As part of a series, we are giving you the chance to meet the people behind Manepa Medical. The people that answer the phone when you call us, the people on the road looking after your equipment and the people behind the scene making everything happen. For our first employee spotlight, meet our Field Service Engineer Des McHugh.

How long have you been working at Manepa?

It’s been 15 years!

How did you get into your area of work?

I travelled to Australia for a year and returned to Ireland in 2004. At this point in time, the economy was booming, and I decided to take on night classes to complete an electrical engineering degree. When the crisis hit Ireland in 2008 the building sector wasn’t an option anymore. However, not too long after I was lucky to find a position at a medical device company. That was my first introduction to the healthcare industry and working with autoclaves.

What was your first paying job?

Glass boy at a local bar in Sandyford.

How would you sum up your work?

Mainly making sure the customer is well-taken care of and we address their concerns to the best of our abilities. Obviously, this also means making sure the machines are working properly. However, keeping our clients happy really is how I would sum up my work.

What do you like the most about working at Manepa?

The short answer is people. Dealing with customers is one of the main aspects I like about this position. We also never stop learning. The projects are always different with their own challenges, so it never gets boring! Finally, I like being on the road, it means different scenery every day rather than being in an office.

What’s your best accomplishment since you started at Manepa?

In 2012 Manepa won a national tender for the installation and commissioning of autoclaves. I stepped in as a project manager for this contract over an 8month period. I was looking after the installation process including engaging with the customers. I had to balance office work and being on the road all over Ireland keeping an eye on the sites. It was a huge learning curve and a project I really enjoyed.

What do you like to do in your own time?

I am building a house in Wicklow and all my time is dedicated to it. But once the construction is over, I’ll go back to fishing and mountain walking.

What, if anything, are you currently binge-watching? Or reading?

We recently moved to a mobile home while the house is being built so there is no binge-watching anything! I used to like fantasy books, I guess I should have plenty of time now that we don’t have a TV…

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

I’ll love to go back to Australia. The first time we travelled from Melbourne all around the coast up to Darwin. I wouldn’t mind going back to Darwin down to Sidney and seeing the great barrier reef.

Thank you for your time Des! If you have any questions for Des, or any members of the team, get in touch here.