Kidderminster-based bellows and machinery protection specialist Beakbane has announced the retirement of Managing Director Barry Reeves. He will hand over the reins to Mike Southwell, who joins the company from TRW.

Mike was previously Managing Director of TRW Conekt, which specialises in advanced sensing, control and actuation devices, and Portfolio Director for TRW European Steering Products. He is a Chartered Engineer, MBA and Member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Barry joined Beakbane as Finance Director in 1995 and was appointed Managing Director in 2006. Since then he has seen the company through the recession on a sound financial footing and overseen its best ever financial results. He has also laid the foundations for future growth by implementing major investments in manufacturing plant and equipment, creating a strong research and product development facility and nurturing a very capable management team.

Beakbane’s Chairman Ken Worthing commented: “Barry has been a highly respected and able leader of the company and we are delighted to have secured someone of Mike’s calibre to continue to take us forward. With his management expertise and experience of advanced manufacturing operations in a multi-national engineering organisation, Mike is ideally suited to help us continue to provide our existing customers with excellent products and services, and extend our business into new markets.”