Kassime Ben-Messaoud

What is your role? Mobile Hydraulic Engineer

What is your background?

My background is mechanical apprentice, previously worked at Caterpillar as a rebuild/repair engineer, and progressed into mobile service.

What brought you to Rotec?

I came to Rotec due to the fact they are in my eyes one stop hydraulic shop and this means we get involved in all aspect of work, and this will elevate me in my career progression.

Hobbies and interest:

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my daughter, also doing hobbies I enjoys such as swimming, gym, travelling and watching sport.

And the most pertinent question of all… Cake or biscuits? I am more of a savoury person instead of sweet but you cannot beat some nice cake!

Nick Fleming

Role: Hydraulic Site Engineer

What is your background: I started my apprenticeship at Swallowfield plc as a services engineer. After 6 years I moved on to work for Rexquote as a hydraulic fitter. 4 years later and I am now here.

What brought you to Rotec: I was looking for a new challenge and I wanted to broaden my horizons. Rotec looked like the perfect option for me. It provided the opportunity to get out on the road and the variety of work really appealed to me.

What do you like to do in your spare time? I am a massive petrol head, so I am often out, working on my Landrover, or out in the hills trying to break it. I have a wife and two children so I spend a lot of time out and about exploring the countryside with them as well.

And the most pertinent question of all… Biscuits or cake?

Wow! Didn’t know there was a prize for answering these questions. Can I have biscuits please.

Roger Lacey

Role: Electrical Engineer

What is your background? Maintenance, Engineering

What brought you to Rotec? Voluntary redundancy then agency

Do you have any hobbies? Tennis, football, cricket, rugby, music. I also play bass guitar, speak French and enjoy quizzes and playing poker.

And the most pertinent question of all… Cake or biscuits? Biscuits

Bill Knight

Role: Sales Manager to work with the Ram Reman team at West Moors and the wider team at Rotec to develop the overall business of Ram Reman throughout the region

What is your background?
I’ve always worked with hydraulics so have almost 40 years field-based experience ( I started very young!) I started with winches, davits and steering gear systems and have moved through the areas of jacking, torqueing and tensioning in a wide variety of industries with some very specific and unusual projects as well as more regular applications.

What brought you to Ram Reman?
Returning to the Wiltshire/Dorset border this job landed on me! I was very impressed by both the product and the set up plus the driving for work is far more enjoyable than the M25 and motorways of the South East – getting stuck behind a tractor is not so stressful!

Do you have any hobbies?
Run, run and more running!

And the most pertinent question of all… Biscuits or cake?

Biscuits or cake? I prefer pie but never turn down anything!

Pictured from left to right below:

Ian Ford has recently completed his probationary period and is now a full time Sales team member in Taunton.

David Wells has recently joined us in the role of Design Engineer, based in the Taunton office. David is still in his probationary period, but we hope to congratulate him on a permanent position in the next newsletter. Harry Safe also joined our Taunton depot very recently,  as an engineering apprentice.

Lee Dennett, Lee Barns and Matt Cates recently joined our Plymouth depot specialising in marine applications. They are also on a 3 months probation, however, so far they have fitted in really well and are rapidly becoming key members of the Plymouth team.

Mike Perry joined our Stroud depot to assist the small but busy team with day-to-day activities.

Ben Foskett

What is your role? Graduate Mechanical Design Engineer

What is your background?

I studied for a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Liverpool, graduating in July this year. Before university I went to college at Richard Huish College in Taunton, where I did my A-levels. One of the main motivations for me to study engineering was my interest in cars from a young age, and at university I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to join the university’s formula student team. This gave me the opportunity to work on the design and construction of a single-seater racing car, which we then competed against other universities.

What brought you to Rotec?

After completing my degree I moved back home to Somerset and began looking for a job. The position advertised at Rotec fitted in well with what I was looking for. Hydraulics is something that I have been interested in for a while and I was drawn to the greater variety of work at a smaller company.

Hobbies and interest:

My most long-term interest is in cars, particularly American muscle, and at university formula student took up most of my free time. I also have ambitions of learning to sail.

