Metal Fabrication is in my bones.  After completing an Apprenticeship, my entire career has been working with mostly Stainless Steel, Aluminum and Steel Sheet, Tube and Bar.  This included the whole process, from design through to the finished article including prototype work.  I was often frustrated by mass-produced products with no personal touch, much preferring to create more 'bespoke' products that were individually tailored to a customers requirements. However, this is not always commercially viable in the large Companies that I worked for at the time.

With my personal family life becoming more and more involved in dog related sports, there was a need to transport the dogs in comfort and safety, up and down the country.  So starting with a Landrover Discovery, I designed and fitted out the interior with a secure, strong crate, with locking doors and storage above, utilising the whole of the back of the vehicle.  We were often competing in Cani-cross events and fellow competitors often approached me about fitting out their vehicles. Unfortunately, at that time, I did not have the capacity to meet all of their requests. If I had put their orders through the Company I then worked for, it would have worked out too expensive for the customer, so they had no option but to go elsewhere.  When my wife upgraded her vehicle, I fitted that with a complete crating system with all of the extras to house our ever-growing pack which had grown to four Collies, all of which were now competing in Agility.