Joanne Medhurst

‘When I began at PCS, I joined a team of four which included John and Clive, the founders, and I had no engineering let alone tribology experience.  I graduated in Japanese and business studies and since graduation had worked in central London carrying out various administrative and marketing roles.  After my daughter was born though, the daily commute into central London was becoming stressful. So, I started looking for a local job and went to an area of Acton I hadn’t heard of before to this teeny, tiny company working in an industry I had no clue about. However, the enthusiasm of the founders for their work and the opportunity to get involved with all aspects of the business really appealed and I was lucky enough to be offered the job as Office Manager. I covered everything from answering the phone to packing up orders and paying purchase invoices by cheque – yes, it was that long ago.

From my initial interview, it was John and Clive’s passion for tribology that shone through and this has definitely been the basis of PCS culture over the years; they always want to share their knowledge and patiently explained principles and theories – more than once in my case – and always make time for people.

For me, the company ethos is one of honesty and integrity – helping and supporting colleagues both professionally and personally. John and Clive appreciate the commitment and efforts of everyone which makes PCS a special place to work.

Currently I work alongside Andy and Helen in processing orders, making sure they are safely packed and out on time as well as taking in deliveries and ensuring the office is well stocked with drinks, fruit and loo roll. Having them on board means I also have time to focus on developing and supporting our wide network of distributors to build on the long term relationships we have with users all over the world. Without them, taking time out of the office would be a struggle and I appreciate the support they provide.

John and Clive will be the first to admit they fell into running a business; it was never their intention to build up a multi-million pound, internationally recognised company but they have and it’s all down to their hard work. From the very beginning when they had to do all the roles, they then chose the staff that they felt fitted in and set about making people feel valued and part of the PCS family.  After so long being at the helm, they deserve to step back and have the time to do the enjoyable parts of the business.  Coming into an established company in a senior position is always a difficult role to fill  but our CEO Steve has embraced the task and has started to make his mark, appreciating the values and commitment of the team.’