Taylor Bibby – From Trainee Hose Technician to Field Service Engineer

The self-development of our team is of paramount importance at The Eastern Hose Group.

We believe there should be no limitations set for what our team members can achieve whilst working with us. It’s not just about the job our team do for us, it’s how we can help support and build their skillset along the way as well as building for their future careers.

In this week’s Blog, we introduce you to Taylor Bibby and invite you to read about his journey. A journey that has resulted in Taylor becoming the youngest Field Service Engineer at The Eastern Hose Group.

At the tender age of 20, Taylor’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric over the last 18 months and is proof that there’s no limitation to what you can achieve whilst working with us.

But don’t let his age fool you, Taylor is one highly skilled and highly talented young man.

After leaving school, Taylor undertook his first job within the mechanical sector as a Vehicle Technician. In the early days Taylors role consisted of light mechanics, such as break replacement, servicing, carrying out seasonal checks, and specialising in the repair and removal of tyres.

As he progressed, Taylor moved into the rebuilds of engines, gearboxes, and clutches. It was during this period Taylor’s attention turned to plant machinery as he often carried out forklift and heavy machinery repairs.

Deciding to test his talents, Taylor moved into the world of hydraulics. Specifically, the building of hydraulic rams for car transportation trailers. From time to time, he was asked to assist with the rebuilding of different heavy machinery and lorries. As well as the building element, Taylor was entrusted to carry out the high-pressure testing for the equipment made, ensuring its safety and functionality for use.

Fascinated with heavy machinery, the intricate workings, and the challenge of ensuring the machines functioned as they should, Taylor moved into the world of hydraulic hoses, and he successfully joined The Eastern Hose Group as a Trainee Hose Technician on one of our production lines.

Responsible for hose assembly building, quality control and helping build large volumes of bespoke hydraulic hose kits, Taylor also assisted customers that visited our Trade Counter, often having to build like-for-like hose assemblies whilst the customer waited.

As well as learning the building of hydraulic hose assemblies, Taylor undertook several additional hydraulic training courses to further enhance his fluid power knowledge.

Several months past, with his experience growing day by day he decided to take the next step on the Eastern Hose ladder.

Showing a clear aptitude, drive, and passion for working within the hydraulic sector, the Senior Management Team recognised the impressive abilities of Taylor and invited him to join our internal training programme, with the goal of becoming part of our illustrious Field Service Engineer Team.

Pairing Taylor with highly experienced Engineer, Andy Roper, the next part of his journey began under the watchful eye of Andy, Taylor has gone from strength to strength, learning the intricacies of hydraulic hose replacements on some of the industry’s most technologically advanced machinery.

Working closely with Andy has enabled Taylor to learn the best practices of being an Eastern Hose Field Service Engineer, what is expected of him and the exceptionally high standard of work and customer service that we have become renowned for across the country.

The high standards we set our team, including the cleanliness of their vans and personal appearance are of great importance to our brand and are standards we hold of high importance here at The Eastern Hose Group.

Our Field Service Engineers are at the forefront of how they and our brand are perceived by our customers and the wider industry. With unrivalled customer service, we ensure our team are well versed on the importance of building and maintaining good working relationships – an element that’s built into Taylor’s learning process.

Part of these standards requires Taylor to learn about our customer app simPRO. Being able to show all elements of the job undertaken, including damage reports, images, timescales, and invoices, gives our customers greater control and transparency over the service we are providing them and will build their trust in Taylor and his capabilities.

Over the coming months, Taylor will continue to develop his product and hydraulic knowledge whilst being trusted to work on machines for some of the largest companies in our sector, as well as forging strong relationships with our dedicated customer base.

When asked about his journey, Taylor commented;

“I have to remind myself every day that this is my job as I absolutely love every aspect of what I do. From identifying the issues and completing the job, there’s nothing about this that feels like work. Getting hands on with some fantastic machines every day is a dream.

“No two jobs are the same, which always keeps it interesting. There are challenges along the way, like finding workable solutions to enable the customer to keep working when their machine requires a specific part from the manufacturer – but that’s what makes the job so rewarding.

“Having customers appreciate and comment on the standard of work I’ve produced makes me feel so proud. I think it shocks them when they find out how old I am, but for me I’m just delighted I’ve been able to get them back up and running in the most time efficient way as possible.

“It’s great working with and learning from Andy, his experience and knowledge is invaluable to me during this period of my learning.

“There’s a fantastic foundation of technical support at Eastern Hose, from the 25 years of knowledge and experience of our Onsite Director Adam Ritchie to the expert advice of our senior Engineers. All this advice and support being available at the push of a button is incredible and a testament to the level of talent we have within the company.

“Everyone at The Eastern Hose Group have been great with me and I’d like to thank them for giving me this opportunity. It was a great honour to be picked by the management team to undertake this journey, they have a real understanding of their team and are always willing to give people the opportunity to develop their careers no matter which department you are in.

”As the fastest growing business within our sector, it’s a fantastic company to work for. The support and encouragement you’re given every step of the way makes you want to go the extra mile for the team and our customers. If there’s anyone out there reading this who is looking for a new challenge, I’d highly recommend you contact our Careers Team…I promise you won’t regret it.”

Well, from all of us across the group, you’re a credit to the business, Taylor. Your journey proves if you have the drive, hunger to learn and self-discipline that you can achieve anything you want whilst working for The Eastern Hose Group.

Keep up the good work!

Developing the talent of our team is something we take great pride in here at The Eastern Hose Group. Due to our sustained levels of growth, we have several opportunities available to join our team. If, like Taylor, you have mechanical experience and would like to further your career in hose repair, at the UK’s largest independent hydraulic breakdown company, then we want to hear from you!

Email a copy of your CV, along with a covering letter, to careers@easternhose.co.uk and start your journey with us today!

Taylor Bibby