Salesman Stephen who 'has a smile every day' marks 45 years at firm

Stephen Buttriss joined Stainless Metalcraft in Chatteris at 16-years-old after not knowing exactly what he wanted to pursue after leaving school.

“I didn’t know what I was doing when I left school, and I came to Metalcraft with a group of lads,” he said.

“My mum said to me to get an apprenticeship behind you and you can fall back on it; it’s the best thing I did.”

Stephen joined the company as an apprentice on August 8, 1977 on the advice of his school careers officer, when he was offered a plating apprenticeship.

“I have many fond memories of my early years on the shop floor with my fellow apprentices,” said Stephen.

“We had an old-school fabrication and welding mentor in the form of Jim Robinson, who was a tremendous influence on us all and gave us an unrivalled grounding in our technical roles.”

After being crowned apprentice of the year in 1978, Stephen moved up the ranks at Metalcraft and now leads the firm’s sales department.

The salesman has seen plenty of change since he started at the company on Honeysome Road, including the building of a new £3.16m training centre.

But it is change that Stephen has adapted to over time.

“Over the years, I’ve worked in various departments, gaining a wider knowledge of the business and our production range,” he said.

“The business has undergone a huge amount of change during my time here.

“But I’ve grasped the opportunities I’ve had and embraced them.”

Ian Bannister, managing director at Metalcraft, described Stephen as one of “many success stories” that the company has manufactured through its apprenticeship programme.

Stephen now aims to reach 50 years at the firm where he hopes to adapt to any challenges that come his way.

“One of the highlights for me is when you secure a large order and it puts stability within the business,” he added.

“I have a smile every day I go to work, and I’m proud of what we have achieved and what we will achieve in future.”