After a combined 27 years of dedicated service to the business, our Engineering Director; Barry Downs has made the difficult decision to retire, and we said our goodbyes on Friday 31st July with some cake and tears.
Barry’s retirement was commemorated by a socially distanced ceremony of appreciation on our carpark on the hottest day of the year, where Managing Director, Mike O’Shea presented him with a stainless-steel etched image of one of Barry’s favourite places in Northumberland. As well as Craig Jeavons and Pawel Borowski presenting Barry with a personalised box containing a torch, GPS system and a multi-tool as a gift from all employees.
Not that we would ever forget Barry, but Jenks & Cattell now have a 400 tonne progression press named ‘Barry’, which Barry fixed the commemorative plaque to the press today. The installation of this press is one that Barry was majorly involved in and it was a real turning point for our business in 2018.
Barry started at Jenks & Cattell Engineering in 1972 as an apprentice and rejoined us 2008 as Engineering Director. He has learned his metalwork engineering trade all over the world and he has become an integral part of the business and will leave big shoes to fill.
Mike said: “Barry is at the core of everything we do in the business, whether it be developing highly complex tooling to satisfy a customer’s, coaching his team of skilled engineers, fixing large presses or plugging holes in the leaky roof and he will be missed greatly.Barry has nurtured all of our apprentices right through their career to qualified engineers and he will be greatly missed.
Barry along with his wife enjoy walking and exploring places such as his beloved Northumberland and I believe they are both looking forward to getting away to these places at a time of their choice and without his work phone ringing.”
Personally, I would like to thank Barry for helping me through the start of my career with Jenks and Cattell and the loyalty he has shown to the business over many years. I know he is a man of integrity, passion and all round one of life’s good guys. Although we will miss his skills and knowledge, Barry has spent the past 2 years passing these on to others, I believe we will miss his dedication and character most of all.”
On behalf of everyone at Jenks & Cattell, and everyone who knows Barry in the industry, we would like to wish him and his family all the very best in their future endeavors.
