Debby Emery – Design Manager at Wernick Hire

Debby’s interview

My name is Debby Emery and I am the Design Manager for Wernick Hire (based at the Chawston depot).

My role is to produce AutoCAD drawings of modular buildings, classrooms, cabin complexes, elevations, foundation pad plans, site plans and larger projects which would require building regulation approval. I work for all the depots within Wernick Hire.

I usually receive drawing requests in the form of a sketch or a list of requirements. From this information I can help you to decide a suitable unit type and design the internal layout. I would consider the safety of the occupants, the flow through the building, the most efficient planning of the internal partitions and electrical positions and minimising water inlet/outlets.

Often the available footprint on site is very small. This will dictate the buildings size, shape and number of floor levels. It can require some creative thinking to accommodate everything into the space.

Once the building layout has been approved by the customer, it can be used to get a quotation from the manufacturer or sent to the workshop to retrofit existing units.

As Wernick Hire has been getting busier, so have my responsibilities, and this was recognised with a promotion and the hire of my colleague Tom Hunt. Together we were able to streamline what we do by updating the drawing templates and creating intelligent blocks. We can now present more uniform, technical, professional and informative drawings.

Another proud achievement was working on one of Wernick Hire’s largest modular projects. I worked alongside the Depot Manager here at Chawston and the Senior Site Manager to create and refine a two-storey building from 96 linked bays of AVflex modular units and design the foundation pad layout.

My background is designing demountable steel structures for the event industry and high-density storage solutions for distribution centres and warehouses, which has given me a wealth of experience. My proudest moment was sitting just 25 metres away from the Queen in a roofed seating grandstand I designed for the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

I have been working for Wernick Hire for three years. It’s a great company to work for and although it is large, it still maintains a family atmosphere where upper management is always approachable.

The office and workshop staff here at the Chawston Depot are friendly and supportive, they have lots of experience and are always happy to help.

The work is varied and always busy, my days just fly by. I love a challenge and the feeling of achievement when it all comes together.

Outside of work: 

In my spare time, I have many hobbies and try to fit in as much as I can.

I love clay shooting, riding my motorcycle, river boating, Ceroc, tending my vegetable plot and caring for my chickens.