60 SECONDS JULY/AUGUST 2019
60
seconds
with...
NICK COWLEY
Managing director, Euramax Solutions Limited
QAs a child, what did you want to
be when you grew up?
AWhen I was younger, the human body
was one of my favourite subjects and my
teachers encouraged me to pursue a career
in it. From what I had learned, pathology
seemed like the career for me. However
I hit a rather big stumbling block when I
discovered I had an aversion to blood –
not a great starting point when you’re
expected to deal with the stuff all day long!
QHow did you get into the industry?
AIt all happened by accident. After
up to be, I decided to study electronics. I
saw an advert for a draughtsman, which I
assumed was electric-based work as there
was no internet to check the company out.
I found out the work was actually steel
fabrication and needed all my initiative to
pass the drafting test. Not knowing what
to expect, I actually cheated and traced the
drawing – it got me the job at least.
QWhat do you like most about
UK manufacturing?
AUK manufacturing is at a turning point:
will die out. Manufacturing is an incredibly
creative industry, even if you feel like the
product is pretty bog standard.
Take windows for example – while
they have served the same purpose for
14
fascinated me. At school, biology
realising pathology all it was cracked
companies need to either evolve or they
thousands of years, technology is
allowing us to innovate and solve
new problems, such as linking with
home assistants to tell you when you
have left a window open before leaving
the house. It’s our job as manufacturers
to constantly challenge the status quo.
QWhat has been your biggest
accomplishment to date –
either in or out of work?
ABit of a soppy one here I’m afraid
(and not quite an accomplishment)
but being married to my wife for 24 years
is perhaps one of my proudest moments.
While I’m incredibly career-driven, you
should never lose sight of how important
your family is. Getting a good work/life
balance may be challenging, but I believe it
is one of the many keys to being successful
in business.
QHow do you spend your spare time?
AMy family is important to me, so I like
to spend a lot of my spare time with
them. I’m a dab hand in the kitchen and
like to get out in the garden as much as I
can. I like surrounding myself with people,
usually over food and drink. This goes
hand-in-hand with keeping fi t, burning off
those extra calories consumed from too
much good food and wine.
QWhat’s the secret to a successful
future for UK manufacturing?
CV:
2019 to present: Managing director,
Euramax Solutions Limited
2016 – 2018: Chief operating o cer, Cubis Systems
2015-2016: Group managing director, MCL Group
Industries Ltd
2006 – 2015: Business unit manager – Middle East,
ELDON Group
2004 – 2006: Operations director, Airedale
Glass and Glazing
A With many outside the industry
thinking that manufacturing is
‘boring’, one of our biggest challenges
to securing a successful future is
changing this stigma and developing
the next generation of manufacturers.
Despite initiatives such as National
Apprenticeship Week and Women in
Engineering Day being spearheaded by
the government and trade bodies, it’s the
manufacturers themselves that need to
be working with young people, schools,
colleges and universities to inspire the
next generation and secure the future
of UK manufacturing.
In Q4 2018, the British Chambers of
Commerce surveyed 6,000 manufacturing
businesses across the country. Of the
respondents, 81% had diffi culties fi nding
staff with the right qualifi cations.
This skills shortage will only worsen
if we, the business owners and leaders,
don’t do anything about it.
My
favourite
food:
Italian
it’s always
made with
My favourite holiday
destination:
New York
I love the
‘buzz’ of
the city
www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
Italian Job: Lenscap / Alamy Stock Photo Food: norikko /stock.adobe.com Statue of Liberty: michaeljung /stock.adobe.com
My favourite
fi lm:
The
Italian Job
the British
accents are so
stereotypical
I don’t really have
a favourite, but I’m
currently reading
Michael Caine’s
book, Blowing the
Bloody Doors O
A few of my
favourite
things...
My favourite book:
passion
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
/stock.adobe.com
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