Appointments: Birley Manufacturing, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, Polypipe

DESIGN and manufacturing specialist Birley Manufacturing has boosted its team with the appointment of operations director Dean Battersby.

He will be responsible for the joinery and metal factory, including manufacturing, planning, engineering and procurement.

Mr Battersby has held various senior management roles at RM&C, Gripple and PMS Diecasting.

Birley Manufacturing works on interior environments and rail carriage equipment for clients such as Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, NatWest and First Great Western Trains.

Birley’s managing director Steve English said: “We are delighted to have Dean on board. He brings with him a wealth of experience in managing projects and will be a stellar addition to our management team.”

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LEEDS engineering firm WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has topped of a year of expansion with the appointment of two senior staff.

Principal ecologist Dawn Phythian has joined from Waterman Environmental, with 10 years’ experience in the industry.

Former AECOM senior engineer Trefor Hillas joins the development infrastructure team. He has more than eight years’ experience in the water industry, and will be working on regional projects including the East Garforth masterplan and Carillion’s £80m Tower Works scheme in Leeds.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has recruited 74 new members of staff, expanding its team by almost 40% per cent in 2015 after a number a high-profile project wins.

The now 268 strong office has been appointed to a number of Yorkshire schemes including CEG’s £300m Kirkstall Forge development and the high rise Central Square development in Leeds which is due to complete summer 2016.

Jamie Tumber, director at WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff in Leeds said: “This has been a fantastic year for the business, with some great projects added to our expansive portfolio.

“As a growing number of ambitious infrastructure and development projects move forward, we want to ensure we have a rich pool of expertise here in Yorkshire to meet the needs of the many services required – from high rise to infrastructure and environment. We will continue to recruit across the board next year.

“Key to this is nurturing young talent; we’ve employed 12 graduates this year alone, and retaining home-grown engineers will be an important focus for the business over the next twelve months.”

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LISTED manufacturer Polypipe Group, has announced that chief financial officer Peter Shepherd has informed them of his intention to retire.

Martin Payne will succeed him as CFO and as a member of the piping systems manufacturer’s board.

Outgoing CFO Mr Shepherd wanted to retire close to his 60th birthday which falls in July 2016, having spent more than ten years with the company.

Mr Payne has served as group finance director at Norcros, a supplier of branded showers, taps, bathroom accessories, tiles and adhesives, since March 2011. 

Prior to that, he held senior financial positions at JCB, the construction equipment manufacturer, and at IMI plc, the British-based engineering company before which he spent six years as finance firector at H&R Johnson Tiles Ltd.

David Hall, Polypipe chief executive, said:”I would like to thank Peter for his support and significant contribution to Polypipe. He has been instrumental in the business’ tremendous progress over the last decade and in the successful transition to public listing. We wish him well in his retirement which is thoroughly deserved.

“I am very pleased to welcome Martin onto our Board. His enthusiasm, financial and operational skills together with his experience of working in public listed companies will be a great asset.”