Meet the Team #7: New Factory Faces

As the construction industry continues to grow, so does our team at Thorpes.

Now that our new starters have settled in, it’s time for a proper introduction.

James Ryan

James joined us at the start of the year, and it didn’t take long for him to get stuck in. With 22 years of experience in the industry, James brings a wealth of skills as a bench joiner, site carpenter, and working foreman.

While at school he had hopes of becoming a fireman; his eagerness to start working led him to carpentry instead - a path he’s never looked back on.

James enjoys working with a wide range of materials, with each day bringing a new challenge. “Seeing a project through to the end is always satisfying; it’s proof of the effort you’ve put in.”

When he’s not supporting Man United at their matches, you’ll find James unwinding at the gym. He even had football trials for Leicester and played for Birmingham’s county team before the factory became his focus.

Andrew Neal

Bringing a deep knowledge of carpentry, Andrew joined Thorpes earlier this year. His career began in furniture craft and woodworking after he was unable to join the army due to being completely deaf.

Passionate about practical work, he started his apprenticeship at 17 and spent the majority of his career in shopfitting, working on high-end units for brands like Chanel and Dior.

Andrew thrives on the variety at Thorpes, where each joinery piece is unique. “Everyone here is cut from a similar cloth, so it means we all speak the same manufacturing language!”

A keen golfer and member of the Leicester Deaf Golf Society, Andrew is also a proud British Sign Language user. Outside of work, he enjoys visiting WW2 museums, spending time with his family, and being actively involved in the Deaf community.

Liam Barnett

Relatively new to the industry, Liam started his career just three years ago, having worked in paving, shed building, and even studied mechanics at college.

Looking for a change of direction, Liam decided to hone his carpentry skills.

He’s enjoying learning new tasks, from reading blueprints and cutting lists to sizing up veneer and stitching it together.

Outside of work, most of his time is spent training his dog Buddy and playing on his Xbox. He also plays a range of sports and generally enjoys keeping active.

Nahum John

Nahum’s journey into the trades began by working alongside his dad in various roles, from roofing and pest control to landscape labour and solar panel installation.

Now, he’s focused on his role as a sprayer at Thorpes, where he’s learned the ropes alongside his colleagues.

Nahum describes his work as “the final step in the joinery process” - sanding, taping, mixing paint, colour matching, and spraying.

A lover of rock and metal music, he spends his free time going to concerts, watching Jimmy Carr, and playing the guitar.

Though each of them has a different role, one thing they all share is their variety of work that passes through the factory and the satisfaction of seeing those projects come to life.

We’re thrilled to have James, Andrew, Liam, and Nahum on the team and can’t wait to see their growth at Thorpes.

Let’s give them all a warm welcome!