People Like Us

This is a modern landscape we all recognise. It could be anywhere.

Perhaps even anywhere in Europe. But in fact, it's here in Nottingham.

Zenotec manufactures peripheral things for the computer industry.

With a workforce of 86 people and an annual turnover to match,

Zenotec and the industry on which it thrives,

typify the hi-tech infrastructure that has sprung up all over Nottingham.

The company is run by Peter Wilson.

Sue Rudkin is his personal assistant, secretary and general Batwoman.

- I'll let him know you've arrived. - Just ignore me and carry on.

Mr Mallard is here to see you. And Mr Wilson is seeing you now.

Here's a copy of today's itinerary.

- You've already been greeted. - I want to stay in the background.

- See how things develop naturally. - That's between 11.30 and 12.00.

- You can leave this one with me. - Surely. No problem.

- And you will move your car. - Pardon?

My background was in electronics, so this was an opportunity for me.

- The learning curve was exponential. - Was it? Good.

Peter has been director for six years, though that wasn't always the case.

He was a product manager in Reading, producing integrated mother circuitry,

when in 1994, without warning, he found himself out of a marriage.

Surface mount technology's a stimulating environment to work in.

- The market's in flux. - But surface mount technology?

Sorry, yes, yes. We make thick film hybrids.

Right, I see. Good.

It's the environment where you've got to run to stand still.

- But you don't want to stand still? - No, then you go backwards.

You're running, but you're running... in the opposite?

- We're running forwards. That's the point. - Of course.

Otherwise you'd be running, standing still and going backwards.

- Yes. You can't afford to do that. - No. Hopeless.

Brian Peach is the chief technical engineer.

Excuse my squash kit. I had a game before I came to work.

- How did you get on? - Doesn't matter. That's not the point.

Have you moved your car? I would do, 'cause Sue's...

- What do you actually make here? - Thick film hybrids.

Within the company, Brian has a better grasp

of what thick film hybrids are than anything else.

This is all we're talking about. A simple multi-layered PCB.

Right. Can you describe it in layman's terms?

In layman's terms,

it's a bit of plastic-looking stuff with coloured wavy lines,

some small wire things and knobbly bits around the sides.

OK. What about in scientist's terms? But I mean a normal scientist.

0K.

- The thick film part of it explains itself. - Oh, I see.

The hybrid part is bonding the surface mount components to the basic substrate

using thixotropic pastes, reflow induction masking

and bare dye pick-and-place technologies.

- And that's all? - Yeah.

0bviously in practice there's more to it than that.

What does a typical day consist of for you?

- There's no such thing as a typical day. - What about an untypical day?

- Today, the Japanese are coming in. - The Japanese?

A couple of guys from Yamasushi. A huge company, yeah.

You probably own many things made by them without realising it.

They are very big in precisional thermostrates.

- And ordinary chip-on-board circuits. - I've got one of those.

I try to organise everything, so nothing's left to chance,

and Peter can concentrate on important things.

Today, with the Japanese coming,

everything has to run smoothly, from the minute they arrive.

But I thought I could park there. It said, "Visitors".

It's important those spaces are empty. They're not spaces unless they're empty.

- I'm assuming it's your car. Mazda? - A Nissan Sunny.

- Yeah. Sludge coloured. - Actually, it's Midnight Sand.

0nce that's complete, the surface is encapsulated in phinolic resin.

Then another layer of protective encapsulant, or a glob-top.

So do you play a lot of squash?

- 0nce a day on average. Usually more. - You're pretty good, then?

I wouldn't say good exactly, compared to these young guys.

- Right. Is that your trophy though? - That?

Yeah. I finally won something in the club. I was runner-up.

- Still, that's... - It was the handicap competition.

Sorry, I had no idea. I think that's fantastic.

There can be pressure, but that's 0K. When things go right, you get a buzz.

- Lisa Bell is the sales director. - It pays the mortgage on the flat.

I get a decent car, too. I say decent, it's not a Porsche.

It's just an Audi. Just an A3. You know, 1.8, 16-valve?

- Is that William Tell? - No, it's just messages.

Yeah. And the ringing tone you chose yourself?

This has 40 different tones to choose from.

- I chose that one 'cause it's fun. - Good.

- How many people are under you? - Everybody. All of them.

I see. But in terms of management structure, what is it?

Right. It's basically... Let me draw it for you.

That might be...

Let me move this, I'm sure you don't want to look at it!

It will only be in the way. Let's get rid of it.

- Right. She's a lovely girl. - That's Chrissie, sitting on a wall.

Right. Have you any other children?

- Chrissie's my wife. - Godl Good.

- We were married last January. - Congratulations.

I know.

