Meet The Team

Wyd Pickering

Executive Director

My role is to steer the company in a way that keeps everyone happy, fulfilled and provide them with an income to support their families. It’s also great to keep the family tradition going. My grandfather started the company in 1945 and I want this place to carry on long after me, continuing to do good things and be positive for customers, community and staff. Connect on LinkedIn

Triple step, swing out, hand to hand, and the doughnut… believe it or not, these are dance moves. I’m learning to Lindy Hop, so most weekends, you’ll find me on the dance floor.

Jose Gonzalez

Operations Leader

I’m in charge of making sure we produce orders in the correct priority, the correct quality and that they get dispatched on time to keep our customers happy. It’s giving the customer what they want, keeping them up-to-date with progress and communicating with them. Communication is key. Connect on LinkedIn

I make a mean Spanish omelette which I learnt from my mum; it goes down a treat every time.

Simon Mepstead

Production Lead

My role which is to take the load off Wyd and Jose so they can move the business forward. You can’t do your job effectively without your staff so it’s all about creating a family at work. If you can achieve that, while smiling, you’re building something positive and it just gets better. Wyd doesn’t pay lip service to that. He believes it and delivers on it.

I played Premiership American Football as a wide receiver for the Coventry Jets… at the age of 45!

Mandy Bates

Administrative Lead

I do the finance: credit control, sales ledger, pay roll, a bit of the buying too. I’ve been here 19 years. I enjoy the work that I do, every aspect of it. I like the fact that the company care about their employees which is a bonus. We’re not just a number; we’re all individuals to them.

I love pickled eggs, dancing and reading – not necessarily at the same time. I may have a practical job but I’m a creative soul.

Jamie Roe

Press Shop Lead

I’ve been at Pickering for 18 years. I oversee all customer dealings with Jose; any enquiries, deliveries, corrections, orders from start to finish. It’s all about getting it right first time, on time, every time. That’s why our rejection percentage is so low because we aim to do our best all the time.

As a young man, I was a top goal scorer for every football team I played for – nearly made it as a professional.

Tommy Wright

Fabrication Shop Lead

Working at Pickering feels like being part of a family - literally in my case, my dad also works here. I distribute the jobs amongst the team, work out the priorities, make sure everything goes out on time so we keep customers happy.

I used to play darts at quite a high level but now I coach my son’s U11s football team which Pickering also sponsors. I also play for Shipston Excelsior FC and I manage Ilmington United FC.

Chris Shilton

Commercial Lead

I manage the commercial side of the business: sales, purchasing, customer relations. I’m the first point of contact for new enquiries, quotations and quality issues. We get to know our customers really well so we understand their requirements, work with them on new projects and are proactive on their behalf to help them continuously improve. Connect on LinkedIn

I was a choir boy at Coventry Cathedral, starting when I was 7 years old. I still sing in a choir (at St Mary’s Church in Warwick). Choral singing has taken me all over the world and to most of the cathedrals in this country.

David Abell

Engineering Lead

I work with the team in the Press Shop, making sure everything runs smoothly and safely. Delivering what you promise. That has to be the cornerstone of everything. There has to be consistency in quality and timekeeping… because people and their business rely on us.

I took an online test run by Edinburgh University and they got in touch to say I’m in the top 5% of the top 1% of super recognisers – people with exceptional facial recognition skills!

Dan Lloyd

Innovation & Business Development Lead

I lead innovation projects that improve Pickering’s systems and processes, reviewing specifications and turning ideas into practical, manufacturable and operational solutions that support sustainability, drive efficiencies, and deliver meaningful cost savings.

I’m fascinated by Formula One and how teams use data to optimise performance, which strongly influences my approach to problem-solving.

Kieron Hutchinson

Engineering Leader

I lead the engineering and maintenance team, focusing on keeping our presses and machinery running efficiently and reliably. My role is to reduce downtime, improve changeovers, and support on-time delivery for our customers.

I’m passionate about motorcycling and spend most weekends riding bikes or watching my two boys play rugby.