20th Mar 2024
Our Company Secretary Deneale Green featured in the West Yorkshire Good Growth Programme’s article to celebrate International Women’s Day. Here is the article:
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we’d like to introduce you to Deneale Green, Company Secretary at Thomas Brown Engineering Ltd.
Deneale leads family business Thomas Brown Engineering, alongside her father, Tom Brown which was founded by her father in 1982, who had a vision to offer a better, more reliable sub-contract precision machining service to UK industry.
Deneale said: “As sub-contract, precision engineers, we manufacture precision made components for our customers in all parts of the UK and abroad. Our customers have operations in various sectors, such as food & drink, medical/healthcare, oil & gas, aerospace & defence, leisure, and industrial applications. The wide variety of customers makes our work diverse and interesting. We have a dedicated and highly skilled team. I work alongside other family members including my brother, my sister and my sister-in-law and have many long-serving team members.
I began full time in the business 20 years ago. I came to help with a project and stayed! Although, the business had always been a large part of my upbringing, working alongside my siblings during school holidays cleaning and doing odd jobs, I hadn’t necessarily considered joining the business as a career. I think it’s fair to say manufacturing engineering was, and still is, a male dominated sector.
Today, however, I meet many women in leadership positions within our sector and feel that the sector benefits from this increased diversity in leadership. My father’s championing of me in my role and the support of our team means that I have only rarely felt any exclusion of being a female in male dominated environments. I know that is not every woman’s experience of the workplace. Empowering women in any role with a sense of belonging and relevance is beneficial for everyone in the workplace and wider society.
2022 saw Thomas Brown Engineering celebrate 40 years of our business. Our celebration year was topped off with our Eaton Smith Business of the Year Award placing, alongside two other successful manufacturing businesses in our area. Pictured here, alongside our mayor, local MP and the Eaton Smith team is, myself, holding our certificate, my sister Claire, my brother Lee and our father, Tom.
Our focus on continuous improvement, coupled with a commitment to our team and their families, and the needs of our customers has seen the continuation of our success. I still hold the vision that Tom saw for our business 40 years ago and, I look to the future with passion and optimism for continued success and growth”.
If Deneale’s story inspires you and you’re an SME based in West Yorkshire looking for business support, the West Yorkshire Good Growth Programme could be just what you’re looking for.
