Group Rhodes Managing Director Awarded Honour
Engineering firm Group Rhodes is celebrating a double this month. Not only has the firm acquired another business, but managing director Mark Ridgway has been honoured by the queen.
Mr Ridgway was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to industry. Mr Ridgway, who won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise last year, and is the Chairman of the Wakefield Local Enterprise Partnership said: “It is humbling to receive it and a massive surprise. But I see it as good recognition for the Company, and I hope it will raise our profile. I believe we have achieved a great deal in engineering, which has been overlooked I the past.”
West Yorkshire based Group Rhodes, is made up of six engineering companies serving the aerospace, metalforming, precision engineering, environmental, heavy ceramics and oil and gas markets. Mr Ridgway has helped the company become one of the largest original equipment manufacturers in its field.
The firm acquired precision engineering business Slater and Crabtree, which has a £2m turnover and employs 25 staff. The deal is expected to strengthen Group Rhodes production base and protect skilled engineering jobs in the city.