Eddie Started his career working with a small family engineering firm H R Adcock’s running and setting CNC machines, quickly moved into supervision roles alongside setting and developing new technics on how to better manufacture components efficiently. This led to working for SPS technologies in Leicester as a machine setter in the aerospace fasteners industry.

 

How did you get into can making?

Opportunity arose to join Crown cork and seal in Leicester for a new production line project “shaped can.” Crown put the team through various training modules including basic electrical training, presentation skills and trips to various Crown plants and suppliers to build up an autonomous team to run the new line. After 2 years I was moved to the 2-piece beverage line production team. Starting on line 3 steel cans in the LSM area, then promoted on to line 4 aluminum 2-piece line ending up with running the decorators and coaters. This line was for short production runs, which made some hard days especially with eleven pack runs and seven label changes per shift. Promoted to team leader and team leader of the Emergence Response Team.

 

I applied for a new Crown Slovakia project that was being advertised and was successful in being offered a role with the project, I stayed on for 5 years helping run and support the plant. This was an amazing experience for me being involved from the ground up build of the facilities. Employing local staff, training, and mentoring all levels of local management and production teams in both how to run and operate a production line. but also, as technical support across the whole line. After Crown I became an independent contractor involved with various projects and installation of new lines and equipment in the middle east along with technical and operations support for plants in Europe.

 

 

Why Unimaq?

On my travels and with installation of new equipment I met on various occasions Berty de Jong who offered me a position with Unimaq as the Senor Technical Specialist based in Wrexham Wales. My role involved supporting customers with the installation of Unimaq equipment and dealing with technical issues relating to customers’ production as well as overseeing builds and checking at various stages on the manufacture of Decorators and UVMBRC’s. One of the key reasons for me joining Unimaq was to give me a say in the design of new equipment coming into production, it was a common thing with new equipment being installed into 2-piece plants, that the design didn’t always consider the end user. I wanted to influence this by talking and explaining to the designers at the start of projects the potential issues that could be encountered in the plants.

 

Career highlights

I have had many highlight throughout my canning life, one major highlight was having the first (and for a long-time highest) production record of over a million cans per shift with my team in Crown Slovakia. Seeing the challenging work that went into training a totally novice team and seeing them develop into a professional, hardworking, and very capable 2-piece production team.

 

Another highlight was collaborating with a talented team in the Middle East whilst installing a full can line under budget and on time to full production under very restrictive conditions.

 

In my current role with Unimaq some of the key highlights include helping customers with process and technical issues, along with travel to various customers/countries around the world. One thing is the same all around the world in this industry, the canning language used by the production teams to explain problems.

 

Making good friends from various suppliers and sometime competitors, meeting at various shows around the world or when at a customer’s site during service work, same faces small world.

 

How I see the 2-piece industry

With being in canning for over 26 years now in various roles, I see many opportunities for the industry to modernise without risk by accepting innovative technology onto the production floor. This would benefit the workforce’s safety and environment yet still allow companies to retain profits. The skill of the workforce needs to be supported with OEM training on equipment on how to maintain and run. It seems that in UK and Europe long-term employees with the process knowledge is no longer a common thing, there are lots of fresh faces filling in roles without experience or proper training. This is where companies like Unimaq can support industry worldwide with maintenance and overhaul training.

The imagery and complexity of can designs require higher quality than ever. Many plants are running till failure of equipment instead of conducting full and proper maintenance. Maintenance and quality go hand in hand to achieve production targets on efficiencies and performance and end customer satisfaction.

 

Away from work life       

Now that I’m getting older my personal life away from work involves traveling with my Slovakian wife (5 years in Slovakia has it other bonuses) in one of my many VW classic campers and camping and exploring the UK and Europe. Classic motorcycles and cars both rebuilding and modifying them and trying to stay healthy following a serious health issue in 2025 with cancer.