Barry Holstead  Head of Mould Design at APEGG Limited

My life in the glass container industry started in 1963 with Jackson Bros. of Knottingley, who later became Rockware Glass and latterly Ardagh Glass. During the next years I worked in mould and container design.

In 1972 I started work at Johnson Radley (Mould Maker's to the World's Glass Industry) in the capacity of Mould Design Draughtsman. It was while at Johnson's that I was given the opportunity to work in Germany for Glas Hüttenwerke Holzminden. I relocated to Germany for 2-1/2 years to work as a mould designer, I became very proficient in the design of shaped containers and moulds.

In 1974 I relocated back to the UK and worked for Canning Town Glass as Senior Design Draughtsman, whilst at Canning Town I eventually became the Mould Design Office Manager responsible for all container & mould design, the purchase of all mould equipment and procedures for the Drawing Office and Mould Shop. I was responsible for mould design and mould purchase for both the Swinton and Isle of Sheppey works at Queenborough. This position I held until Canning Town's merger with United Glass. After the merger with U.G. I became the Mould Engineer for Swinton responsible for mould design at the Swinton factory and to liaise with the then head office in Harlow.

In 1987 I was invited to set up a drawing office at Lax & Shaw in Leeds, the duties at Leeds were the similar to those as at Canning Town Glass. Whilst at Lax's I introduced their 1st draughting package, it was also my introduction into electronic draughting.

In 1990 I was invited to work for A.C.I. Australia for Smorgon Glass in Penrith, N.S.W., Australia (later A.C.I. Penrith) where I was the Company Technical Support Manager ultimately responsible for all aspects of mould design, mould manufacture, mould repair and machine development. After 1-1/2 years I returned to the United Kingdom for family reasons and commenced work at their Headlands Glass Factory in Knottingley West Yorkshire. I was employed as the Mould Standards Engineer, a position which enabled me to visit Australia twice a year to attend their mould meetings and then to organise bi-annual meetings in the U.K to impart A.C.I. and Owen's mould standards to the Rockware plants in the U.K.

In 1998 I was invited to work for Quinn Glass as their Mould Design Engineer at their Derrlylin site - Quinn Glass was very much in its infancy at that time. It was a very interesting time at Quinn Glass, as this was a greenfield factory -understandably all had to be set up from scratch, master drafting systems, procedures, mould procurement, finding out machine capabilities. When Quinn Glass announced the build of its second factory in Elton I was particularly elated to be involved with this new venture. A new factory with not just new machines, but machines which were new to me, and comparatively new to the industry, namely a factory full of NIS machines.

In 2012 I was called by Rajko Machold from APEGG to join his company, my full time retirement changed to part time. Working with APEGG is really inspiring -Rajko's vision to build a company which provides an auxiliary service to the glass container industry is very stimulating. Even though I enjoyed my retirement and believed that I had done working I find that I still have a lot to give. I am helping Rajko to build a mould design and repair department, providing bottle/mould design right through to mould design/repair training.

I am looking forward to working with you

Barry Holstead
Mould design at APEGG Ltd.