Richard attends the Enginuity Skills Awards 2026

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On 1st July, Warren’s Founder and Owner, Richard Bridgman, attended the Enginuity Skills Awards 2026 at the Park Plaza Hotel in Westminster.

Richard was invited to the prestigious black-tie event as a guest of EAL (Excellence, Achievement & Learning), the organisation responsible for maintaining and promoting training standards across the engineering and manufacturing sectors throughout the UK.

Reflecting on the occasion, Richard said:

“It always feels strange to travel on the train in a dinner suit and bow tie!”

The evening celebrated the outstanding achievements of apprentices, employers and organisations that are helping to develop the future of engineering and manufacturing. Throughout the ceremony, awards were presented across a wide range of categories, recognising excellence in skills, training and workforce development.

As well as the presentations, the event provided an excellent opportunity to connect with industry leaders, training providers and business representatives from across the country. Richard enjoyed catching up with longstanding contacts, making new connections and hearing about the innovative work taking place throughout the sector.

Supporting apprenticeships and investing in skills development has always been a key part of Warren’s values, so it was inspiring to see so many individuals and businesses recognised for their commitment to nurturing future talent.

After an enjoyable evening of celebration and networking, Richard finally arrived home at 1.30am – bringing a memorable and very long day to a close.

Congratulations to all of this year’s Enginuity Skills Awards winners and finalists for their outstanding achievements.

Celebrating three long-service milestones this July

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July is a special month at Warren as we celebrate three significant long-service anniversaries across the business.

This year, we are proud to recognise the dedication and commitment of:

Adam Goldson – 20 years
Chris Watson – 10 years
Jordan Brimson – 10 years

Together, these milestones represent an incredible 40 years of service to Warren.

Long service is about much more than the number of years someone has worked for a company. It reflects the commitment, professionalism and positive contribution individuals make every day – helping colleagues, supporting customers and playing an important role in the continued success of the business.

Each of these team members has developed valuable expertise within their specialist area. From milling and welding to powder coating, they represent the breadth of skills that exist across Warren and demonstrate the diverse capabilities that enable us to deliver high-quality engineering and manufacturing solutions.

Their knowledge, experience and willingness to support others have helped strengthen not only their own departments but the wider business as well.

On behalf of everyone at Warren, we would like to thank Adam, Chris and Jordan for their hard work, loyalty and dedication over the years. Reaching these milestones is a fantastic achievement and one that deserves to be recognised and celebrated.

Congratulations to all three of you. We are incredibly grateful for everything you have contributed over the years and look forward to many more successes together.

Russell Cook – 10 Year Anniversary

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Every great success story has a beginning, and ten years ago Russell Cook started his journey at Warren on the Twilight Shift.

Joining the business with exceptional welding skills, a strong work ethic and a commitment to supporting those around him, it quickly became clear that Russ would make a lasting impact on the team.

Over the years, through hard work, dedication and leadership, Russ progressed to become the Welding Captain of the Twilight Shift – a position earned through experience, consistency and the respect of his colleagues.

Throughout his decade with Warren, Russ has taken on countless challenges, worked to demanding deadlines and contributed to a wide variety of projects. Time and again, he has approached each task with determination, professionalism and a willingness to help others succeed.

His welding expertise has played an important role in producing high-quality work that meets the standards our customers expect, while his leadership has helped support and guide the team through the day-to-day demands of manufacturing.

Like many long-serving members of the Warren team, Russ has grown alongside the business, helping us adapt, develop and continue delivering for our customers. His contribution over the last ten years has been greatly appreciated by colleagues across the company.

Looking back, there have been plenty of memorable moments along the way, including a famously blunt first-day assessment from Richard! Thankfully, Russ didn’t let that put him off and has gone on to prove exactly what an important member of the team he is.

Congratulations, Russ, on reaching your 10-year anniversary. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and leadership over the past decade. We look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.

Estee attends HR event focused on workplace challenges

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People are at the heart of every successful business, which is why staying informed about workplace trends and challenges is so important.

On Thursday 4th June, our HR Director Estee Ros, attended an HR event in Royal Leamington Spa that brought together professionals from a range of manufacturing businesses to discuss some of the most significant people-related issues facing employers today.

The event covered a variety of topics including menopause, retirement, employee wellbeing and generational differences in the workplace. These are often the conversations that sit beneath the surface of an organisation, yet they can have a significant impact on employee engagement, wellbeing and overall business performance.

