“I was lucky enough to get on a four-year advanced apprenticeship with Delphi. Delphi’s training was fantastic. “I ended up wanting to do it in three years, but meant I had to transfer to another company, to Aldeny Pumps.” But it was his next move shortly afterwards, and unplanned, which changed his mind-set completely. Tempted by more money, the role turned out to be not quite what he had expected, and it had a profound effect on him. “The company brought me in and I ended up helping advise them on what tooling to buy to set up a new part to their business, and it was an education. It has since grown to become one of the biggest CNC operations of its kind.” The thought popped in his head and would not leave – if he could set up a business for someone else, why not do it for himself. Of course, nothing is ever easy. “When I started this I had no idea it would take 18 months before I would be able to focus on it entirely,” he said. “I ended up selling my car to help fund it. I was 22 then. I had no one to follow, but as soon as I did one thing I seemed to know what the next thing to do was.” His approach to marketing has helped win customers. “A lot of engineering firms are older generation run and that is reflected in how they market themselves. I used social media to talk about our capabilities and it has worked. It is just a more modern advertising strategy. “I have been careful never to give the impression of being a one-man band either. We have been honest about what we can offer, but not suggested we are limited.”
The firm can serve customers whose jobs require four and five axes machinery (CNC machines whose tooling can move in five different ways). Contacts he has built up can help with extra work and requirements for additional capabilities, until he brings everything under one roof. “Work has varied, from one-off jobs to 3,500-offs.” His focus being on quality and service. His official day job has also given him a chance to work with and problem solve for what he calls “some very demanding, very upmarket customers”. He is not using any of those contacts in how own business, but it has given him ideas of the kind of market he eventually wants to focus on. “I would like to serve luxury, bespoke low volume markets.” We just can’t tell you exactly what they are yet. Funding to expand? “I did not find it too difficult to get funding, considering I had no prior accounts to show anyone. I actually ended up turning down the financing I got to help me start up. “The return on investment I am getting on my current equipment gives me confidence going forward, should we need to invest further.” Punchline, of course, wishes Mr Staton all the very best l
May 2019 | www. punchline-gloucester .com | 61
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