How leading Tees employer is engaging with future employees
FEATURE
THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ENGINEER
Leading role – AV Dawson head of engineering and maintenance Mark Wells has been with the firm for seven years .
How leading Tees employer is engaging with future employees
Partnership – Ruck Engineering sales director Tom Greenwood ( left ) and AV Dawson ’ s head of engineering and maintenance Mark Wells .
AV Dawson , owner and operator of Port of Middlesbrough , is one of the largest family businesses in the Tees Valley . Well known for its 1km of prime river frontage , deep water berths and industry-leading multimodal logistic solutions , the firm is also recognised for putting its people first .
The company prides itself on its high employee retention rates , strong customer and supplier partnerships , and having a forward-thinking attitude .
And it strives to be a company that goes one step further for its colleagues , customers and community .
One of the company ’ s champions is Mark Wells , head of engineering and maintenance , who plays a pivotal role in and around the company .
Mark , who has been a part of the family firm for seven years , heads up the engineering division , which includes maintaining 125-tonne cranes , heavy machinery and plant equipment , which supports loading and offloading thousands of tonnes of cargo that passes through the port weekly .
His 30-year engineering career has seen Mark work for the UK ’ s biggest steel manufacturer and also a period of employment working offshore , prior to his role at AV Dawson .
Mark is hugely passionate about his role at AV Dawson and inspiring current and future generations of colleagues .
Mark said : “ My role here at Port of Middlesbrough is massively diverse . No two days are the same .
“ Some days I ’ m outside leading the maintenance of some of our largest equipment on site , and others , I ’ m speaking to engineering students about how to get into the industry .
“ It ’ s a fast-paced job looking after heavy machinery such as cranes and forklifts . My team essentially maintains the equipment so the port operations team can load the cargo on and off the ships .
“ They ’ re on hand if they break , and it ’ s vital we get the machines fixed to ensure we don ’ t affect the operations and , more importantly , the customer .
“ I ’ ve been a part of the business for seven years and it ’ s so different to any other job I ’ ve had . The feel of the business is different , the people and its
42 | Tees Business