Over the last six months we have strengthened our engineering team. A significant increase in orders, particularly for our energy transition pump systems, means we are growing. As a designer and manufacturer of bespoke pump systems, recruitment of great talent for our engineering team is vital. Thanks to the hard work of Helen and Rupert, seven superb people have joined our team. The knowledge of our existing engineers coupled with the fresh ideas and experience of our new starters will create a formidable team.
Brendan Upton – Junior Design Engineer
Brendan contemplated studying both animal management and engineering. Strong though his love of animals is, his mathematical and physics talents shone through and, fortunately for Calder, engineering won. He went on to earn a degree (first class honours) in mechanical engineering at Birmingham City University. The subject of his dissertation was the thermal modelling of sand batteries.
Brendan says one of his favourite animals is the cat which is why he was delighted to work part-time at a Cat Café during his university years. His passion outside work is gaming with micromanagement and simulation being his favourite genres.
Brendan joins the team as a graduate engineer and will start to develop and hone his skills on the Calder product range as a supporting FEA engineer.
Chris Wood – Design Engineer
Two years designing chassis dynamometers has given Chris a great working start to his engineering career. He studied at Swansea University where his dissertation examined the flow of water through a nozzle for NDT applications in the aerospace sector.
Chris has for many years played hockey and is currently playing for Worcester Hockey Club. A new pastime for him is motorsport – specifically hill climbing. Having watched the sport over the last few years, he will compete for the first time this year at the local Shelsley Walsh track. Until then, he will be fine tuning his MK1 MX5 in preparation. Asked about his culinary skills, Chris would only confirm that he dabbles with stir fries. Some practice needed if he is to compete in a departmental bake-off!
Chris has been supporting Martin Wixon on the development of a MEG injection package. He will also be expected to bring his Reliant Sabre in for analysis in the next few months!
Dan Staines – Lead Mechanical Engineer
Dan was torn between sport & physiotherapy, and engineering. However, despite being qualified to level 4 diploma in sports massage, his skills lent themselves more to engineering. At Brunel University London, Dan studied mechanical engineering. His dissertation was in the design of differential mounts and drive shafts for a Formula Student car.
A gap year in Australia saw him selling door to door, and also designing for a door handle company. Back to the UK and he spent a number of years in industrial automation. This was followed by package management and specification in the water treatment industry. Dan returns to Calder to help with our product range in the emerging energy transition markets.
Dan is now a family man and his love of cycling (time trials and track) has taken a back seat. However, he still finds time for flat water kayaking.
Dan has returned to the fold and is already enhancing our design team skills by acting as Technical Advisor and Lead Engineer on all projects.
Joely Side – Design Engineer
Joely started on her career path at Lancaster University. A degree course in mechanical engineering led to her dissertation in pneumatic safety equipment. Since then Joely has worked as a mechanical design engineer for an OEM specialising in bespoke industrial vehicles.
Sport clearly takes up the majority of Joely’s spare time. Occasional cycling (and previously cycle racing) along with a recent interest in rock climbing keep her occupied. However, her lifelong passion is skiing. In addition to ski racing, she is a volunteer marshall at ski events around the world. Then we add to the list her passion for travelling. Most recently, Joely has undertaken a road trip from Stockholm, venturing into Norway and finishing in the northern most point of continental Europe, Nordkap. Early in 2023, she toured Central America from Guatemala to Costa Rica, with previous trips including South America from Bolivia to Argentina and then onto Rio de Janiero. Lots of walking and overnight bus rides – perhaps a future contestant in Race Across the World!
Joely is the design engineer on an offshore pump package which is scheduled for production near the last quarter of 2024. It is good that Joely has experience of the cold as this package is destined for a cold climate and may need on-site technical support!
Lee Hawkes – Project Engineer
Business & Finance turned out not to be for Lee. It was at an extrusion die company where he got a taste of engineering. While working, he took his HNC and then an Open University engineering-biased Technology degree.
Lee gained significant experience in two project management roles. First was pressure vessels, which was followed by heat exchangers. He subsequently enjoyed a diverse role in filtration where he sold, designed, and project managed.
Running is a serious pastime for Lee, although he is retiring this year with his last race being the Copenhagen Marathon in May. Wakeboarding is, however, his real passion. He occasionally wakeboards at sea, but prefers inland, cable-towed wakeboarding. Lee is married, has two dogs, and loves to travel. Italy is his favourite foreign destination. In the UK, the Welsh market town of Conwy ticks all the boxes.
Lee is the project engineer on a large chemical injection project. He has a wealth of knowledge on Calder contracts, critical component selection and technical support.
Paul Emmerson – Project Manager
Paul’s vast experience started with an apprenticeship at Allen Gears in Pershore followed by some years engineering machine tools. As a project engineer for seven years at Triumph Motorcycles in Leicester, Paul got to work with some amazing machines – and was surely then envy of his friends. At Jaguar Land Rover he worked on the XE and project managed the development of prototype vehicles.
A family man, Paul enjoys spending time with his five children and four grandchildren. He is a keen gardener and, indeed, grows most of their vegetables. He is a keen bee-keeper and currently has three hives in the garden.
Paul will be appointed project manager on some of the recent project wins and will then take on the PM role for some very exciting future contracts that we are currently working on. Paul will be expected to provide the Calder team with fresh honey!
Toby Moore – Project Engineer
Starting university studying geology and physics didn’t inspire Toby, so he took a different path. Working on a year-long decommissioning contract in an aluminium plant, Toby got a passion for engineering. So much so, he studied for his HND in Mechanical Engineering.
He moved on to gain experience designing pressure vessels and supporting the sales team with proposals. Following this, in his next role as a project manager, he worked for a company focussed on the heat treatment of special metals. Many of their customers were in the aerospace sector and his role involved lots of foreign travel.
His passion outside of work is running a micro pub with his wife, Alanah. Toby’s behind-the-scenes role has recently expanded to include brewing their own real ales. Away from all forms of work, he is a guitarist with Savestate, an alternative rock band.
Toby is currently the project engineer on a chemical injection package for the North Sea. He will then be involved in our future projects, helping to develop our offering for the energy transition.
