Family fortunes beat slump

While 17-year-old machinist Ryan Guy may look up to his boss around the factory – but he also does so on the family tree, because the managing director is his 63-year-old grandfather, Roger Wood.

Not only that, but 23 members of Roger's family make up more than half of the 41-strong workforce at the firm, which manufactures special fasteners, including nuts, bolts and washers. From brothers, sisters, nephews, wives, husbands, sons and daughters, the ratio of family members has helped the company be a success over its 35 years, according to company secretary Christine Watkinson, Roger's sister.

"We all get on really well," said 59-year-old Christine. "Of course, we have our arguments, but no more than any other company. No-one messes around on the job because when we are at work we are at work and act very professionally.

"We don't often take very long lunch breaks either, and one thing is for sure, no-one ever pulls a sickie."

The firm was set up by Christine's father, George Wood in 1974 with business partner Les Clark.

Christine added: "It was Dad's idea to set the firm up, and Les was his silent partner.

"The business was based in an old Nissen hut at Pendeford airfield."

Over the years, George's son's Roger, 63, Lionel, 61, Derek, 60, Anthony, 57, Philip, 54 and Paul, 52, followed in their father's footsteps and joined the family business. They were joined by George's five daughters – Jenny, now 55, twins Theresa and Maria, 48, Gina, 45, and Anita, 40.

The firm then moved to a unit at Blakenhall Industrial Estate, in Sunbeam Street, in 1979 and now operates from four factory units.

"Dad was quite quickly joined by my brothers," said Christine.

"Lionel retired at the end of last year, but he still has some involvement in the family business."

George's wife Mary, now 84, also got involved, making sure that the staff got off to work on a full stomach.

"My mum used to come in and cook the lads their breakfast in the morning," said Christine.

"She used to do a bit of cleaning as well. I used to look over the accounts for Dad, free of charge.

"Most of the family started off by working for the firm in their spare time and free of charge. As the firm started to grow more and more of us joined."

Now Roger's son Gary, 37, and daughter Emma, 28, work for the firm as do Derek's son's Steven, 33, and Darren, 26. Anthony's son Martin, 27, Theresa's son Jamie, 20, and Lionel's son Richard, 28, have all kept the family tradition going.

The rest of the workforce is mainly made up of in-laws and family friends, according to Christine.

"It's now our daughters, sons and even grandchildren who are joining the firm after they leave work. There are 41 members of staff that work here and those that aren't family members are close friends of the family. We don't really employ externally very often."

Clarkwood has gone from its humble beginnings to supplying special precision fasteners and clients include the petro-chemical, gas and oil industries.

"The firm has changed a lot over the years. We have gone from a hut in the 1970s to four industrial units today," said Christine.

"We have grown and grown over the years and I think it's a massive help that it's a family run business.

"It has been very successful in such a short space of time."

But it has not been easy in the current economic downturn, with many manufacturing firms suffering. Figures only released this month have revealed a decline in all sectors of business across the West Midlands in the first three months of 2009.

Data released by West Midlands Chambers of Commerce show that both the manufacturing and service sectors have suffered a huge drop in home sales and orders. In the export markets, more than half show a decrease in sales and orders, and the service sector is also struggling.

In manufacturing, there has been an increase of 40 per cent to 68 per cent in the number of businesses reporting a decrease in their domestic sales – the highest figure since records began in the 1970s. Fifty-four per cent of companies reported a decrease in export sales, compared to 35 per cent in the previous quarter. Around 200 jobs are being axed by Corus in the Black Country as its closes plants in Wolverhampton and Wednesbury.

Thirty-six jobs have been axed at copper pipe manufacturer Mueller Europe Ltd, in Oxford Street, Bilston, and workers at Wolverhampton's cash-strapped tyre company, Goodyear, face another year of cuts to their working hours, with possible lay-offs continuing into next year.

Christine added: "Firms everywhere are being hit. Things here may be a bit slower than in the past, but we are doing fine. We stick together as a family to make this company a success."