YLF’s leadership team expands by two

The leadership team at a premier Yorkshire laser cutting and sheet metal fabrication firm has expanded with the appointment of two additional senior managers.

Russ Capstick has joined Yorkshire Laser and Fabrication (YLF) in Normanton as Head of Design while Sam Pearce has been recruited as Quality Manager. Both have an extensive background in manufacturing having worked for a number of years for a large lighting company for whom YLF had supplied lasered parts.

As Head of Design Russ leads YLF’s four-strong CAD team which is responsible for converting customers’ drawings or concepts into concept drawings and files for manufacture.

“I have been in engineering and worked with sheet metal for some 42 years,” said Russ.

“My previous role was in product design, designing industrial and commercial lighting, the highlight being designing all the platform lighting for St. Pancras International Railway Station. A typical project would take four to five months whereas at YLF the timescale may be four to five hours. At YLF we have customers from different sectors with varying requirements so no two days are ever the same. The variety is immense and makes the job really interesting.”

Quality Manager Sam brings experience in continuous improvement, plant and system quality and quality management to his new role which sees him overseeing quality throughout the business’ manufacturing process from incoming goods from suppliers to the finished product delivered to the end customer.

He was attracted to YLF by the company’s ambitious approach. “YLF is still a relatively small family firm but is pretty unique in maintaining those traditional values while being a progressive company with some big plans moving forward,” said Sam.

“The whole business is customer focused. Everyone wants to do the best job and buys into the concept of getting it right for the customer so they receive what they want, when they want it.”

YLF MD Matt Orford welcomed Sam and Russ to the team. “It’s becoming something of a colleague reunion here with Sam, Russ and our Head of Operations Cheryl Reidy all having worked together previously. However, YLF is benefitting from this not only in terms of their individual skills and know-how but also from their combined experience,” he explained.

“This will help us strengthen and improve certain ways of working ensuring we are well placed to maximise whatever business development opportunities come our way in future.”