- Right. Now, this is me. - That's very good.

- What d'you mean? - Nothing.

At 33, Lisa Bell is the youngest member of management to be taken on as a woman.

After graduating in geology from Lancaster University,

she spent five years on an oil rig,

first off Norway, then later, after severe weather, off Denmark.

I couldn't do my job without this.

I'm on the road so much, I probably do 2-3,000 miles a month.

Which is why a 16-valve is so handy. Never go back to an 8. Full aircon.

- No. So... - Clunk.

- So each day is different? - 0h, yeah.

0ccasionally I'm in for a day, but then I'm on a course or hiring and firing.

Kerchunk! Bunk!

- I'm doing a thing for the Japanese. - Doing a thing?

For some reason, Peter's asked me to do the presentation.

Don't ask me why me.

Don't know he wants me standing up in front of everyone.

Is it your projector?

- Finally, our quality assurance manager. - I see.

Basically, you make the decisions, and they make them work?

No, that's a very top-down model of management.

- Top-down? - These days it's more bottom-up.

Would it help if I turned it round?

Ooh, yes, that's completely bottom-up, isn't it?

You see?

Working on the oil rigs was great, well-paid, with time to travel.

In my 20s with an unlimited supply of men! They were virtually queuing up!

What made you change direction?

Living like that's fine when you're young, but you can't do it forever.

- Are you married now? - No. Far better things to be doing!

I can't be doing with all that.

Far too much... (CLATTER!)

- You're not married? - I am, yes.

- Seriously? - Yes.

God.

Oh.

- Is that supposed to? - That's fine.

- I've told him you'll see him at 4.00. - Right. Fine. Am I free then?

- Well, Sue said... - Yeah, I'll be fine. 0K.

We'll just have to tell him.

Back in the director's office,

Peter is meeting his production manager, Tony Morgan.

It's very tough on him. Dean is very good at what he does.

Yeah. Yeah.

He's also a very nice bloke. He's a good man.

Dean Trussler was taken on as the delivery driver

after the previous driver ran over some potential German clients.

But now, in a review of corporate strategy,

the company is radically simplifying its in-house transport by not having any.

It's getting more difficult. He wants to replace the Transit.

- I had to change the subject gently. - What to?

- Not replacing it. - Good.

Excuse me, Tony.

I'm a bit busy, can you?

No, Sue! Sue! Sue, it's me!

Sue, stop. It's really me. It's not the answering machine.

That's all right. Just a minute, I'll ask him.

- Have you moved your car? - Yes.

So a clean room is basically a completely controlled environment.

- What you'll see is classed 5,000. - 5,000? Really?

The surplus mount technology process is quite tricky and sensitive...

Thick film hybrids are sensitive to damage by contact with dust particles,

minute amounts of static electricity or large particles of dust.

The classification number of the room relates to the debris in the air.

The lower the number, the cleaner...

- You all right there? - Fine, thanks. It's a bit...

I seem to have trapped my ears.

It goes on your foot not your head.

- Pardon. - It's to go on your shoes!

These are my shoes.

Every aspect of the environment in the clean room is controlled,

from the air to the temperature,

which are both air-conditioned and maintained at a constant 20 degrees

irrespective of the fluctuations inside the plastic suits.

- It's not conventional production? - That mentality wouldn't help us here.

- You can't unzip that, I'm afraid. - Oh, sorry.

- We have to be strict about that. - It's just warm in here.

- I enjoy it here. - Right.

It's clean and safe, and you actually make something.

- We're like one big family here. - Really?

- See that bald bloke? I hate 'im! - Right.

- Best thing that ever happened to me. - That's unusual to hear these days.

- You're not attached to any team? - I don't really work in this area.

0n my lunch hour, they let me wear this suit and watch. It's brilliant!

- What do you actually do? - I'm the delivery driver.

It's great!

It's a young staff. I must be one of the longest serving.

- Did you imagine staying this long? - No, I really have.

- Is that condensation? - Yes.

- It's different from a slaughterhouse. - You worked in one?

No, but it's obvious. Work it out for yourself.

They let me take the Transit home, but it's getting on a bit.

We're getting a Mercedes Turbo soon, with self-levelling suspension, the lot!

- What do you think of Mr Wilson? - It's me.

God!

Here, have this. I think you should.

OK. Thank you.

- Want me to hold your glasses? - Yes. OK, then. Thanks.

Urghl

0h, dear.

That could be baby food. We've got a little one, 11 months, Thomas.

- Really? - You all right?

- It was cheese and lentil this morning. - Or fish perhaps?

Yeah. Tuna and egg. We tried cheese and lentil, but he sicks it up.

Really?

It's designed to extend downwards not upwards.