PRESTON COMPONENTS - Key Persons
Alan is our workshop foreman. He has been with Preston Components for 37 years, 30 of those as foreman.
He started his career as an apprentice in Mechanical Engineering with Victory Kidder, before becoming a Maintenance Engineer with the Bata Shoe Company of South Africa. After a period as a turner with Glacier Metal, he joined Preston, where he has been happily employed ever since.
Alan is our workshop foreman. He has 35 years' experience as an engineer and machine operator.
Lawrence is our lead sales engineer and has been with the company for 13 years. He's a qualified draftsman so he knows what he's talking about!
Lawrence started at Weir Pumps in 1977 on a technical apprenticeship, obtaining HNC in Mechanical Engineering after a short period of in-field service. He then moved into sales and marketing, designing pump stations in the water and sewage sector. After 6 years he moved to Centriforce as Field sales Engineer - initially working in the filtration sector covering Scotland then onto selling separators, decanters and related stainless steel pipework and tanks in the food industry.
Throughout the UK he worked in the power transmission industry with Brammer, EW Bearings and West Engineering. At West he became involved in the selling of conveyors and machining. On next to Preston and the rest is history!
Robert is the Managing Director of the company. He has been with Preston Components for 33 years, the last 15 of these as owner. He started working on the shop floor as a welder, in what was supposed to be a temporary role. But it turned out he had a bit of a knack for it, so he stayed. Robert acquired the company from his father, who himself had 50 years with the business. Quality and service aren't just company traditions, they're family ones too!
Yvonne is our Office Manager. She is also our Accounts Manager, Health & Safety Manager, and Quality Manager. You name it, Yvonne manages it!
Yvonne joined the company in 2004 as Accounts Manager, and took on responsibility for Health & Safety and Quality three years later. She gained NEBOSH certification in 2010 and was certified as an ISO Lead Auditor in 2013.
If that's not enough, she also has a degree in IT and and HNC in Mechanical Engineering. Phew!