and has since been involved in many projects in his specialist area of warehousing and logistics. He was appointed SIG UK Roofing Operations Director in March 2025, choosing to work in the roofing division because he likes the people there and because it has over 100 branch locations and various manufacturing businesses to support.
What areas does the Operation team cover…
Tom now sits on the SIG Roofing board of directors and reports directly to Chris Lodge, MD of the division. His role of Operations Director is a new role for the business, and while his background was in logistics and warehousing, this role holds a broader remit, including:
- The Fleet team who oversee the company's HGV, van, car and forklift fleet, ensuring full compliance with the requirements of the HGV Operator Licence. Maintaining these standards is critical to the business's ability to transport products safely and efficiently to customers. The role includes driving continuous improvement in fleet compliance through regular engagement, auditing and face-to-face training for drivers and branch teams, helping to embed a strong culture of safety, accountability and operational excellence across the network.
- The Facilities Management team who are responsible for creating and maintaining safe, compliant and welcoming working environments across the estate. From building maintenance, security and statutory compliance to workplace improvements and investment projects, the team helps ensure branches remain great places to work for our branch teams and professional environments in which to serve customers.
- The Projects team responsible for delivering capital investment projects across, including new branch openings, relocations, major refurbishments and estate improvement initiatives. Working closely with operational teams and external contractors, they ensure projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget.
- The Operations Analyst who plays a key role in driving operational excellence by providing insight into performance across the branch network. Through the analysis of data relating to branch efficiency, customer service, productivity and compliance, our operations analyst helps identify trends, measure performance and inform initiatives.
- The Estates team who manage the company's property portfolio, including lease negotiations, rent reviews, business rates and landlord relationships. They play a key role in ensuring the branch network remains commercially effective, supporting business growth while providing high-quality locations for colleagues and customers.
The breadth of responsibility means that Tom works on different projects each day, but fundamentally the role is about helping the business balance high levels of customer service with efficient operations, whilst ensuring compliance is upheld, creating great places to work for our colleagues, and making sure our staff, customers and the general public are safe when they visit SIG Roofing.