Alongside discussions on upcoming workplace reforms due to take effect in 2026, the event focused on helping businesses build manager confidence, support multigenerational workforces and address topics that are sometimes considered difficult or sensitive to discuss.

A key theme throughout the day was that workplace challenges are best addressed proactively. Open conversations, clear communication and practical support can all play an important role in creating a positive working environment where employees can perform at their best.

The event was extremely well attended and provided a valuable opportunity to hear from other manufacturing businesses within the MAKE UK membership network. It was reassuring to learn that many organisations are facing similar challenges and working towards similar solutions.

Events like this allow us to learn from others, share experiences and bring back ideas that can help us continue to support our employees and strengthen our workplace culture.

Expanding our welding capabilities with Code A Weld

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At Warren, continuous improvement is a key part of how we operate. It could be about investing in new equipment, developing our people or refining our processes – we’re always looking for ways to strengthen our capabilities and deliver the highest standards for our customers.

This month, we welcomed the team from Code A Weld to support our welding department with a series of positional mild steel TIG welding procedures.

As manufacturing technologies and industry requirements continue to evolve, it’s important that we develop our skills and qualifications to keep pace. These new procedures will help expand our welding capabilities and provide even greater flexibility when tackling a variety of projects.

In an ideal situation, welding is carried out in the flat position. However, real-world manufacturing doesn’t always make that possible. Factors such as component size, design complexity and accessibility can require welding to be carried out in different positions. By introducing these additional procedures, our team can confidently adapt to these situations while maintaining the high standards of quality our customers expect.

The work carried out with Code A Weld forms part of our ongoing commitment to investing in both our people and our processes. Building a comprehensive library of approved procedures ensures we can respond effectively to a wider range of manufacturing challenges while continuing to deliver consistent, high-quality results.

The Code A Weld team were excellent to work with throughout the process, and we would like to thank them for the time, expertise and support they provided.

This is only the beginning. Additional testing is planned in the coming weeks as we continue to expand our procedure library and strengthen our welding capabilities even further.

We look forward to sharing more updates as we continue to learn, adapt and invest in the future of manufacturing at Warren.

Ella takes the next step in her career

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This week we were delighted to congratulate Ella on successfully completing her Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship.

Working within Warren’s Quality team, Ella has spent the past few years developing her knowledge and skills while gaining valuable experience in a busy manufacturing environment. Balancing work responsibilities with studying is never easy, but Ella has shown dedication and determination throughout her apprenticeship journey.

Achieving a qualification is always an important milestone, but for Ella it is also the beginning of the next chapter. Rather than stopping at Level 3, she has already committed to continuing her professional development and will begin a Level 4 Quality Practitioner Apprenticeship in September.

This next qualification will allow Ella to build on the experience she has already gained within the Quality team and further develop the specialist skills that are so important within modern manufacturing.

One of the great strengths of apprenticeships is that they provide a pathway for continuous learning and career progression. Ella’s journey is a great example of how apprentices can develop their knowledge, gain recognised qualifications and continue advancing their careers within the business.

We are proud to support Ella as she continues her development and look forward to seeing what she achieves next.

Congratulations, Ella, on completing your Level 3 qualification, and best of luck as you begin your Level 4 apprenticeship later this year.

Discussing opportunities for young people with Baroness Stedman-Scott

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Warren recently welcomed an important visit focused on one of the key challenges facing communities across the UK – helping young people move into education, employment and training.

The visit brought together our Managing Director, Will Bridgman, and our Founder Owner Richard Bridgman with Baroness Debbie Stedman-Scott and Julia Nix, Head of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for Norfolk and Suffolk.

Julia organised the visit, bringing Baroness Stedman-Scott to Norfolk to meet with organisations including Warren, Netmatters and Open Road in Thetford. Each organisation plays a role in supporting, training and developing young people, including those who may have faced challenges during their education.

A major topic of discussion was the growing number of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not currently in education, employment or training, often referred to as NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training). This remains a significant challenge across the country and one that requires collaboration between businesses, education providers and government organisations.

Richard commented that Baroness Stedman-Scott was a breath of fresh air, bringing a wealth of experience and practical ideas to the discussion. She was instrumental in introducing the highly successful Kickstart scheme and continues to champion innovative approaches to helping young people develop skills, gain confidence and access meaningful employment opportunities.

