ABOUT US
Almade Limited was established in October 2015.
In 2015, after months of David coming home from the job he was in, frustrated and angry, which was starting to take its toll on the family, Merrilees sat David down. She told him to quit his job.
Not because he didn’t care or couldn’t do the work but because he did care and could see what could be done to turn the business around, to create a real benefit but those in charge weren’t interested and didn’t want to change.
Merrilees told David to go and find people to work with who did actually want to make a difference in their businesses and organisations.
This is how Almade started.
David wanted Almade to be a family business so he asked Merrilees to become a director. We decided we also wanted the children involved in some way. When creating our company name we came up with the idea of blending the children's names together- Blade & Alma became Almade! The stars in the logo come from a tattoo on the back of Merrilees' neck, which represents each of the children. Once our youngest, Elies, was born we added the third star. That way every member of the family is involved in some way in the business. We both regard the children as mini directors who are as much involved in the companies success as we are.
(Photo: Children's dividend reward 2019. Trip to Disneyland Paris)
It hasn't always been easy but it has been worth it.
Fast forward to 2023 and we have worked with some of the world's leading automotive brands.
We have sparked creativity and innovation within these companies to allow them to go forward and achieve and implement Quality Management System Certifications (ISO 9001, DFMEA, Practical Problem Solving and 8D training)
Almade’s main focus was on helping businesses to implement and achieve QMS certification.
But since 2022, when Merrilees was able to join the company full time, we have been able to develop our training to also include working with individuals who want to develop their careers within the Quality sector.
With David’s over 25 years experience of working within Quality and Quality Management Systems and Merrilees’ background of psychology and coaching, we are able to bring a unique perspective of working with not only individuals but also businesses.
As Almade grows and implements new strategies, we are excited to see where we go next.
DAVID WOOD
Director and Principal Technical Consultant
Hi, I am David and I am one of the Directors and Principal Technical Consultant of Almade Limited.
I am a graduate Applied Chemist, and also a Lead Auditor qualified for quality, environmental and health & safety management systems. I have over 25 years experience in the management, provision and advice of compliance and conformity, with a focus on quality management systems. I have successfully implemented ISO 9001, IATF 16949, AS9100 and ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified quality management systems.
I enjoy providing training on 8D problem solving, PPAP production part approval process, APQP advanced product quality planning and supplier auditing and seeing people actually get it. I like to use real world experiences to make what I teach accessible to everyone.
I am married with 3 children and a dog. I constantly try to hide the fact that I actually really love our family dog that I was adamant I didn't want to get! In my spare time I enjoys running (recreationally), military and geo-political history. I am a strong believer and advocate in giving back to the community and I have volunteered extensively with local organisations.
MERRILEES WOOD
Director, Financial Controller & All Round Tech Wizard
Hi, I am Merrilees and I am the other Director of Almade Limited. I make sure all the finances for Almade are correct and I also do all the IT!
I am a Psychology graduate and have also been a qualified Dental Nurse. I was diagnosed in 2021 with ADHD and in 2023 with Autism. It makes sense to me now why I am so fascinated by numbers but also have a very creative side. I see the world differently to most people, and I believe it gives me a unique and different viewpoint in how things can be done and completed to make them better for everyone.
I enjoy working with numbers, organising things and also creating marketing materials. That is why my role in Almade is perfect for me. I am able to use my expertise to help keep things running smoothly but also able to help in getting our message out there.
I am happily married to David. We have 3 children and 1 fur baby, Hibernia. I enjoy taking time to spend with my family, cooking meals, playing board games and going on walks. I am a big fan of exercise as it has helped me substantially with my physical and mental fitness. I also love to read, well listen to audio books, and dance. I am also a trained dance instructor.