From “Hello, My Name Is…” to Leading the Line

"I'm proud of how far we've come" — Minde on 14 years at Forza

This month, we sat down with Minde, our Day Shift Production Manager, to hear about his journey from production operator to one of the people running our factory floor. Originally from Lithuania, Minde arrived at Forza in 2011 barely speaking a word of English. Today, he leads a team, manages record-breaking production, and tells his own story fluently. If that's not Making Your Mark, we don't know what is.

You've been with Forza for over 14 years — what were those early days like?

When I joined in June 2011, the business was much smaller — around 20 people, working out of just two units. We were producing about 20 doors a day, cutting doors on nights and then calibrating, pressing, and running the CNC the following day.

And I was doing all of this while barely speaking any English. When I arrived, I could say "Hello, my name is Mindaugas" — and that was about it. Everything else I had to learn on the job, picking it up as I went.

It was hard work, but I loved it. Moving across departments meant I was always learning — new skills, new processes, and a new language all at the same time. The UV line was always my favourite.

That's remarkable. How did your confidence grow alongside your English?

Honestly, the two went hand in hand. As my English improved, I could communicate better with the team, take on more responsibility, and start to really find my feet. Forza gave me the environment to do that — people were patient, and the work gave me a reason to keep pushing.

I'm completely fluent now, which still feels like an achievement I'm proud of. It's one of the things Forza helped me master — alongside making doors.

And how did your career develop from there?

After my first year, the Managing Director came to me with a proposal — to become a supervisor and launch a late shift. At the time we only ran days, so it felt like a big responsibility. But the team made it work, and within a year I was promoted to shift manager.

As the company kept growing, I was offered the production manager role, and eventually moved into the day shift production manager position. My colleague took on the late shift, and we've been running the factory side by side for the past seven years. In our very first month as production managers, we hit record-high production volumes. That's something I'll never forget.

That's a real Make Your Mark moment — stepping up, taking responsibility, leaving a lasting impression. Were there times when that felt difficult?

Definitely. Keeping up with rapid growth was probably the biggest challenge. Going from 20 doors a day to over 300 meant constantly building new systems and new ways of working. You have to adapt quickly and bring the team with you.

Then there was COVID. A lot of factories closed, but Forza kept going. We combined both shifts into one day shift to keep things safe, and after work many of us would head straight to Gatwick for testing. It wasn't easy, but I'm genuinely proud of how everyone pulled together. It showed real commitment from the whole team.

What's your proudest moment?

That first month as production manager. Seeing the team step up and achieve record volumes — it showed me what's possible when people are committed and working as one. That's the moment I realised what we were capable of.

And what does Forza mean to you, after all this time?

Growth, opportunity, and teamwork. It's about building something bigger than yourself — not just doors, but a company and a culture worth being proud of.

I arrived here 14 years ago from Lithuania, not knowing anyone, barely able to introduce myself. Forza gave me the chance to grow — as a professional, as a leader, and as a person. That doesn't happen everywhere. It gives people the chance to make their mark — you just have to be willing to put the work in.