After starting his career as a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic apprentice with Kent County Council, Mat went on to rebuild engines before joining BSL in 2009. Since then, he’s become a vital member of our production team, leading part of the workshop as Senior Supervisor and Senior Technician.

Whether it’s developing new products or keeping our most trusted equipment running smoothly, Mat’s hands-on approach and extensive knowledge make him an essential part of our production team.

We recently caught up with Mat to ask him a bit about his time in the engineering field:

What led you to a career in production and engineering? Can you tell us about your career journey so far?

I watched Nigel Mansell racing for Williams in 1988, and I just thought, “I want to fix those cars.”

So really, fast cars got me into wanting to be a mechanic. But as I got older, I always had a love for trucks and anything mechanical — steam trains, diesel trains, trucks, anything like that. I’ve always been fascinated by the sheer weight they can pull. I went to London with my dad, and we were driving up a steep hill. Our car was struggling, but there was a truck pulling another truck up that hill, and I thought, “Actually, I want to fix trucks.”

So, I took an apprenticeship with Kent County Council as a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic – NVQ Level 4. Then, I worked at Vauxhall. After that, I got a job rebuilding engines. Around that time, I met my wife, and through her, I met Julian, our Production & Design Senior Engineer, and that’s how I ended up here.

I fell in love with this place and I just worked my way up. This year marks 16 years I’ve been here. I started out working on our air compressor units, and in 2012, I took to work on our newer products. Then, last year, I was asked to take on a role running part of the workshop as a Senior Supervisor and Technician.

What do you like most about working in an engineering environment?

I think it’s the atmosphere in the workshop; being around people who share that same love for engineering and building things. Creating things is just a really great feeling.

When I was at college doing my apprenticeship, we had static engines to work on. There was this little Rover A-Series engine, and no one in the class had managed to get it running, until I did. The feeling of bringing it back to life was amazing, and I get to experience that feeling here every day. When a product is finished and goes out the door, I just think, “I built that,” and now it’s out in the world. I think that’s what I like most.

What’s been your proudest career moment so far?

Being promoted to senior technician last year. It’s the biggest step I’ve made in my career so far, so that was a really proud moment for me, but there’s a lot of things that make me proud.

There’s an episode of Top Gear where Jeremy Clarkson pulls up outside Buckingham Palace, and lining the mall is every piece of car technology made in England. When I watched it, I thought, I know that this company had a hand in all of that. Every car in that line was welded using one of our mixers. Knowing that what we make is part of so many things people rely on was really rewarding.

Do you use any of the skills you’ve learned at work in your daily life?

I race RC cars, and my engineering skills come in handy for that because, honestly, my RC driving skills aren’t great! I tend to break things a lot, so I’m always fixing my cars, adjusting parts, and figuring out how to make them work better.

I still like to tinker around with real cars, too. I sometimes like to mechanic for full-scale banger racing, so between the RC cars and real cars, I’m using what I know pretty regularly.

What’s a tool or piece of technology that you can’t live without at work?

A torque wrench!

If you could switch jobs with anyone in the company for a day, who would it be and why?

If I could switch jobs with anyone in the company for a day, I think I’d swap with John, one of our technicians. I’d like to have a go at working on the air compressors again. It’s been a while since I’ve been hands-on with that side of the work, and I think it would be good to get back into it for a day!

What’s an engineering innovation that excites you the most right now?

Hydrogen fuel cells really excite me. I think they’re the future of automotive technology and have a lot of potential to change how we think about transport.

But I’m also really interested in the re-introduction of steam trains to the main line. Projects like rebuilding A3 Pacifics or locomotives like the Tornado – they feel alive in a way modern trains don’t. The technology behind them is amazing, so seeing steam trains running again on the main lines is a big thing for me.

What’s your favourite BSL project to work on and why?

I’d say our FW High-Pressure Panels. They’ve been developed a lot over time, and we’ve put so much work into them, so they’re definitely a favourite.

But if I had to pick another, it would be the air compressors. I started my career here working on them, and a lot of where they are now, development-wise, comes from the work I’ve put in over the years, so they’re sort of like my baby!

If you had to describe your job in three words, what would they be?

Fun, engaging and hands-on.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring engineers or technicians?

I’d say stick with your dreams. Don’t let people put you down for wanting to work with your hands. That doesn’t make you any less intelligent or academic – you’re just applying what you know in a different way.

Stay tuned for more exclusive interviews, as we celebrate the brilliant minds behind our gas mixing equipment.

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