With eight drupas under his belt, he has decided it's time to become more involved in voluntary work in his beloved Cornwall, help out in the family B&B ("I cook a mean fry-up") and fully commit his bass voice to the Nankersey Male Voice Choir. "We have actually just cut a CD and 20 concerts are planned for the 57-strong choir next year," he told Converting Today.
He joined Engelmann & Buckham in 1967 as the lucky 13th member of staff. "Just before that Christmas I sold my first machine – an RK33E for slitting metallized film for capacitors. E&B's commission on the £10,000 sale fortunately paid my salary!"
Naturally he has many tales to tell, "some of which - especially those concerning trips to Hamburg with customers in the early days - are unprintable". One favourite involves the time he became a long distance lorry driver in order to meet a customer trial deadline. "I had to get a large roll of paper on a two and a half ton lorry from Frankfurt airport to Hamburg. It was security banknote paper and I had to have a security guard with me in the cab." He still has to get his HGV licence.
Michael Henderson, managing director of E&B, says: "Throughout his career, Rodney has cared greatly to see that his customers have benefited and grown as a result of equipment purchases with which he has been involved. He has been instrumental in establishing the reputation and position enjoyed by Engelmann & Buckham in the converting industry today,"
The editor and staff of Converting Today wish him a very happy time.