Phil O’Connor

Derek Bowden

Role: Operations Engineer

Derek has many years of interesting experience under his belt. From maintaining rides at Butlins in Minehead, to upgrading irrigation systems in Tanzania.

Derek had worked at Rotec once before, so after taking a voluntary redundancy from his 10 years as a Maintenance Engineer turn Manager at Goodridge, he returned to his roots and applied for a position at Rotec. Derek is, once again, a credit to our team and after being part of a team working on bespoke winching systems for maintenance vehicles, he was offered a new role in operations.

Derek is currently laying a solid foundation and putting new procedures in place, ensuring smooth and safe running of all operations.

In his spare time he enjoys a game of skittles and darts, he is also skilled at DIY and loves taking his wife for holidays and weekends away in their motorhome.

Matt Turnbull

Role: Purchasing Manager

What is your background? I’ve worked within an engineering department of a large ready meals manufacturer for the last 17 years. With the last few of those years in a group procurement role, looking at the overall purchasing functions of engineering on four different sites throughout the UK.
What brought you to Rotec? I felt that I had achieved all that I possibly could within my old company and needed to increase my knowledge in a new setting – I’ve never been within a customer facing company before so when I was looking for new jobs, that was one of the main criteria that I was looking for. After meeting with the directors, the challenges that Rotec offered, and the direction they want to take the company excited me, in the end it was an easy decision.
Do you have any hobbies? No, I hate fun.

Mark Hoadley

Role: Warehouse Assistant

Previously: Goods in at Rexquote

Mark has only very recently joined Rotec Taunton. He has started his career as a food factory worker, gradually working his way up to a supervisory position and eventually moving onto working as a van driver, before finding his way to engineering firms and warehouse based roles.

With years of experience of working in warehouses, driving a van and 8 years as a Storeman at Rexquote, he is a valuable addition to the Taunton warehouse team.

Mark decided to join Rotec as it is a well-established local company with a good reputation. Mark relates ‘There is a lot to learn, the procedures and system is different, but Dale is a good teacher – very patient!’ he smiles.

Mark used to be a keen football and cricket player, but is now retired from active sports and he is a huge Manchester United fan!

Matthew Chinn

Role: Contract Mechanical Design Engineer

What is my background?
I have a background in electro-mechanical engineering and computer programming. I have been contracting for the last couple of years and started my own company just under a year ago. I’ve been writing code since 1988, I started getting interested in hobby electronics in 1998 and started to move towards mechanical engineering in 2008. I studied for a HNC in Electronic Engineering on day release while working as an Engineer at TDK-Lambda, before topping up my qualifications to a BSc (Hons) in Electro-Mechanical Design & Manufacture. I have a broad background in engineering, including switch-mode power supply design, writing firmware for microcontrollers, designing injection moulded plastic parts, test development and automation.

What brought me to Rotec?
I was approached by Huxley (contract recruiter) about a 10 week position at Rotec. I came to meet Richard and found Rotec to be an interesting company. I don’t have a background in hydraulics, so thought it would be an excellent opportunity to learn something new.

Do I have any hobbies?
Since starting my own business I haven’t had much time for hobbies. I like to get out into the countryside and go walking when I have the time.

Matt Bearpark

What is your role? My role is as hose doctor engineer working under the Parker hose doctor brand. Day to day I visit customers, carry out quotes for customers and carry out breakdowns /repairs to most hydraulically operated machinery, from excavators to forklifts and lorries to factory fit-outs.

What is your background?
Left college after studying construction/design after which I joined a window fitting company.
After losing my mum in 2012 my family pushed me to better myself and thus I moved to Australia where I started working for Enzed, the largest hydraulic hose company in Australia. Running a franchise van (under the Parker Hannifin brand) serving small and big customers, in the utilities, mining, offshore oil rigs sectors and a few big truck companies.
After the mining industry took a big hit in 2015 I returned to work in the UK with firstly Pirtek, and then I joined Rotec, as they offered the sort of personal development opportunity I was looking for.

My hobbies
From playing football and going to the gym, to watching motorsports and supporting the Spurs. This season I also started to train the Hamilton park under 11’s, but nothing can beat a weekend days at Crealy with my partner and stepchildren.