Lewis aims for expansion at Claro

A Claro Precision Engineering product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 11, 2002

Claro Precision Engineering, has appointed a new sales director, Mike Lewis, to further expand the company's portfolio of blue-chip customers.

Claro Precision Engineering, has appointed a new sales director, Mike Lewis, to further expand the company's portfolio of blue-chip customers.

The move, which is part of on-going expansion plans is aimed at consolidating the company's position as one of the UK's leading manufacturers of specialist metal and plastic components.

As sales director, Lewis will be responsible for the company's overall sales and marketing strategy and will have increased input into future plans for the continued growth of the company.

Prior to joining Claro, Lewis' career ambition had always been to eventually move into a sales role.

But previous positions as a plating operative and programmer for CNC drills and routers at a circuit board manufacturer were never going to lead to a career in sales.

With no experience in engineering, Mike joined the company in 1989 as a CNC milling programmer.

Seven years later he gained promotion to team leader of the section.

"After being unsuccessful elsewhere due to lack of sales experience, in 1999 Claro Precision Engineering gave me the break into sales that I had always aimed for", says Lewis, "I had finally achieved my goal of more than 10 years by being offered the role of Sales Engineer".

His enthusiasm and ability to increase the company's sales proved so successful that by the year 2000 he had earned promotion to sales manager.

With this, his ambition in sales moved to the possibility of becoming a director at Claro Precision Engineering.

This ambition was eventually recognised in July 2002 when Lewis was promoted to sales director.

He says: "I must thank Claro Precision Engineering for giving me the opportunity of becoming a sales director for one of the UK's leading engineering companies.

It employed me 13 years ago, with no engineering experience at all and has now given me this brilliant opportunity, which, rest assured it will not regret.

This is proof that it is truly a company that are Investors in People".

Commenting, Claro Precision Engineering, managing director, Howard Chadwick says: "Mike's promotion to sales director is one of the success story's which proves that investing in people works.

In 1992 the company was the first in North Yorkshire following the pilot scheme to achieve Investors in People and have continued with it since then.

When ambition, potential and ability is recognised in any one of our employees it is our responsibility as mentors to channel this into openings that will provide maximum benefit to them and the company".

Lewis is 35 and married to Alison.

They have three young children, Nicole aged 10, Lucy aged eight and Marshall, two.

They live in Harrogate where Mike spends his spare time playing football and learning to play the saxophone.