In our most recent staff blog posts, we have interviewed some of our newer members of staff. This time we are privileged enough to be able to talk with Roz Hibbert who has been with the company for over 30 years and saw the company formed back in 1991.
With such an insight, we asked Roz to tell us more about how the company was formed, how it has evolved and the changes she has experienced over a long and varied career…..
Roz – “I have always loved looking at maps and it was this passion that saw me study cartography. My fascination of how early maps were compiled grew and it was this that led to me working for Cornwall Consultants, because maps – be they old or new – are essential items to our work. I am intrigued by their intricacies and pride myself on being familiar with mapping details.
In fact, I remember being asked one day ‘which large scale map displayed Truro’ and I was able to reel off the reference for the Geological Survey map and the Ordnance Survey map without a second thought. Today, thanks to advancements in technology, we no longer use the grid references as the computer is able to generate this for us but I still pride myself on being ‘postcode queen’ and am able to provide not only the town, but the area within the town that a particular postcode relates to!”
This digitisation is just one of the many changes Roz has experienced since helping to form the company in 1991 and subsequently joining the in January 1992.
Her previous years’ working in the oil and gas industry meant she held a vast wealth of knowledge that was invaluable to Cornwall Consultants, who started out as a small team of three, working in an office in Redruth.
Roz continues – “At the beginning, I predominantly undertook much of the admin work however as the volume of projects increased, the company grew, doubling in size within two years. This rapid growth meant I began to assist with the production of Mining Searches and additional admin staff were employed, which freed up my time to help, lending my research skills where they were needed most.”
“The growth didn’t slow and thank to our expertise, wealth of skills and vast local knowledge the company continued to expand and we soon had a team of 12 with our small office now feeling incredibly cramped! Added to this was our ever-expanding mining records archive so, with room getting tight, the company made the decision to move to Parc Vean House in Redruth in 2001. A converted Victorian house, that was once home to a Chinese restaurant(!), it offered considerably more space enabling us to expand to a team of 20 in varying departments including Mining Searches, Mundic Testing, Site Investigations and Land Contamination.”
“Very sadly in 2012, owner and MD Tony Elliott, became ill and passed away. Dan Berriman then took the reins, taking the opportunity to overhaul the company and revolutionise the way we produced reports by introducing an innovative GIS system – which we continue to use today. This transformation has made our considerable volumes of work much easier to handle and significantly more efficient.”
“As technology continued to develop there were opportunities for Cornwall Consultants to innovate. The technique of undertaking mine searches became computerized – prior to this we were using antiquated techniques compiling the maps/plans manually which was in turn accompanied by numerous reports! This introduction of technology eradicated all of this whilst greatly improving our overall presentation and final reports to clients. And of course, innovation and in-house technology skills have seen the development of our fabulous MineScanner tool (link to blog) which has revolutionized the way we work in this sphere too.”
“However, it’s not just the technological landscape that has changed, throughout my 30 years I have seen many staff come and go, some temporary, working for a couple of years before moving to pastures new, (including two to Australia and one to New Zealand), with some remaining with the company for over 10 years. Dan Berriman joined when I as on maternity leave – 25 years ago now! – and has been an integral part of the evolution of the company, providing a steady pair of hands as we have navigated through some significant changes.”
“My time with Cornwall Consultants, now Cornwall Mining Consultants, has honestly been fantastic. Experiencing the progress and evolution of a rapidly growing business is something I feel lucky to have been a part of and the fact I have chosen to stay only proves how much I have enjoyed the work I do and the people I do this with. As they say, time flies by when you are enjoying what you do. And I do. Cornwall Mining Consultants is a family-friendly place to work, I have built up a good rapport with clients over the years, which really adds to the community feel here and I feel privileged to have formed part of this dynamic and knowledgeable team.”
Meet the rest of the Cornwall Mining Consultants team >