Meet The Team

Our team has a collective experience of 1000+ years.

John Hamnett

Managing Director

John took over as Managing Director in summer 2019 and has overall responsibility for the running of the business.

He joined A1 straight from school in 1986; in that time, he has manufactured, installed, designed, and engineered flue and chimney systems.

John has become an industry expert and is a regular commentator on issues relating to flues and chimneys.

Outside of work, John can regularly be seen in the gym or on a Rugby pitch.

Alberto Pirotta

CEO A1 Flue Systems and Business Development Director Expo Inox Group

Alberto took over the position of CEO at A1 in Jan 2024. He has been working in the flues industry for 30 years, taking over responsibilities on every sectors: Sales, Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Production, HSEQ.Master Graduated Civil Engineer at the University of “Politecnico di Milano”

- Passionate coach and team leader

- Highly skilled international senior executive, pragmatic and results driven

- Expert in new products implementation

- Personal interests; mountain climbing, skiing, nature & eco-sustainable building constructions

Claire Hamnett

Finance / HR Manager

Claire has overall financial responsibility for A1 and is the companies Human Resource Manager. Claire works closely with the Directors and Managers.

For her no two days are the same and she enjoys the challenge.

Claire joined the team in 2011.

Outside of work she enjoys travel and spending time with her children and family.

Rick Pearson

Procurement/Logistics Manager

A1 has its own fleet of vehicles, and Rick is responsible for the running and maintenance of all of them.

He works closely with the Installation Managers to ensure that our installation teams have transport – he also coordinates deliveries of flue and chimney systems to sites for installation.

Alongside logistics Rick also manages our procurement of all our raw materials, equipment & tooling.

Rick is a grandfather of ten, so he says this takes up all his time outside of work. Rick joined A1 as a driver in 2002.

Craig Maddison

Technical Advisor

Craig heads up the Technical team at A1, who work closely with our Engineering,

Estimating and Manufacturing departments to resolve technical issues of the design and development of flue and chimney systems, as well as queries and issues that arise following the survey of projects.

The Technical team also provide advice and guidance to Architects, Consultants, and Mechanical and Electrical contractors etc.

Craig has been working at A1 since 1982.

Angela Green

Accounts Manager

Angela runs our busy Accounts department and oversees all aspects of the day-to-day financial running of A1, from invoicing on projects to paying suppliers and subcontractors.

Outside of work Angela enjoys baking cakes and attending the gym. Angela has completed 5k runs in Australia and Singapore.

Angela joined A1 in 2001.

Matt Lonsdale

Production Manager

Matt is responsible for the smooth running of the manufacturing operation.

Having started on the shop floor, Matt has built up a wealth of knowledge in our manufacturing and production processes.

Outside of work Matt is a keen sportsman and traveller.

Matt joined A1 in 2015.

Joanne Smith

Estimating Manager

Joanne manages our busy Estimating team – which takes information from our Sales team, Agents and directly from customers to produce accurate estimates for projects.

It’s a challenging role because of the high volume of estimates that A1 is asked to produce at any one time.

She comes from a background in estimating and joined A1 in November 2019. Outside of work Joanne enjoys reading, walking and spending time with her family.

Gordon Allsop

Works Office Manager

As Works Office Manager,Gordon has overall responsibility for the scheduling of manufacturing. He manages dozens of jobs at any one time and can prioritise based on installation deadlines.

This includes cutting stainless steel into sections, which are then formed and manufactured into parts of flue and chimney systems.

Away from work, he follows Mansfield Town FC and joined A1 in 1988.

Merv Warriner

Contracts Manager

Merv joined our team in 2003 and since gained a wealth of experience for the financial side of contracting.

This includes all costing of projects, invoicing, final accounts, variations, and everything in between.

He works closely with the accounts department, subcontractors, and our contract engineers to ensure a smooth billing operation.

Outside of work Merv is an avid cyclist and keen golfer.

Andy Barber

Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality Manager

Andy is A1 Flues Health Safety, Environmental and Quality Manager who works closely with all departments within the company.

Having joined the company to initially set up an Environmental Management System, Andy has over the years added more strings to his bow to now oversee all aspects of SHEQ company policy and procedures both internally and through on site contracting.

Andy joined A1 in 2001.

Outside of work he enjoys the gym and spending time with family.