PROFILE
TEES UP !
Name
: Malcolm Knott Age : I could tell you , but then I ’ d have to kill you – 65-plus . Born : Park End , Middlesbrough .
Lives : Ingleby Barwick ( after a four-year spell in Wilmslow when I started the business ).
Organisation & job titles : Industrial Technology Systems founder and CEO .
When I was at school , I wanted to be … an engineer . I didn ’ t know what type at the time but quickly gravitated towards chemical engineering . I found I had a leaning towards chemistry , physics , etc . Once I was a chemical engineer I became interested in process engineering and then got involved in automating those processes .
The best business decision I ever made was … starting my own business . I actually had a great job at ICI at the time . It was well paid , I got to travel the world , loved the work and enjoyed working with other let ’ s-get-it-done engineers , but it was too often frustrating . I understood that ICI was a big ship , so it turned slowly , and the desire to be able to make and enact decisions faster was a key part of the decision . Overall , it has worked out very well , thanks . I have some people with me at ITS who are outstanding , probably more so than they know .
The worst business decision I ever made was … starting my own business ! The responsibility and the risks taken on for the last 30-odd years have sometimes been immense . I also think I had two people who I look back on and wish I ’ d gone into hock to get them on board in the business . We would probably already be a £ 25m-plus business now .
The best part of my job is … I love solving problems – operational , automation ... just problems . I still get a buzz from hearing of a problem , thinking and talking to others in ITS and having that eureka moment .
The biggest downside of my working life is … balancing it with home life . As an owner / CEO , it ’ s easy to get “ involved ”, but I ’ m lucky to have a senior team and a management leadership team who take the brunt of that demand and who have proven more than capable over the years – without my interference !
If I could change one thing to help my organisation it would be … find a solution to employing great engineers who share our culture . We ’ ve employed some brilliant people in the last couple of years who ’ ve helped us grow , but we have further strong growth plans – so we need more !
Four words to describe me are … determined , focused , entrepreneurial , open .
My business mantra is … employ clever people – and do not tell them what to do . Tell them what needs to be done ( and any milestones ) and let them find their best route .
My greatest achievement is … running an SME company successfully for 30 years – and raising three brilliant children while balancing both – has to be up there . But receiving the NEPIC Outstanding Contribution Award in 2020 and the recent Tees Business Award for Tech Business Leader are very humbling events . You sit back afterwards and go , “ Wow ! I wasn ’ t expecting that !”
The advice I ’ d give to business start-ups is … as above , employ clever people – and do not tell them what to do . It feels a bit like cheating to say that , but it ’ s worked for me . Excite people with your vision and they will do more than you ever believed possible .
The biggest character on the Tees business scene is … in the past I might have said Dr Stan Higgins – if you are in our line of business , you ’ ll understand – or James Robson . Again , if you know , you know . But in terms of exposure right now , I guess it would have to be Ben Houchen .
Teesside ’ s a great place for business because … I think someone new to the area captured that in a conversation with me a few years ago when they said , ‘ The people around here just seem to want to get things done .’ I think Teesside is a place where no matter what you throw at us , we ’ ll get it done .
60 | Tees Business