A group of former Garador area sales managers, many well-known across Britain’s door and building trade, gathered together recently for a reunion at the company’s head office in Somerset.
The event included some of Garador’s longest serving employees, with a few having dedicated over 30 or even 40 years to the company.
Garador said they organised the day as a celebration and also to show their appreciation.
“During their years and decades with us, many of our employees became very good friends and still catch up regularly,” said Garador’s marketing co-ordinator Ben Parkin, who helped to organise the day.
“In those days they would often attend meetings together here at Garador, but they are spread right across the country. We felt this would be an opportunity to bring everyone back together.”
Former area sales manager Gerald Watson came down to the event from Perth in Scotland, and said it was wonderful to meet up again with his former colleagues and have a chance to reminisce and share memories.
“I started with Garador in 1993 and I am still very proud to have worked for them,” he said. “In those days there were no emails so we did things by post and also with personal contact. We built up so many relationships and made very good friendships. Getting together again today is wonderful. Garador has always been a caring company and it is so nice of them to do this for us; it really is lovely to come back,” he added.
After a lunch accompanied by talking, laughter and catching up with some of their previous colleagues, the group was taken on a factory tour and, for some, the changes were immense.
“I joined Garador in 1965,” said Alec Lancombe who now lives in Somerset. “I started as a machine setter and then went through various roles but now everything has changed. The factory is now so modern with computer control and solar panels… things I wouldn’t have dreamed of when I first started work.”
Jon Watson, Garador’s managing director, said he was delighted the event went so well.
“Garador is sometimes described as one big happy family, and certainly that was the atmosphere at this luncheon,” he said. “Our manufacturing processes and indeed our doors have changed dramatically since the days when most of them started, but clearly the friendships have stayed the same and that was lovely to see.”
Garador is Britain’s leading garage door manufacturer, with a history dating back to the late 1940s. The company now operates from a state of the art factory complex just outside Yeovil in Somerset and supplies the latest in garage doors and garage door technology to merchants, builders and developers right across the country.
In picture, from left to write: Steve Crowther; Clive Dancer; Rob Ashworth; Denise Carslake; Wayne Chafe; Gerry Watson; Nick Dyke ( in chair)
