Engineer marks half a century working with firm near Aylesbury

A skilled engineer at an electrical company near Aylesbury will celebrate half a century working with the firm next month.

On December 1, Bernard Sellwood, a precision engineer at iLECSYS Ltd’s head office in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, will have been working with the iLECSYS Group for 50 years.

Bernard’s career in engineering began in in 1966, working as an apprentice for both Wycombe Tool and Die and International Tools, learning the foundations of engineering and building up his experience in the field.

Five years later, in Bernard spent his evenings working for RB Punching (initially RB Engineering) alongside founder and CEO Ray Biggs, during the company’s foundation, before becoming a full-time engineer in 1972.

RB Punching Ltd specialised in high-quality sheet metal design and fabrication, allowing Bernard to develop and fine tune his skillset as a precision engineer, prior to the company’s acquisition by iLECSYS Ltd, an independent distributor of electrical enclosures and components, in 2013.

Now working under the iLECSYS umbrella, Bernard is involved in the manufacture of components for various iLECSYS products and for their customers, many of whom are previous RB Punching customers.

When asked what initially attracted him to become an engineer and why he has stayed in the field for so many years, Bernard said: “As an apprentice in the tool room, you are trained to work to a high standard.

"The skills you attain are varied and there is a strong sense of achievement from producing something that fits properly and looks right.”

CEO of iLECSYS Ltd, Grace Tipson, said: “Over the years, iLECSYS has made several acquisitions but none so important as RB Punching.

"Bringing with them a wealth of experience in precision engineering, the whole team, of which Bernard is a valued member, have been and continue to be a huge benefit to the company.

"We are hugely proud of Bernard, his expertise and his determination to produce the best product every time.

"Thank you for your contribution Bernard. You are a huge asset to the company.”