Having been born with health problems and a life-threatening condition, Carl May has a successful career with Vision Products and is leading a full and active life.
Carl, 46, was born with one kidney, which stopped working in 1993, and had a kidney transplant in 1995. But five years later, his new kidney stopped working and Carl has been on life-saving dialysis, three times a week ever since.
A former pupil of Trealaw Primary School and Porth Comprehensive School, Carl started working at the Council’s Vision Products in December 2001 - firstly as a driver but after just one week he moved onto the ‘shop floor’ and has not looked back since.
Throughout all of his treatment, with the help and support of his employer, Carl has remained in work. He loves his job and works well with everyone at Vision Products.
Carl, who lives in the Rhondda Valley, is now the company’s PVCu supervisor, in charge of the factory floor operation and the stores, also managing the fabrication and assembly of all PVCu windows.
He provides support and coaching to his team and to all younger members of staff and apprentices.
Carl and his dedicated team have also been working on the development of a new factory floor layout, which was his idea, having seen the potential to improve the flow of the window production at Vision Products.
Since this was implemented, efficiency and effectiveness has been greatly enhanced in the production process.
Councillor Geraint Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Adult Community Services and Welsh Language, said: “We are proud of all of our workforce at Vision Products. Carl has been through so much in his life to date and he has terrific support from both his family and everyone at the Council and Vision Products.
“Carl and his team have carried out a tremendous amount of work to bring their ideas to life and have taken ownership and responsibility of the plan.
“Carl is a dedicated individual who is always looking at new ways to improve service delivery, quality and production – and through all of this he has remained in work while undergoing his life-saving treatment, which is truly remarkable.
“He is such an inspirational individual who clearly wants to remain in work and never ever asks for preferential treatment. Carl is a vital and extremely valuable member of the Vision Products team and has years of experience, bounds of knowledge and is constantly looking at innovative ways to improve his department.”
Carl, who was unaware of his condition until he reached his 18th birthday, has been on the kidney transplant list for the past three years and has had to undergo 10 blood transfusions in order for him to survive.
He has been told that the likelihood of finding a transplant is reduced to a maximum of 15% of the world population.
As a result of this, Carl has been selected to undergo pioneering treatment that, if successful, could double the chance of a match to 30%.
Carl May said: “I have always had amazing support from Vision Products and would like to thank the company for making workplace adjustments which allow me to remain in work and also attend hospital three times a week for dialysis.
“I would die without my medical treatment, and hopefully I will be eligible for another kidney transplant soon. But working at Vision Product gives me some normality in my life.”
Run as a supported business as part of RCT Council, Vision Products provides meaningful employment and development opportunities for people with disabilities within the locality.
This is done by the provision of the PVCu manufacturing department, the Integrated Community Equipment Service, Mobility Shops and the Technology and Servicing Department.
Having relocated to Pontyclun 25 years ago, with the formation of Vision Products, the company has expanded greatly over the years, but its main aims, objectives and values remain the same.
Over the last 25 years, Vision Products has diversified its service provision and is now a thriving business, with a customer base now extended to Local Authorities, Health Boards, and Housing Associations across Wales.
Posted on Friday 19th July 2019