Craig Birch – Celebrating 20 Years of Dedication (and Love!) at Warren

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In a remarkable journey that spans two decades, we take a moment to write about Craig Birch, an integral part of our team at Warren. This month marks his 20th anniversary with us, a milestone that reflects his unwavering commitment and passion for his craft.

Craig’s story with Warren began straight out of school at the Old School Feltwell. It was his father who initiated this journey, approaching us with a simple question: Was there a place for his son in our team? And that single enquiry set the wheels in motion for what would be a remarkable tenure. Guided by Squeak, and buoyed by the support of Dave Banwell, Craig embarked on his path, learning the art of turning. His educational foundation took shape through an apprenticeship at West Suffolk College, where practical skills intertwined with theoretical knowledge.

Though not one to be buried in paperwork, Craig found his balance with Sophie’s assistance, triumphing over the academic aspects of his college work. As they say, the rest became history – a history adorned with achievements, growth, and a little touch of romance.

Love often finds its way into unexpected corners of life, and for Craig, it blossomed right here at Warren. Collaborating closely with Suzie on a Business Improvement course kindled a connection that transcended the confines of the workplace. Over time, this connection deepened and flourished, culminating in a joyous wedding celebration. Both Craig and Suzie became an integral part of our Warren family, contributing their skills and dedication to our shared journey.

While life sometimes takes us on divergent paths, it’s heartening to share that Suzie, after a stint with another company, has rejoined our team at Brickfields. Her return brings a renewed sense of camaraderie and shared purpose to our community.

As a machinist, Craig might not always be the tidiest, but his work ethic, unswerving dedication, and commitment to quality are second to none. His workspace consists of his own cell, housing an array of machines including the two Citizen sliding head machines and the new Haas ST25. These machines hum with productivity, guided by Craig’s expert touch. And thanks to his proficiency, even when customer demand is high, they occasionally run autonomously thanks to the bar feed system.

Beyond his technical skills, Craig’s benevolent spirit shines through. Always eager to impart his knowledge and lend a helping hand to newcomers and colleagues alike, he personifies the essence of a team player.

Away from the workshop, Craig and Suzie’s shared love for rock music and their bohemian spirit come to life. They seize weekends for spontaneous adventures in their trusty van, embracing the freedom to explore and make memories.

Their passion extends to gastronomy as well, both being avid food enthusiasts. Suzie, in particular, has found a new avenue for her talents – crafting delectable baked goods that have garnered praise far and wide. Her cakes, a testament to her culinary artistry, never fail to amaze!

In celebrating Craig’s 20 years of service, we also celebrate the human connections that enrich our workplace. His journey symbolises the harmony between dedication and love, between mastering the art of machining and crafting a life filled with shared experiences. As we toast to the past two decades, we eagerly anticipate the chapters yet to be written in the story of Craig Birch and Warren.

Suzie’s Return: A Boomerang Tale

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Guess who’s back? The prodigal team member, known fondly as “Boomerang Birch,” has returned to the fold at Warren – and there’s a lot to catch up on!

Here’s a message from Suzie…

Uh Oh! Boomerang Birch is back…
After almost 14 years of service to Warren, working my way up from the bottom, I decided I needed to try something new…

I left Warren 18 months ago to try a different company and a different role… Whilst I did learn a lot about myself there, gained some other new skills and found another great bunch of people to work with, the role really wasn’t for me. What else have I been up to in the meantime?

To de-stress myself, I turned my baking hobby into a small business! Some of the Brandon dwellers of Warren have popped in to see me (Baker 39); I have a little stall at The Original Factory Shop in Brandon as part of their scheme to promote small businesses. I am also lucky enough to supply a lovely tearoom in Brandon with delicious baked goods too! I also try to get myself to local community fairs/fetes as well. It’s really helped me be part of my local community and I LOVE chatting the day away with people at my stall!

A big thanks to those that support me 🙂

So here I am again! This time I’m in a different role, supporting Sophie and the team with all things Tech Grocer, and I’m sure there will be other things along the way. It’s great to see so many familiar faces again – I have missed you! Also spotted some new faces, and I look forward to getting to know you too.

– Suzie

Will’s Trip to India

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In June, our MD Will embarked on an exciting adventure, travelling all the way to India to visit our machine partners at Suba Solutions. The journey was quite a long one, spanning nearly 24 hours in total. Will’s journey began at London Heathrow, then took him to Abu Dhabi before reaching Delhi. From there, he hopped on another 3-hour flight to his final destination in Coimbatore.

The purpose of this extensive trip was to address any challenges when machines arrive at our factory. As we aim to increase the number of machines coming from India, it was crucial for Will to ensure they meet our desired quality standards. He also examined the supply chain for the machine parts and discussed any problem-solving strategies that may be required.

To streamline the process, Warren has agreed to work on the software of the machines arriving from India. This will ensure that the software matches the same high standard as our other machine builds. We will also provide ongoing support for any software issues once the machines are sold. Will reported that the trip was fantastic for strengthening our relationship with Suba. It was his first time visiting India, and he couldn’t help but be amazed by the country’s beauty, the incredible food and the friendliness of the locals.

Will also mentioned that he was relieved he didn’t have to navigate the roads himself, as India has various modes of transport and it could be quite challenging to drive without prior knowledge of the area. Overall, it was an incredibly beneficial visit, strengthening our partnership and paving the way for future success.

Here are multiple photos from Will’s remarkable trip…

Launch – A Modern Manufacturing Town

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Will, our Managing Director had the exciting opportunity to speak at the grand launch event in May, held at The Light cinema in Thetford. Warren played a major role in the creation of a brand new promotional video. You can check out the video below. Who knows, you might even spot yourself in the video!

For more information and to get a glimpse of the exciting developments, here’s a press release shared by Breckland Council. Take a look and enjoy!

