Retirement gave Billy McClaren more time for golf, holidays and family. What it didn't give him was the sense of purpose and camaraderie he'd enjoyed at Cooper Turner Beck.
After just over a year away, he picked up the phone to Production Manager Karl Walker.
"I rang Karl and said, 'I'm a bit bored.' They were brilliant. They said, 'Come back when you want. It doesn't have to be full time.'"
Today, Billy works a couple of days each week at CTB. Returning wasn't driven by financial necessity or because anyone asked him to. He simply realised he missed working alongside people he genuinely enjoyed spending time with.
"I missed the lads. I missed the company," he says. "My last two years here were the best part of my working life."
Billy's decision to return says something important about the culture we're working to build at CTB. We believe people stay where they feel valued, respected and part of a team. Sometimes, they even choose to come back.
Teamwork: The people who brought Billy back
Billy's working life has taken him through some of Britain's toughest industries. He spent 17 years working in South Yorkshire's coal mines before retraining as a plasterer and later joining CTB.
Those experiences gave him a clear perspective on what makes a good workplace.
"I've worked in places where you couldn't go and sit and have a drink or have a laugh," he says. "I tell the lads they're lucky here."
For Billy, it's the relationships that make the difference. While precision engineering and manufacturing demand professionalism and high standards, he believes enjoying the people you work alongside matters just as much.
"We've got a good group of people. We work hard, but we have a laugh as well."
That sense of belonging was what he missed most after retiring, and ultimately what persuaded him to return.
Trust: Leadership that makes a difference
When Billy talks about why he enjoys working at CTB, the conversation repeatedly comes back to leadership.
"The manager actually looks after his team," he says. "Karl looks after us. I'm not just saying that - he does."
It's a point he returns to several times because, in his experience, supportive leadership shapes the entire working environment.
"We've got a really good team, but it all stems from Karl."
Leadership, we believe, is about more than managing production schedules or delivering operational performance, but in supporting leaders to feel confident in creating an environment where people feel trusted and able to do their best work.
Billy believes that approach has made a tangible difference to his own experience.
He reflects that if he had joined CTB straight from school, he believes he would never have wanted to leave.
Respect: Experience doesn't stop at retirement
One of the reasons Billy's return has worked so well is the flexibility CTB was able to offer.
Rather than viewing retirement as the end of his contribution, the business recognised the value of keeping an experienced member of the team involved in a way that suited both Billy and the business.
We understand that retaining knowledge and experience is an important part of building resilient teams. Experienced employees bring technical expertise, perspective and mentoring that benefit those around them, while flexible working arrangements allow people to continue contributing in ways that work for their circumstances.
Working a couple of days each week allows Billy to stay connected with colleagues, continue sharing decades of practical experience and enjoy the balance that retirement offers.
Accountability: Teamwork has always mattered
Billy often reflects on the mining communities where he started his career.
"If somebody had an accident, everybody chipped in," he remembers. "If someone was off work, everyone helped."
That spirit of looking after one another has stayed with him throughout his working life, and it's something he recognises at CTB today.
Those experiences have shaped his own approach to work: turn up, do your job well and support the people around you.
His father's advice before his first day at the pit has stayed with him ever since.
"If you're idle, you'll go without."
Combined with the teamwork he experienced throughout his career, it's a philosophy built on accountability, respect and shared responsibility - values that closely reflect CTB's START culture.
Finding purpose in and outside work
Alongside his career, Billy spent more than four decades performing as a singer, first with bands and later as a solo performer.
Although he performs less often today, music remains an important part of his life and reflects something he believes applies just as much to work.
"I always say there's a song that suits everybody."
For Billy, confidence often comes from taking the first step, whether that's walking onto a stage, learning a new skill or returning to work after retirement.
START: The culture behind the career
Billy's story - choosing to come back to a team he enjoys, under a manager he respects, in a business where his experience continues to be valued – is quite unique.
We think it shows that, at Cooper Turner Beck, our START values aren't simply words on a wall. Safety, Teamwork, Accountability, Respect and Trust are reflected in how we work together every day, from supporting one another on the shop floor to creating opportunities for people to continue growing throughout their careers.
Billy returned because he missed the people and the culture he’d become part of. His experience is a reminder that the strongest workplaces aren't built only on the work they do, but on the relationships, leadership and shared sense of purpose that people experience every day.
Cooper Turner Beck designs and manufactures safety-critical fastening solutions for the world's most demanding industries across 17 global sites in Europe, North America and Asia.
Interested in joining our global team? Explore our current vacancies and discover further opportunities to progress your career at CTB.
