A BUSINESSMAN who rose from the shop floor to the boardroom of Bury's largest private sector company retire on Friday.

Brian Ward, chairman of heating and ventilation ductwork specialists Senior Hargreaves, is leaving after 48 years with the Lord Street-based firm. Ten of these years were spent as managing director.

He leaves with Hargreaves currently enjoying a healthy order book at a time when much of the construction industry has experienced mixed fortunes.

Brian's career has been exclusively with the Bury company. He joined the business in 1956 from Bury Technical School and began training as an apprentice sheet metalworker. While still an apprentice, he began working as a fitter on-site at paper mills throughout the UK and abroad before moving to London in 1959 to work on high profile projects such as the Esso HQ, the Hilton Hotel and many others.

He spent 24 years leading installation teams on technically advanced and prestige projects. These included installing systems for the accelerated life testing of the prototype Concorde at Farnborough.

Early in his career, Brian was also

involved in work for the nuclear industry at the prototype Windscale Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor. Just recently, he has revisited this plant to see decommissioning taking place, using world-class contamination control technology that was built and tested at Hargreaves.

In 1978, Brian was recalled to the Bury site to become contracts administration director, then works director in 1980. He became managing director in 1993. The next year he became a director of Senior Construction Services, a division within Senior Engineering Plc.

He said: "Hargreaves has always been a company at the forefront of technology. In addition to the nuclear decommissioning work, where the equipment we have installed meets the most exacting performance standards, we will also be working on prestige projects in the capital such as the new Wembley Stadium, Channel Tunnel Rail Link, Canary Wharf and St

Pancras Station."

In a tribute from the Engineering Employer's Federation (EEF), director general Martin Temple said: "Brian has been an active member of the EEF for many years. He is a passionate supporter of manufacturing in Britain and has a personal commitment to the training of people, particularly the young.

"He has put this into practice by EEF involvement both regionally and nationally. In particular, Brian played a major role in the merger of EEF Lancashire into the North West Association, creating a strong body to

represent the interests of the region."

In his retirement, Brian does not intend to slow down. "I have a strong belief in the value of training and I am keen to continue to make a contribution to the local community."

He will continue to be a governor

of Bury College, working with the principal, Dr. Helen Gilchrist CBE. He also holds directorships with the new North Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Bolton/Bury Chamber and independent engineering training provider, Alliance Learning.

"I also want to find more time for charity fundraising and country pursuits. My wife and I will complete our exploration of the

Pennine Way and some areas in the Yorkshire Dales and Scotland that have a special attraction to us."