Friday 27th January marked the end of 60 years unbroken and continued service to one company, one brand and one industry for long serving engineer, Mick Northing.
At just 15-years old, Mick joined an exciting career in the sector with the already famous Boneham & Turner Ltd, having passed the company daily on the bus as a child. Curiosity led Mick to explore what a career in the sector could offer him, overseeing by the end of his tenure, a tremendous journey in which he served five Boneham family members.
What he achieved in this lifetime of service to his sector cannot be understated, but more so what legacy he left through the hundreds of young engineers he helped develop and nurture right up to his last week. His reputation internally and externally was unrivalled, whether it was turning parts around for emerging formula 1 teams or the Ministry of Defence; buyers knew they were in good hands; even if he did say so himself in one amusing anecdote to current serving boardmember, Peter Boneham:
“Hey Pete, what do you think of these, some fine work if I do say so myself” said Mick and “I could reply and say these are brilliant, but they are far better than that” recalls Peter Boneham.
In front of his family, 3 generations of the Boneham family and his colleagues; Mick was introduced by Mark Goldby, Deputy Lord Lieutenant and warmly thanked and applauded by his overlooking colleagues for his service and dedication to quality.
Made in the Midlands Director Charles Addison attended, presenting Mick with a cut-glass Whiskey tumbler, manufactured in Brierely Hill, West Midlands and said "Not in my 14 years of visting manufacturing firms have I come across such dedicated and uninterrupted service- there is not enough good news in the world and the traits Mick has displayed of loyalty, stoicism and passion are hugely underrated, the fact is the world and the sector would be better off with more engineers like Mick, thank you for all you have done for British manufacturing."
