Today, Denis Brophy is the Technical Manager at Mar-Key Group, and with a history in precision engineering and a passion for British manufacturing, it’s clear to see why he’s the perfect man for the job.
In 1978 Denis met our Founder David Tabb whilst working as an apprentice at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and when David set up his first sail loft, he called on Denis to help him. Over the coming years and through the early days of Mar-Key Group they kept in touch, and in 2018 (after a little convincing) Denis joined Mar-Key Group.
He was under no illusion of the challenge that lay ahead of him; ‘The task was huge! The businesses was a fantastic one, but the systems were not in place to deliver scalability. I joined as a conduit between the design team and the manufacturing shop floor, and had to draw on all of my engineering knowledge and work to make it happen.’
Talking of bringing him to the team, David had no doubt that it had to be Denis. ‘There’s nobody better. I followed his career and he’s an excellent engineer. His knowledge of engineering techniques and practices exceeds mine and his attention to detail is second to none’.
Over the next 5 years, Denis’ experience and the development of the team enabled the Company to begin scaling their operations. He was heavily involved in moving the Manufacturing department from Bournemouth to Christchurch in 2023, travelling to Portugal to view a new 17m long CNC Machining Centre to make roof beams in one operation and working on the installation of the overhead crane to increase productivity and drive cost savings.
Taking on larger contracts and continuing to offer bespoke design and engineering capabilities to the market place certainly has it’s challenges, but it’s all in a day’s work for Denis. ‘I enjoy working. People ask ‘have you got any plans to retire?’ but I love the challenge, the problem solving and the ability to be involved in moving the company forward’.
It’s clear when speaking to him that the passion he found when starting his first manufacturing role on 1st August 1977 aged just 16, still resides within him today. His eyes light up when talking about the British manufacturing industry and Mar-Key Group’s place within it. ‘Having travelled Europe and the USA, I’ve seen first hand just how well thought of Britain is as designers and innovators. I’m really passionate about utilising the skills that we have as a country and upskilling the next generation.’
When asked ‘what’s next?’ Denis’ response solidifies just what makes him the perfect fit in our team; ‘Continual improvement! We’re never finished. It’s what I love about working here. The care of the team to work to get it right and do right by our client. Then once we’ve done it right, we work to make it even better. We always go above and beyond’.
Get in touch:
01202 577 111
team@mar-key.com
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