Awarded to the individual who has made a significant and consistent contribution the pump industry over the duration of their working career.

STEVE SCHOFIELD, BPMA

 

The person being honoured tonight has enjoyed employment at just four different pump manufacturers throughout his 47-year career, although for a little under half that time, he has worked with and supported many, many more such companies. His pump engineering career begin in 1975 with a 13-year term at Mather and Platt, where he successfully completed a Mechanical Engineering & Business Management course via Tameside College, before moving on to become an Area Manager for Durco Europe.

In 1990 he relocated from the North-West to the South of England to become Sales Manager for Flowserve, where he spent 6 years increasing sales and overseeing seven field engineers. He then followed a move to Hayward Tyler in 1996 where he managed both internal and external sales engineers and where he first gained his love of airports, travelling extensively throughout the Middle East, South Africa, Canada, and America.

But in 1998, after 23 years in the industry, he was encouraged to join the BPMA as its Technical Director, working alongside the then CEO, Brian Huxley.  Making that role very much his own, he became actively involved in many European Commission energy efficiency programmes including the much-valued Pump Life Cycle Costing initiative. Assuming the role of Secretary for a host of European standards based working groups, our highly deserving recipient has been heavily involved in the creation of various international guides in areas such as variable speed pumps and system efficiency in Rotodynamic pumps.

Over the years he has worked closely with numerous UK Government departments, such as DEFRA, DECC and BEIS, on numerous initiatives including the development and introduction of the Certified Pump Systems Auditor Scheme (CPSA) as well as becoming Convener for the ISO TC115 Pump System Assessment standard ISO 14414.

His knowledge and expertise, particularly in relation to pump system efficiency has made him a highly sought-after participant in meetings and conferences the World over, during which he has tirelessly represented the interests of the pump manufacturing sector, at both national and international levels.

In 2013, he took over the role of CEO at the BPMA, and throughout his tenure has continued to engage both directly and indirectly with many other trade bodies and organisations and has maintained a strong and influential involvement with Europump, the Association of European Pump Manufacturers, of which BPMA is a founding member.  He still holds the position of Secretary to the Marketing Commission and is an active member of its Technical and Standards Commissions.