Remarkable People – Tony and Becky

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.”