Selling in excess of 1,000 loadbanks for Crestchic, 75 year old Richard Renders has decided to retire from his long and rewarding career at the leading loadbank manufacturer.
Throughout his time at Crestchic Richard has seen the loadbank market transform from a niche requirement to an industry standard device used in the power generation and testing industry, from rudimentary control to the use of sophisticated software, ever increasing voltages and load capacities.
Before joining Crestchic in 1985, Richard was already a well-known figure in the power generation industry. He began his career at generator manufacturing and rental company, Dawson-Keith in 1970 which was headed by self-made businessman Mr Kenneth Wood, creator of the Kenwood mixer and many other household products. It was here that Richard managed a purpose-built factory in Claycross, Derbyshire, where he had responsibility for manufacturing large diesel gensets, service and a large rental fleet. Eventually this part of the business was taken over by another company where Richard served as Depot Manager at its Manchester site where he first met Jim Gould.
Reflecting on his 29 years of continuous service at the company, he said: “I will always be thankful for my time at Crestchic. I have witnessed much change in those 29 years, both internally and externally. The industry has changed significantly. For me, it is fantastic to have seen the transformation from loadbanks which originally had large carbon footprints, to some of our latest developments such as the 5 MW medium voltage loadbank which is designed to leave a smaller footprint by fully integrating a flatbed transformer into the base of the container.
“As a company leader, Jim always advocated a family feel at Crestchic, despite being part of a publicly traded group and this culture remains today – which is why I think so many of us have long-service records. When I first met Jim, little did I realise that one day I would be working for him and counting him as a friend, not just my employer.”
Richard’s colleagues gathered at a local winery to officially see him off before he settles down in Monmouthshire, East Wales.
Paul Brickman, Sales and Marketing Director at Crestchic commented on Richard leaving: “Richard was a fantastic employee and he certainly had a vast knowledge of the loadbank industry. He will be greatly missed within the factory here at Burton-on-Trent and we wish him all the best in his retirement.”
Ends
Note to editors: Founded in 1983, Crestchic is one of the world’s leading specialist manufacturers of loadbanks which are used in the testing of power supplies in the most demanding climactic and environmental conditions across seven continents. Operating from locations in the UK, North America, Singapore, Netherlands, France, Germany, Brazil and Dubai, the company is at the forefront of innovation and design, with thriving sales and rental operations and a loyal and growing customer base worldwide. For further information visit www.crestchic.co.uk or call +44 (0)1283 531645.