What name/nickname do you prefer to be called?

Martin, it’s one of those names that doesn’t generally get shortened.

If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?

I’m the Product Champion for the Lifting and Load Control products in the business – everything from a simple 25m strap to a 400 tonne lifting sling. My background is in Mechanical Engineering and I develop the range Lifting & Load Control products.  An important aspect of my role is technical support for our customers – from advising on securing a wide variety of loads (eggs to armoured vehicles) to helping customers with a safe means of lifting wind turbines. 

What do you enjoy about the work you do? 

Designing a solution for a customer and seeing it successfully implemented is genuinely satisfying.  I also really enjoy solving complex lifting and load control problems and issues and seeing those solutions have an impact in the ‘real’ world, rather than just on paper.

We cover a wide variety of customers and applications, from everyday freight and logistics in the commercial vehicle and railway world to heavy lifting of turbine blades and components for offshore wind farms. There are always new technical problems and challenges arising for which SpanSet can use its collective expertise to address and it’s great to be a part of that.

What are your hobbies? 

I’ve always had an interest in flying and hold a private pilot’s licence and our holidays are usually carefully located for a convenient landing strip from where I can explore an aerial view of the local landscape. More recently I’ve become SpanSet’s own beekeeper.  Not because I’m particularly fond of honey but they are fascinating creatures and there is a surprising amount of science and engineering that goes into keeping bees to keep me interested. In the summer we bottle a special batch of honey for everyone at SpanSet. 

What volunteering or passion projects do you do outside of work?

I have been volunteering with Scouts for 20 years and until recently was District Commissioner for the local area. In that time we have provided opportunities for thousands of local young people to develop, make friends and enjoy the outdoors both here and across the globe from Japan to North America. Now retired from that role my current project is funding and building a new Scout HQ and community centre in the centre of our town.