SP Archive Spotlight: John Cross - "Absolutely the best move I've ever made" John's View of Sykes-Pickavant Life
7 min reading time
Working at Sykes-Pickavant wasn't always easy, but it was certainly rewarding.
John Cross takes us through his experience of being one of our valuable team members from the early days.
John Cross was a part of the Sykes-Pickavant furniture since he joined the company in 1982, a time when automotive metal tools were dominating the market. He began his career with us as a Technician and was quickly promoted to Technical Executive the following year.
From 1984 to 1999, John acted as the Works and Technical Director within Sykes-Pickavant, managing 6-8 design and mechanical engineers and running the service department. When he wasn’t in the workshop, he was travelling around the UK and the world to support our suppliers.
“I was out in a van visiting suppliers around the whole of the West Midlands,” John said. “I also spent time in Australia and Taiwan, working with suppliers and developing and designing products.”
Whilst his role brought great responsibility, such as being the liaison between different teams and departments, John thrived in his career at Sykes-Pickavant and became a core part of the team, spearheading crucial products and developing the business as a whole.
When he joined us in the 80s, things were a lot different compared to today. There were no computers, and everything was done manually on paper. Tools were still in their evolutionary infancy, too. Electronics hadn’t come in yet, let alone digital systems, which paved the way for an era of experimentation and innovation.
“I remember in 1982 there was a new product being developed: a 270 series brake pipe flaring tool, which is still going today. I designed a similar tool based on that called a ‘Flaremaster,’ which creates a bubble on the end of the pipe that connects to a vehicle's braking system to seal the brake fluid.” John said.
John’s design allowed mechanics to repair quickly and more easily by hand. The Flaremaster is still being successfully sold today, 40 years on.
It wasn’t just tools and data processing that were different. The skills needed to create our products were unique and didn’t have the support of digital technologies and the internet that designers have today.
“Before the introduction of CAD in the early 90s, I had to draw everything by hand on film or tracing paper. There were often multiple cabinets of drawings to be framed,” John remembers. “I’ve actually recently had to go through thousands of drawings to showcase the most meaningful ones.”
When the CAD drawing system became commercially available, John taught himself how to use it with nothing but perseverance and the user manual. It was one of the biggest changes he witnessed during his time at Sykes-Pickavant, but ultimately made his job easier, more accurate, and less time-consuming.
John reflected on other company shifts during his time: “When Sykes-Pickavant New and Sykes-Pickavant Export came together in 2006, I became the Managing Director of Sykes-Pickavant Export. This change turned the tide within the UK market for the business after a difficult period.”
This was a time when Sykes-Pickavant was re-established as an independent business, helping to reinforce our iconic name and reputation within the automotive industry.
But what does it really mean to be a Sykes-Pickavant person? We are proud to continue providing a comfortable environment where employees feel supported throughout their personal lives, careers, and industry changes.
“The atmosphere was full of compromise, empathy, and teamwork,” John said. “We all had individual places, but we all worked well together, never any animosity with anything. The sales conferences and trade shows were very enjoyable.”
“I really enjoyed my role and always felt accepted. I was able to have a long-term, family-led career and was always treated well and respectfully for representing the Sykes-Pickavant brand.”
The Sykes-Pickavant name has been a household name for 100 years, and we are lucky enough to have a low turnover rate and see some brilliant employees stay until retirement. We have always wanted to give back to the people who made us, as well as do good for wider society.
“I remember seeing a Sykes-Pickavant tool being used in quite an unexpected place,” John said. “Paul Mindelsohn, our CEO, was big on charity work and worked out in Uganda, creating tools to support a hydroelectric dam.”
Paul was also asked to supply equipment to assist with ongoing maintenance work at the site.
“He was doing preventative work,” John continues. “Paul designed a puller to change the bearings for the hydroelectric power coming from the dam. He had to make sure it was designed correctly, because you couldn’t test or see if it worked properly for 5 years until it was used. However, it was working well when used in real time.”
The charity work was just one of John’s favourite memories of working at Sykes-Pickavant. On a more personal note, John says that working with us was his whole life and he has no regrets.
“I really grew into the job throughout my career. A big adjustment had to be made when coming into retirement.”
His proudest memory, though, was working the trade shows, which are crucial for our brand awareness and showcasing our products. John remembers an exciting one in Birmingham.
“We had the idea to have half a car tilted up at an angle to showcase how much of the engine or vehicle our tools cover. We had a deal with the car manufacturer Austin Rover Coventry, who donated half of a brand new red MG Montego,” John explains.
“We attached 40-50 Sykes-Pickavant products to the car, hanging off in different areas. It was a big talking piece between the guests. I had to do a lot of work to the vehicle, tidying it up, and had to hire people such as welders to help us display it.”
All Sykes-Pickavant employees worked very hard when it came to our trade shows and delivered exceptional displays. It wasn’t all serious hard work, though. John reflects on some of the more humorous moments he shared with the team during his time.
“This was during a time, probably the mid-80s, when suitcase bombs were often in the news. Peter Hill came to work and put his suitcase down on his desk and left to go into a board meeting. After he returned to his office and sat at his desk, he heard a ticking sound.”
Peter understandably got worried and cleared out the whole building, which caused concern amongst the team. Luckily, the Sykes-Pickavant crew were safe.
“It turned out that, when they opened the suitcase, it was a dictaphone he had accidentally left running, and that’s where the ticking came from!” John said. “After that, we were having constant laughs and making lots of jokes. Sandra Miller from the sales office had a great one, asking Peter which of his sandwiches were ticking.”
After a long and successful career at Sykes-Pickavant, John looks back at the incredible work and connections he made with his teammates with fondness. He has seen the company grow through major cultural and technological shifts, which have shaped the business into what it is today.
“It’s so interesting to discuss my career as it was so long, and I enjoyed every minute of it,” John said. “I’m so glad the Sykes-Pickavant history is being preserved through the SP Archive. Working there was absolutely the best move I ever made.”