Articles
You have an MSc in metals technology and management from Sheffield University. Was that what you always wanted to do?
Actually, I didn’t follow the conventional academic route. At the beginning of my career, I opted to take what would now be considered a modern apprenticeship. My initial opportunity was in the cast metals industry at a research and trade association based in Sheffield. I started as a trainee metallurgist.
What were the benefits of taking a vocational route?
After four years, I came out with a formal metallurgical qualification that gave me some credibility and great experience. The mentoring and on-the-job tutoring I got from the people in that business was second to none. The fact that I could earn some money and gain practical experience worked for me. Eventually, I did my formal studies part-time over about 15 years.
What is it about the metals industry that you enjoy so much?
The variety. I started in an organisation that was predominantly research and development-based to support the need of the cast metals industry. It gave me knowledge of all the metals and processes. That’s been a pattern of my career. I have been lucky enough to work in businesses where I am never sure what the next job will be about.
What was your first step on the ladder in a commercial setting?
I joined Norton Cast Products in Sheffield as technical director. Then, when I was in the last year of completing my MSc, the managing director announced that he was to retire. And at the age of 28, I was asked if I fancied the role. I ran that business for 12 years.
What were the challenges of running a business so young?
Credibility. I had to prove myself. And I did that by developing relationships and working well with suppliers and customers over a sustained period.
How did you end up at Sheffield Forgemasters?
I was approached to interview for the general manager’s job as part of a succession planning process, and I joined on the footing that I would take over as operations director when the person in that role retired. That happened. More recently, there has been a restructuring to divisionalise the foundry and forging activities, and I have taken over both businesses.
What are your responsibilities and what do you enjoy about the role?
I oversee day-to-day running of the foundry, dealing with the production of castings, process refinement, output and maintenance. I’ve got a foot in the sales camp and also one in the technical activities.
I enjoy taking an existing product or process and making it better. That excites me. I also enjoy applying the new knowledge we have gained, and feeding it into new products and processes.
Give us an example of that proactivity?
We have become the first UK foundry to adopt a state-of-the-art mould and core coating technology, improving high-integrity castings and creating greater efficiencies. The technology enables us to apply a coating of uniform composition and thickness to moulds used to form the largest and most complex steel castings in Europe.
Can you be more specific about the benefits it brings?
It enables us to create an even coating of the moulds and cores, and because the control system is automated it eliminates manual preparation of the coating slurry. As the process works on a closed system, we have also reduced the amount of waste slurry. The coating acts as a sealant and barrier between the mould and the molten steel, and reduces the work required to clean and finish each casting once it is removed from the mould.
What future investments and diversifications might there be?
We continue to improve simulation of mould filling, heat treatment and alloy development. That will continue to be an area of activity.
In terms of new products, it largely depends on where the market decides to go. There has been talk about wind energy development, and we could support that. In terms of nuclear, we have supplied cast parts to the Westinghouse AP1000, and we are going through a qualification process for the Areva equivalent, the EPR. We are also looking to supply the Russian new-build nuclear programme.