For small businesses, the everyday can often limit time thinking about how to support employees better. To be fair, it’s totally understandable. It can be challenging to consider staff welfare whilst running a productive business; often with a small, lean team focused on the business goals.

British Rema, however, has turned that thinking on its head by recognising that wellbeing support for the team can actually enhance business performance and engender loyalty and productivity.

The company recently introduced an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to provide confidential access 24/7 to mental health support for all employees and is training four employees to become Mental Health First Aiders to provide in-house monitoring and support for everyone.

The idea was first raised during a Management led business risk review, recognising the stresses of everyday life and the difficulty in balancing work, home, family and other life responsibilities and challenges. It’s well documented that men, in particular, find it difficult to ask for help – or even acknowledge they are struggling. Tony Goodwin, Managing Director, supported the idea from day one;

“British Rema has long invested in its people and this has traditionally revolved around personal development. We recognise, however, that well-being and mental health support can often be just as important so we have now communicated our EAP to all our staff and we are actively encouraging them all to access the support on offer if required. We have had great feedback from the team about the initiative and working for a company that cares about their wellbeing.”

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Continuous Professional Development is ingrained into the British Rema culture and the company is always supportive of the on-going learning needs of employees. The recent success of Callam Turner with his HND in Engineering demonstrates the benefits to both the business and employees.

Callam joined the Phillips kiln grinding division of the company in June 2012 and after a couple of years resurfacing and aligning kilns on site, British Rema offered him the chance to undertake an apprenticeship to study engineering at Chesterfield College. He subsequently went on to complete BTEC Level 2 and 3, as well as 2-year HNC supported throughout by the management at British Rema. The HNC, in particular, provided a great opportunity to build up further technical knowledge, especially with regards to complex engineering maths problems, which Callam was then able to use in his engineering maintenance role in the business.

After taking a break from education to focus on implementing his new skills in his day-to-day job of maintaining rotary engineering tools, Callam, re-energised, pursued an HND with Learning Unlimited in Derby.  He has now passed the course with flying colours;

“The management at British Rema has supported me every step of the way to gain a range qualifications over the years. I have been able to study during working hours when needed and have had all the resources at my fingertips to complete assignments. The courses have also helped me to develop my communication skills enormously as I regularly had to deliver presentations and explain engineering concepts. The quid pro quo for the business is that I can take on more complex engineering tasks and work at a higher level than before.”

Callam, who has been with the company for 13 years, was able to complete his final project on a live job at the company which enhanced his project management capabilities and enabled him to experience how project engineers solve real- world problems. He’s now a huge advocate of learning while working and the investment has been paid back in both loyalty and ambition;

“British Rema’s sponsorship and backing have been invaluable in helping me complete my education up to the HND level. Knowing that the company values my growth and is willing to invest in my education keeps me highly motivated and makes me feel appreciated. I continue to apply what I have learned and I am looking forward to growing further in my engineering career at the company.”

Callam is not the only Turner to work at British Rema. Like father like son, his dad, Eddie, works as a Grinding Technician for Rotary Engineering and has been with the company 17 years.

Tony Goodwin, Managing Director, is an advocate for on-going learning initiatives in the workplace and has witnessed the benefits;

“We are extremely proud of Callam and the hard work he has put into his further education. We appreciate the challenges of balancing home life, work and education and were very happy to support Callam on his journey”

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British Rema is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Hanning as Technical Manager – Materials. Chris joined the company at the back end of 2024 to manage the laboratory at British Rema’s Chesterfield HQ. As well as providing technical support across the processing division and maintaining compliance with stringent customer specifications, Chris and his team manage powder processing trials for new and existing customers on the company’s own trial plant.

Prior to joining British Rema, Chris worked from Faradion, a leading sodium ion battery company in Sheffield and has over 20 years of experience in the chemical industry, from multi-nationals through to start- up businesses. His knowledge of the sector is helping to improve processes, productivity and efficiency in the processing division. Chris is enjoying his new role so far;

“I have had a great welcome to British Rema by the whole of the team. It’s a really busy environment and everyone is so helpful and motivated to keep improving products and services for customers. I am looking forward to supporting British Rema to improve on its already excellent performance.”

As an Employee-Owned Trust, British Rema prides itself on the longevity of its employees and its family friendly policies which are designed to support the workforce with better work life balance. In fact, generations of the same family still work in the business thanks to its forward-thinking policies.

One such example is dad and daughter duo, Tony Gregory and Rebecca, who both work in the testing lab. Tony joined the company in 1998 where he was on the shop floor at the original powder processing plant in Dronfield.

Fast forward two decades and Tony now works in lab testing, analysing powders and updating the all-important paperwork. As the demand for testing and certification became too much for one person, Becky stepped forward in a part-time capacity to work alongside her dad. Working from 9am to 1pm every day in the week enables her to collect her 4-year-old daughter from nursery for the afternoon. Becky, who previously worked in retail, was delighted to find an opportunity with flexible hours;

“I know I am lucky to be able to work the hours I do and spend time with my daughter. There aren’t many businesses that offer a job with prospects as well as flexibility. The real beauty of the role is that I not only get to work alongside my dad, but he is the perfect mentor and coach. Going forwards, as the needs of the business increase and my daughter attends school full-time, I will be able to step up and do more hours.”

For Tony Goodwin, Managing Director of British Rema, it is the perfect set-up;

“We have the perfect succession plan here. When Tony retires in a few years, he will have trained Becky to step into his shoes. Currently the hours work very well for both the business and Becky and fortunately the pair work very well together and have the same hard work ethic. It really is a win win.”

The family connections don’t stop there. Tony’s brother, Trevor, has worked at the company for 20 years, whilst his future son-in-law, Kieran, is a Shop Floor Supervisor.  Tony himself was the last employee to be recruited by Ian McBride, who co-founded the business later run by son, Struan;

“I was employed in the days when you got to hear about job vacancies in the pub. An interview later and I was making the switch to British Rema from the double-glazing trade and the rest is history. It’s been a long and incredible career. To get to work with Becky is a real bonus.”

Going forwards, roles in the lab will only continue to grow. Customers are hyper-focused on quality and demand for testing and paperwork will only grow. Lab work is a fundamental element of the offer to customers that hones niche skills that are transferable to other areas of the business. MD, Tony, is confident that Becky will enjoy a long-term career just like her dad;

“We have great continuity for the business with this current arrangement, but in future there will also be the opportunity for Becky to develop new skills and progress internally. As a business we always make sure our staff have opportunities and I am confident that Becky, just like her dad, will have a long and rewarding career here.”