Gary Butler

Introducing Gary Butler our Technical Manager! We asked Gary a few questions to get to know more about his role at CAN and what he does outside of work.

What is your role at CAN and what do you enjoy the most about it?

It has evolved significantly over the years that I have been with Aquila. Initially I was one of three engineers in a start up business, wore a lot of hats and got involved in every element of engineering project delivery. I spent years leading the delivery of numerous engineering Projects and helping to shape the way that happened, developing our engineering process along the way.

As the business expanded, my role has moved towards technical support for the wider engineering team and our whole portfolio of Projects. That doesn’t mean I have all the answers though. A large part of my role is developing and coordinating the TAC (Technical Authority Committee) and other technical disciplines we now have in the business. That involves collating our vast combined knowledge and experience and connecting that with live Projects or our engineering process, establishing or improving best practice. This also extends into preparing the team to support future Projects and commercial directions.

The most enjoyable part of working at Cyclife Aquila has always been, and continues to be, the variety of work we get involved in. As an engineer, I love the challenges we are given, trying to seek out the ‘best’ solution for that Project which balances the various success factors of the job. We do provide bespoke engineering to the nuclear industry, but that can look incredibly different from one Project to the next. Not just in the actual hardware but the clients, applications, contract formats, design phases etc.

How long have you worked at CAN for?

I started at Cyclife Aquila late 2011, just after the company was incorporated. So I’m heading towards 13 years now.

What advice would you give to someone joining the business?

Talk to the people around you, and across the wider department as much as possible. Either in person or on the Teams Engineering Channels. There are lots of us spread across different buildings, but we have so much experience in the department now that somebody has probably been there and done it.

What do you do at the weekends?

I parked up a few cars when my son was born that I haven’t driven since. There is currently an Austin Metro Turbo and Porsche 924S from the 1980’s and a 1950 Feguson tractor constantly drawing attention for some TLC. The reality though for the moment tends to be running around in the Welsh countryside with a 5 year old, establishing a garden/orchard and working on a lovely but old house that we moved into a few years ago.

Do you have any hidden talents?

I seem to be able to move impossibly large, awkward or heavy objects using only myself (occasionally my wife too) and our car. A staircase, three seater sofas, 12 foot dining table, a car trailer (without using a towbar), two upright pianos and a 200kg of stone mantlepiece have all made their way home without a van or trailer. Perhaps this is just another reflection of my love for using engineering to overcome a challenge.