Vic looks good ‘ out on the shopfloor ’… at 90 years-old
EDITOR ’ S CHOICE MAJOR WORK MILESTONE
TEEPEE ELECTRICAL
Vic looks good ‘ out on the shopfloor ’… at 90 years-old
One of the UK ’ s longest serving engineers celebrated 76 years working in industry this week and insisted he wants to carry on until he is 100 .
Vic Sutton , a Calibration Engineer at harness and wiring looms specialist Teepee Electrical in Bloxwich , turned 90 on Tuesday and spent his big birthday playing a role in daily production and enjoying a surprise party with colleagues he openly calls ‘ family ’.
It marked what has been a rollercoaster career for the former mechanical engineering apprentice , who started work just four years after the end of the second world war and has spent time at English Electrical , as a radio engineer in the Royal Air Force , with British Electronic Products , Thorn EMI and a local Staffordshire start-up .
He has combined his love of manufacturing with an insatiable appetite for Northern Soul music that has seen him become one of the scene ’ s most loved DJs with more than 700 gigs under his belt .
It was only the weight of equipment that saw him pack up his decks a few months ago , but Vic readily admits he still gets pulled into doing some guest spots by friends .
“ My family keep asking me when I ’ m going to stop , but I genuinely just love coming to work ,” explained Vic , who still works three days per week .
“ Teepee Electrical is a fantastic company . We all get on really well and it ’ s like one big family - the fact we are doing such great work for the ‘ blue light ’ sector is the icing on the cake .
“ I ’ ve been here two decades , starting off doing the drawings for the wiring harnesses for some big-name customers . These days I ’ m responsible for the calibration of more than 428 hand tools used by my colleagues to crimp the wires .”
He went on to add : “ We ’ ve got our own testing room that ’ s like my own den and my
Vic Sutton with Steve Clarke ( MD of Teepee Electrical )
problem-solving skills are definitely put into good use as the management team tend to bring me in to make things more efficient at our Leamore Road Factory .”
Vic , who witnessed the final days of the Battle of Britain from the family home in Walthamstow , believes the biggest change in manufacturing has been the emergence of technology and the fact everything is done on computers - including his calibration work .
However , his message to the engineers of the future is ‘ education , education , education ’, making sure that young people take every opportunity to learn , whether that is at school , college , university or on the shopfloor .
Steve Clarke , Managing Director of Teepee Electrical , added his support : “ Vic is a walking , talking inspiration … it ’ s as simple as that .
“ Everyone loves him , and he really brings a feel-good factor to the factory , not to mention years of manufacturing and problem-solving experience that makes a real difference on our shopfloor .
“ His stories are amazing , from overcoming tuberculosis as a child and playing in two bands in Stoke-on-Trent to rubbing shoulders with Alvin Stardust and Billy Fury .”
Vic received an early 90th birthday present in March when he welcomed his fourth great-grandchild to the world , with Elliot James joining Nevaeh , Harlow and Nixon .
He also has four grandchildren ( Ashleigh , Amy , Ellie and William ) from his daughter Joanne and son Darren .
“ I love my family to bits , but I have no intention of giving up work just yet . As long as I remain fit enough - both in body and mind - I hope to still be working at Teepee Electrical when I hit the big century .”
For further information , please visit www . teepeeelectrical . co . uk
8 PECM Issue 62