The secret engineer ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING
Before we felt comfortable writing this article, we had to check and double check with the man in question it was okay. From one angle, this is a story about an engineering business in Gloucestershire and the ambitions of its young founder. But it is also a story many who have started their first business might relate to – one of grit, determination, long hours and dreams. When we first began talking to the former Delphi apprentice whose fledgling company this article is about, there were a few nerves about using his name. His employers at the time did not know he was running and growing his own business - outside of work hours.
Which is why, when the pictures were taken for this article, his identity is not apparent. However, his order book is such that, in the last few days, Elliott Staton has been able to come clean to everyone that he is the man behind Parallel Precision, which offers a CNC precision milling service making custom components in a range of materials. Telling his story backwards might help put it in perspective a little. Mr Staton has been, and still was when we wrote this, working near London four days a week and travelling back to his native Forest of Dean on Thursday evenings. He then works three 12-hour days on the trot, incognito, before travelling back to his ‘proper job’ on Sunday evening. “It is more rewarding than it is enjoyable at the moment,” he said, matter of factly, when asked how he copes with the hours. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. “I think give it 10 more weeks and I should be able to make the leap completely into my own company,” said the super-focused, super determined 25-year-old. From there, if everything continues to go to plan, there are target markets, and potential staff already in his sights. All this from someone who freely admits to never harbouring any ambition to run his own business – pre- apprenticeship - but now talks now like someone on a mission, confident and informed. “Apprenticeships were never heavily sold at school. There was more noise about college,” he recalls.
60 | May 2019 | www. punchline-gloucester .com
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