The visit generated valuable conversations and new ideas that could help address the challenges facing young people today. Several of these ideas have already been shared with others involved in training and workforce development.

At Warren, we remain committed to supporting apprenticeships, work experience placements and opportunities that help young people take their first steps into rewarding careers.

Watch this space as these discussions continue to develop.

The bridge is finally complete!

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After much anticipation, “The Bridge” at our Brickfields site is finally complete.

The new bridge links the upper gravel car park directly to the mezzanine entrance, creating a more convenient route into the building and improving access across the site.

Richard Bridgman commented:

“This has been on the cards for far too long, but I must say it looks very robust, very functional and fits the bill perfectly!”

Projects like this are a great example of Warren’s in-house capabilities, with different teams working together to design, manufacture and install a practical solution that will benefit employees and visitors alike.

A special thank you goes to Josh and Louis for the design work, and to Adam and his team – particularly Ricardo – for assembling the structure and successfully lifting it into position.

Richard added:

“Personally, I use it every time now, as it’s a lot easier than the big gates down the bottom.”

The completed bridge is a simple but effective improvement that demonstrates the skills and teamwork that exist throughout the business. It’s always rewarding to see a project move from an idea to a finished structure that people can use every day.

Well done to everyone involved in bringing the project to completion.

Congratulations to Natalia on completing her apprenticeship

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Congratulations to Natalia on successfully completing her Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship.

This week, we had the opportunity to personally congratulate Natalia on achieving this important milestone and officially becoming a qualified Business Administrator.

At Warren, apprentice success is always something worth celebrating. This can involve apprentices developing practical engineering skills on the shop floor, or building their careers within our office teams. We are committed to supporting them as they learn, grow and progress.

Throughout her apprenticeship, Natalia has balanced her studies alongside her role within the Enquiries team, demonstrating dedication, commitment and a strong willingness to learn. Completing an apprenticeship requires both hard work and perseverance, and Natalia should be extremely proud of what she has achieved.

Apprenticeships continue to play an important role in developing talent across Warren, helping individuals gain valuable qualifications while building real-world experience within the business.

Well done, Natalia, on this fantastic achievement. We look forward to seeing your continued success and celebrating many more apprentice accomplishments in the future.

Celebrating 20 years of Lee Charlton

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Reaching 20 years with one company is a remarkable achievement, and we are proud to celebrate this milestone with Lee Charlton.

Lee joined Warren two decades ago as a Fabricator Welder, working under the guidance of Ian Coulson, whose high standards and no-nonsense approach helped shape many successful careers within the business.

Prior to joining Warren, Lee had worked extensively in structural steel fabrication for buildings. Moving into Warren’s manufacturing environment presented a different challenge, but he quickly adapted and became an important part of the team.

A significant turning point in Lee’s career came when Warren invested in its first Waterjet cutting machine. The business needed someone to take ownership of the new technology, learn its capabilities and integrate it into daily operations. Lee stepped forward to take on the challenge. While Ian was understandably reluctant to lose a skilled welder from his team, the decision proved to be an excellent one.

Lee successfully mastered every aspect of the Waterjet operation, from programming and production through to maintenance and optimisation. His expertise helped establish the technology as a key part of Warren’s manufacturing capabilities.

As the business continued to grow, Warren made another major investment, purchasing a Laser cutter alongside a large Amada Brake Press and SolidWorks CAD/CAM software. Lee worked closely with Richard and Will Bridgman to evaluate the available options, visiting suppliers across the country and carrying out extensive trials before selecting the right equipment for the business.

Building on his Waterjet experience, Lee undertook specialist training on the new machinery alongside Will Bridgman and then-apprentice Danny Rayner. The successful introduction of laser and waterjet cutting has since become an important part of Warren’s long-term business strategy and growth.

Throughout these developments, Lee continued to progress through the company. From Laser and Fabrication Manager to Production Manager at Fison, each role brought new responsibilities and fresh challenges. Along the way he developed skills in team leadership, planning, customer and supplier relationships, IT systems and operational management.

Today, Lee serves as Operations Director, playing a key role in the continued success and development of Warren.

Looking back over the last 20 years, Lee would be the first to acknowledge that the journey has not always been easy. However, through hard work, determination and the support of colleagues across the business, he has built an impressive career and made a significant contribution to Warren’s success.

Thank you, Lee, for your dedication, commitment and leadership over the past 20 years. We look forward to seeing what the future holds and to continuing the journey together.