We’re delighted to share that Operations Director, Andrew Barks, has celebrated his 25th anniversary with geotechnical engineering specialists A F Howland Associates, having joined us as a Graduate Technician a quarter of a century ago. To mark the milestone, Andrew, 48, was presented with a new iPad by his fellow Directors.
Andrew’s route into geotechnical engineering began at school, where an interest in the physical geography strand of his geography A level – particularly rivers, volcanoes and earthquakes – led him to study geology at Portsmouth University. The traditional path for geology graduates at the time was the oil industry, but with the sector in downturn, Andrew spent a year working as a supermarket manager while applying for jobs. A conversation with Dr Howland, then MD of A F Howland, led to a three-month trial monitoring water and gas exploration holes.
That trial turned into a graduate role and Andrew went on to train with the firm in site engineering, managing drilling rigs and spending long spells away from home. When two senior field work engineers moved on, he stepped into that position, a role he held for 15 years.
Following joining Celnor Group in 2023, Dr Howland remained in post for a further year before a new leadership team was appointed: Andrew became Operations Director, Karl Blanke was named Managing Director and Alex Straker took on the role of Technical Director.
Commenting on Andrew’s milestone, Karl said: “I had the pleasure of studying with Andy way back at university, and our paths crossed a few times in our early careers. I have worked closely with Andy for the past 12 years, and you could not wish to have a safer pair of hands at your side.”
Andrew, who is based in Leiston, Suffolk, has been married to Linda for 17 years and has a 16-year-old son, Max.
He said:
“I’ve always been treated well here, and I’ve really enjoyed the management side, especially mentoring younger Engineers. The work can be stressful with breakdowns and on-site issues, but it’s great when it all comes together.
“I hope to help guide the company forward with my two fellow directors, modernising our work practices and continuing to mentor and train staff. I benefited hugely from Celnor’s Leadership Development Programme, and we’re keen to invest further in our people, offering clear career paths; we currently have two employees studying for master’s degrees and degree apprenticeships.
“Having the support of the wider Celnor Group is a real comfort. Previously we had our founder in charge and no support services back-up; having developed more professionalism and structure across the Group will help us drive forward.
“I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d become Operations Director. The opportunity Celnor presented, combined with the previous MD’s retirement, propelled me to this level.
“Over the past 25 years I’ve watched the company grow, along with the people in it. We now have a great mix of senior and junior site staff, and access to a huge knowledge base from other companies in the Group’s Built Environment Division – being part of a group like this opens up real opportunities for growth.
“We have more people working for us than ever before: 32 employees, up from just 10 when I started. Celnor has also invested in new premises: alongside our main offices in Norwich and Suffolk, we now have an office in London (Romford) and our Central office based in Rutland. That investment has given us real confidence to grow, and the new offices have already brought in the work we’d hoped for.”
Congratulations Andrew!
