FEATURE
Making it big
Tees Components managing director , Sharon Lane , talks to Peter Barron about her ambitions to build on her success as the reigning Tees Businesswoman of the Year
PICTURES BY GRAEME ROWATT
As a little girl , Sharon Lane loved to spend hours in her attic room at home , building bridges with Meccano and Lego .
“ It had to be Lego Technic ,” she points out , eager to stress that it was the more complex version , capable of building more ambitious structures , that appealed to her instinct for making things .
She may have started on a small scale but , having grown up to be managing director of family business Tees Components , Sharon likes to think big these days .
“ We ’ ve just installed a 72-tonne crane – everything ’ s getting bigger and higher ,” she smiles , speaking from her office at the company ’ s base in North Skelton , a few miles up the hill from where she was born at Saltburn .
It ’ s that ambition to grow , and to inspire youngsters to aim high in pursuit of careers in engineering , that makes her the reigning Tees Businesswoman of the Year .
“ There ’ s a skills shortage so we have to get them while they ’ re young – and show girls they can do it too ,” says Sharon , who regularly visits primary schools , to give a talk entitled “ I Love Metal ”.
Since being launched in 1963 , Tees Components has grown steadily as a heavy engineering subcontractor , with one of the UK ’ s largest machining capabilities , and it ’ s been part of Sharon ’ s life as long as she can remember .
Initially established in Stockton , the company moved to its present six-acre site in 1965 , when it became vacant due to the decline of ironstone mining .
Sharon ’ s dad , Clive Wood , joined the business in 1977 – the year before she was born . He ’ d left school without qualifications and signed up for an apprenticeship as a fitter-turner with Marske Machine before joining Head Wrightson and going into sales .
When he arrived at Tees Components , it was no more than a “ jobbing shop ” with a local customer base , but Clive had a much bigger vision . He brought in power generation work , gave the business a national reach and , crucially , set up an alliance with Stockton-based Parkfield Foundry to carry out tunnel lining .
That led to Tees Components making all the cast-iron lining for the Channel Tunnel , up to the halfway mark . It was an accomplishment that put the company on the international stage , unlocking investment in a more expansive future .
Clive went on to become managing director , with wife Jean also joining the board . A new factory was built , and bigger machines were brought in from abroad , including the area ’ s only 50-tonne machine shop crane .
“ Dad had incredible ambition , work ethic and drive ,” says Sharon . “ He was always at work , even when he was at home . If he ever had to make someone redundant when times were hard , he was so compassionate and watching him taught me about what it means to employ people .”
Along with her sister , Helen , and brother , Guy ,
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