At Halifax Fan it is not unusual for employees to receive a 25 Year service recognition award, some have even received a 40-year service award.

Neil Baker is our first Halifax Fan apprentice to serve for 40 years. In 1978 as a 16-year-old still schoolboy, Neil had signed up with Halifax Industrial Training who had arranged a meeting with the shop floor manager at Halifax Fan. After an initial meeting, Neil, whose school was close to Halifax Fan left school early and walked down to Halifax Fan and asked to see the works manager again to progress his application. John Mehan, the then manager impressed by Neil's gusto invited Neil to start in one week meaning Neil would forgo his summer holidays.

Beyond serving his apprenticeship and working in all departments on the shop floor Neil progressed to become the inspector and later the shop floor manager. In recent years Neil has transitioned into a semi-office-based role initially managing our busy spares department. He is now our aftersales manager and has responsibility for all spares and refurbishments. He also coordinates our international site engineers and oversees our four apprentices.

Whilst celebrating his service, Neil said that he looks forward to serving the rest of his career at Halifax Fan.