Community Champion – Royal Norfolk Show

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We want to give a huge congratulations to Will for being recognised as a Community Champion at a special evening event held at the Royal Norfolk Show. This event was an opportunity for Norfolk to show appreciation to individuals making significant contributions to their community or charitable organisations. The tribute directly aligns with His Majesty the King’s vision of fostering community cohesion and promoting volunteerism.

The event itself was quite entertaining, with an evening ceremony that Will described as slightly embarrassing, as they were asked to parade around a field while wearing a vibrant pink sash. Fortunately, Will had the pleasure of being joined by a group of friendly faces who were also being recognised. One being Scott Stones (from Waites & Stones), who was acknowledged for his tremendous efforts in delivering essential supplies to Ukraine.

Well done, Will, and to all the other individuals. Your dedication and hard work truly make a difference in our community. Keep up the excellent work!

Warren's Managing Director, Will Bridgman and Scott Stones from Waites & Stones

Will Bridgman, our Managing Director and Scott Stones from Waites & Stones

Danny Goodman – 10 Year Anniversary

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Here’s a big shoutout to Danny Goodman, for reaching an incredible milestone of 10 years of dedicated service! Danny has been a rockstar over the past decade, consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to quality and continuous improvement. We’re thrilled to announce that he has recently taken on the role of leading our Quality department, in addition to heading up our Turning department.

Danny’s journey with us began on what was the old night shift, working from 6pm until 6am on a 4-on-4-off pattern as a skilled machinist. It didn’t take long for his exceptional problem-solving and people skills to shine through, earning him a promotion to shift manager and later to running the day shift turning department.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Danny for his unwavering loyalty throughout the years. We eagerly anticipate celebrating many more milestones and achievements together in the future. And who knows, if you’re lucky enough Danny, we might buy you a pint down the pub to celebrate – which will be an achievement itself! Cheers, Danny!

Danny Goodman with Lee Charlton, our Operations Director

Sneak Peek into the Testing of 10 Mini Whirly Reelers!

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We have an update to share with all our WhirlyReeler enthusiasts. Recently, one of our esteemed clients granted us permission to capture video footage of the testing phase for their ten new ‘mini’ WhirlyReelers. It provided us with an opportunity to observe these compact devices in action and showcase their capabilities.

Through these collaborations, we aim to continually explore innovation and deliver advanced solutions to our valued customers.

The Whirly Reeler at the ABTT Show

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The ABTT Theatre Show took place once again at the stunning Alexandra Palace on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th June.

This exhibition is where the broadest collection of specialist suppliers sup- porting live performance technology and production gather to connect with those who deliver the performance in the world of theatre, events, festivals, music and more.

The ABTT Theatre Show is held at the Alexandra Palace, affectionately known as Ally Pally. This iconic building was opened in 1873 and stands very high up on a hill in North London. It stands with a massive tall communications aerial which can be seen for many miles around.

Last Wednesday, Richard Bridgman and Harry Haskew (our Controls Engineer Degree Apprentice) set out early by car for Ally Pally. They arrived on time even though the London traffic can be so unpredictable. Scott Fraser (our Estate Manager) had already taken the equipment down to the show and helped Ewart to set up the stand. The show is about the equipment used for touring shows – theatre installs, lighting, sound equipment, rigging just to name a few things. We were there to promote the “Whirly Reeler”; a joint venture financed between Rawner and Ewart and manufactured by Warren.

Being at a show and on a stand is quite challenging and both Warren and Ewart always want to maximise the time and money being spent on a stand. I would like to say that everyone who went past the stand or were an exhibitor were subjected to an education on the Whirly Reeler. We met and had a lot of interest and serious enquiries from some very high- profile organisations. Richard attended on Wednesday as Will was committed to speak at another event. Harry would say it’s quite a long and very arduous day!

Will took to the stand on Thursday, but I bet he struggled to find many that we had not spoken to the day before. It was especially good for Richard, because it enabled him to meet up with past suppliers and customers.

Bury St. Edmunds Rickshaws

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Richard and Sharon have lived in Bury for many years now and have often seen people being driven around on Rickshaws. They are really a big tricycle capable of carrying two people, ridden by a volunteer.

Recently there was an appeal to sponsor one in the Bury Free Press. Up until recently “Hughes” the electrical retailer had been the sponsor for “Cary”. Richard looked into this some more and once he found out what they did, he agreed to take over the Sponsorship. In the picture, you will see our Logo on one of the Rickshaw’s (affectionally known as “Cary”) that is used purely for collecting and delivering goods, food parcels, meals, prescriptions, groceries and many other things to support those in need, with help or support. The wonderful picture of all the Rickshaws together outside the Abbey Gardens Gate tells the whole story.

This is an unbelievable organisation run by many volunteers. They now have 5 Rickshaws; one is brand new and capable of carrying a disabled person in their wheelchair. All the rides are free and generally it’s the less able who take up the opportunity, but its open to all.

Richard is now talking to a group in Thetford to see if this idea might work in the town. It’s early days but you never know…

Please take a look at the website: www.bserickshaw.org.uk to find out more.

Brandon Town CFC

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On Saturday 10th June, Brandon Town CFC had its annual presentation day. Scott Fraser, our Estate Manager coaches his son’s U7 team, which was sponsored by Warren Services.

Warren provided them with their first kit, training jackets and manager’s jacket. The lads had a successful year winning the majority of their games and having several players scouted for either Norwich, Ipswich or Cambridge. This current age group are considered non-competitive, but as everyone who has a child who plays a sport knows, it’s always competitive to them, so hopefully next year will bring a bit of silverware.

“Thanks again to Warren for sponsoring our team, we really appreciate it, from everyone at Brandon Town Football Club.”