Nuttall
Meet the Connector - Daniel Vangeen, Director of Sales & Marketing
With more than two decades in retail design and manufacturing, Daniel, our Director of Sales & Marketing, has worked alongside the industry’s biggest names. For him, Nuttall has always stood out.
Eighteen months on from joining the business, he now plays a central role in shaping its growth, strengthening partnerships and helping more clients discover what a truly joined-up approach can deliver.
In this interview, Daniel reflects on what first drew him to Nuttall, how the business has evolved, and why building real relationships and working as one integrated team are proving more valuable than ever.
Joining Nuttall
Q. What first attracted you to the business, and what have you come to understand about its strengths as you’ve spent more time with clients and teams?
Daniel: I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years, working around big players and household brands. Nuttall was always right at the top. I even had the pleasure of meeting Mr Nuttall many years ago, so I already knew the reputation the business carried.
I was excited when I heard about the role. The first time I walked in, I fell in love with the building: beautiful, full of history. What struck me most was the feedback.
Not one employee, partner, supplier or customer had a bad word to say. People enjoy working with Nuttall because it’s built on respect, putting clients first and doing things properly.
That culture began with Alan Nuttall and lives on through Matt and the team. It feels like family, because it is.
Purpose and progress
Q. When you joined, what objectives did you set yourself, and how have those priorities sharpened as the market and client expectations have evolved?
Daniel: My remit was clear: bring Nuttall to a wider client base. We have strong relationships with leading retailers and brands, but the ambition was to grow.
That meant reigniting our marketing. We had been quiet, so we needed to tell our story again, attract new partners and show more people what we do.
I also sit within the senior leadership team, helping steer the business and ensure it performs. Growth has to work for everyone: the partnership, our people and our clients, long term.
Looking ahead: this year’s focus
Q. As we look across 2026, where is Nuttall focusing its efforts most strongly, and where are you personally investing your time and attention?
Daniel: Over the past year, we’ve learned who to approach and taken the time to understand the brands and retailers that need the services we provide, can help bring plans to life, and are ready to build long-term, profitable working relationships.
We are a full-service business and we need clients who value that. The right partners see the power of design, manufacture, installation and project management working as one.
We have identified them, and now it is about bringing them on board and getting it right.
Finding the right clients
Q. We’ve welcomed several new clients over the past 12 months. What do those relationships tend to have in common?
Daniel: Most of them start small. A client might come to us for one specific piece of work, but very quickly realise we can support them with much more.
That might be concept development, technical design, full installation or even main contracting. They see the benefit of everything being within the same space under one roof. It’s simple for them. We really do become a true extension of their team.
Q. When you think about a ‘perfect fit’ client today, what mindset or ambition usually signals a strong partnership?
Daniel: We’re looking for relationships, not transactions. The strongest partnerships involve more than one point of contact. It’s not just an account manager, but client services, project managers, designers, team leaders, all working together. Clients feel like they fit with us, and equally, us with them, because we give them full access to people and process.
A perfect fit is being able to connect across every part of what we do, from design through to manufacture and installation. A perfect client is someone who wants a long-term relationship and understands that we can support their every need.
The Creative Concept Centre: a commercial advantage?
Q. How is the Creative Concept Centre helping clients make decisions with greater confidence and clarity earlier in the process?
Daniel: The first impact was internal. For the first time, all teams share one space. No more separate rooms or long corridors with little natural light. People can move between teams easily and have proper conversations without barriers in a beautifully curated space full of light and atmosphere.
The second impact was for our clients. After COVID, face-to-face collaboration declined and decisions suffered. Now clients can visit, see materials and prototypes, look into the factory, handle things and understand exactly what they are getting.
They love it. Some even host their own meetings here. We invite them to treat it as their own space and leave with total confidence.
Q. Why is hands-on collaboration becoming such a differentiator for retailers and brands?
Daniel: It gets things right the first time. It’s quicker. It builds confidence. And most importantly, clients always know the status of their projects, whether we are in early prototyping or at the final stages of delivery.
It’s also about relationships. Someone is always here, always making something happen. And if a client can simply pop in and see that, then that transparency is incredibly powerful. It turns uncertainty into clarity.
UK manufacturing: speed, control and confidence
Q. UK manufacturing is a key part of Nuttall’s offer. In your conversations with brands and retailers today, why does that matter more than ever?
Daniel: It comes down to speed, quality and control. We can design, build and deliver quickly, which gives the UK a real edge over long overseas lead times. Problems are solved in real time by people who know the work, in a factory built around our clients’ needs.
There is also a deeper story. We are based in the Black Country, with its proud manufacturing heritage, and where supporting British industry matters. Being less exposed to tariffs and disruption builds confidence, and with the Creative Concept Centre we can work through challenges together, quickly and effectively.
Q. How do clients respond when they see ideas move from discussion to prototype to manufacture under one roof?
Daniel: They’re delighted. We can even replicate large spaces here so clients can walk through a rollout before it happens. We did this with Costa Coffee on one of their largest ever programmes. Teams came in and experienced it properly. It reduces fear and, again, it really underlines certainty and trust.
You build it, test it, use it, take it apart. It’s emotional. It’s tangible. It makes everything real, and I don’t think that can be replicated with something like a VR walkthrough or an online demo.
Meeting today’s market and what comes next
Q. Across retail and brand environments, what pressures or challenges are clients most vocal about right now?
Daniel: Lead time and price. This is where Nuttall really comes into its own. Price is not just about lowering a number. It’s about finding the right way to make something. To us, that’s value engineering and it’s what our teams are brilliant at. In fact, it’s something Nuttall has practiced and perfected over decades.
The total cost of a product or a rollout includes transport, packaging, installation time and longevity. It’s not just the cost of manufacture, it’s the total cost of ownership. When you look at it that way, our model becomes incredibly compelling.
Q. Looking ahead, how do you expect physical brand experiences to evolve, and how is Nuttall positioning itself to stay relevant and valuable as that happens?
Daniel: There has been a big push towards experiential retail and in-store technology. It can look impressive, but it often feels cold. You cannot just add a screen and hope for the best.
The future lies in combining technology with tangible, human experiences. Spaces should invite people in, work for retailers and resonate with customers.
That’s where Nuttall sits. We design, build and install interactive environments, delivered on time and executed to a consistently high level of fit and finish. It’s not digital versus physical but making both feel human and easily shoppable.
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