Blue, the corporate color shared by GF and Uponor, gave Heather (left) and Julie a sense of familiarity.

Globe XChange Day

Open to new encounters

Testimonial by Heather Newman

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A selection of testimonials from Globe XChange is also available in other languages. You can find these online at We@GF.

I work at our facility in Vaughan, one of three GF Piping Systems facilities in Canada, where we sell several different products into a wide range of markets. I’ve been with GF for 34 years, and am proud to be part of such a great organization. We recently implemented a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) queue system, which is a new way of systematically managing our customer information and improving our customer service levels. I check the queues first thing in the morning to be certain that we are still in good shape and on top of things. After that, I usually have a 15-minute touch base with my team, which consists of myself and four colleagues. This is a good way to start and make sure that everyone is up to date with the latest developments.

During a tour of the warehouse, Julie showed her Xchange partner Heather what GF Uponor sells.

Heather loves meeting new people, especially those who are new to the company.

Common grounds

When I met with Julie from Uponor customer service for Globe XChange Day in January, I had no idea it would be such a good day. We started at our facility, where I showed her around and introduced her to my team. After a quick lunch, we headed to the GF Uponor facility in Mississauga (Canada), which is very close by – only about a 15-minute drive. Before we moved to our current building, the GF site was in the same neighborhood as today’s GF Uponor premises. I was well-used to the area and the style of the buildings. The GF Uponor space resembled our former building so much – the way it was furnished, the way it was laid out – that it was strangely familiar. Julie took me on a tour and showed me some of their products, which are on display in the main area. We compared the product ranges of our companies and realized that we use different software and are organized a bit differently. At GF, customer service and inside sales are in the same team, whereas at Uponor they work more independently.

Heather Newman

Position: Director of Customer Experience
Division: GF Piping Systems
Location: Vaughan (Canada)
Joined GF in: 1990

“That was a good starting-point for us. I don’t think either of us would hesitate to reach out to each other.”
Heather Newman, Director of Customer Experiences at GF Piping Systems

Fostering connections

I always love to meet new people, and especially someone who’s newer to the company. I hope this day together has helped Julie to gain a little insight into GF and to get to know someone who has worked for GF for a long time and still likes it and is passionate about it. That was a good starting-point for us. I don’t think either of us would hesitate to reach out to each other. Julie’s and my relationship will certainly build on that foundation over the years.

Further impressions:

Here's how Julie experienced the Globe XChange with Heather.

Come together

The GF family welcomes new colleagues

GLOBE XCHANGE DAY is a unique initiative born of a desire to deepen personal connections within the newly merged GF family. Four colleagues representing GF Piping Systems, GF Casting Solutions and GF Machining Solutions were paired with four colleagues from GF Uponor. The pairings were made by the Globe editorial team strategically, identifying similar areas of responsibility and common Uponor or GF locations in Canada, Italy, Germany and Sweden. You will discover compelling testimonials from your colleagues, offering a holistic view of Globe Xchange Day and the profound connections forged across our extended GF family.