FEATURE
Fifty not out for family affair
Mark Smith picked up the firm ' s mantle from father Ivan and mate Kenny Huggett .
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURES : TOM BANKS
I t had humble beginnings in the back of a Stockton garage .
But as it proudly celebrates its golden anniversary , the Stockton Machine Company of 2021 is very different to the one created 50 years ago .
It ’ s bigger , of course , and is based in Billingham . What hasn ’ t changed , however , is an ongoing commitment to offering precision , cost-effective machining solutions .
In 1971 , Ivan Smith , a time-served fitter at Head Wrightson , took a leap of faith with mate Kenny Huggett to set up a machining business in the back of “ Tiny ’ s garage ” in the Skinner Street area of Stockton , largely to tackle servicing work for Matterson ’ s industrial furnaces .
Effectively , it was two men and two machines – but it worked .
As the business grew , Ivan acquired more machines and took people on . And in 1987 , his son Mark came on board as an apprentice turner .
Mark had intended to be an electrician . But when his college course became unavailable , and knowing he was adept at machining , he opted to give it a go and , before long , he was working for the family firm .
He ’ s now the MD . But as the firm celebrates 50 years , with a wellestablished reputation for quality , reliability , versatility and service , he recalls how he was given anything but an easy ride in those early days .
Mark told Tees Business : “ Dad gave me a hard time because he didn ’ t want the lads thinking there was any favouritism going on .
“ I learned the hard way . They used to get quite a lot of ‘ on call ’ work and with me living under the same roof , whenever the phone rang and a job needed doing , I couldn ’ t say ‘ I ’ m not in ’, so I ’ d get sent !
“ But I learned an awful lot , very quickly . It was ‘ sink or swim ’ but it stood me in good stead .”
Over the years , the firm has had several homes , including premises in Middlesbrough and Billingham , although the original name , Stockton Machine Company , has remained .
In the mid-1990s , Mark began to wonder about taking the firm over and , sure enough , in the early 2000s , the chance came along and he took it .
The firm had already moved to Billingham and in 2003 it moved to bigger premises just down the road on Royce Avenue , on the Cowpen Industrial Estate , which remains its base . Mark became MD not long after .
In 2003 , Stockton Machine Company had 12 staff , including Mark , with most of its work in the food production industry . Now there are 16 staff , with an apprentice starting in September , and clients in the chemical , offshore , subsea , renewable , pharmaceutical and food sectors .
And in a nod to our changing world , Mark says much of the firm ’ s business involves renewable energy – for example , making components for trenching or cable-laying machines .
Recalling his early days as MD , he said : “ I realised we weren ’ t utilising our machines to their full potential , so we began moving into complex CNC ( computer numerical control ) machining .
“ And because we were able to offer hi-tech machining at sub-contractor rates , it meant we could navigate the several recessions we ’ ve been through .
“ We now have 17 machines , most of
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