Paul Butchart, UK Sales Manager for Rail and Special Power, has been working in Nickel Cadmium batteries since January 1982 and in battery sales for nearly 22 years.

Before joining Hoppecke in September 1999 – when the company was looking to expand into the rail and reserve power sectors – Paul was product manager, transportation with French battery company Saft.

Before that he was with Chloride Alcad which had a factory in Redditch, Worcestershire, where they used to make NiCad batteries until closing down in 1993 and moving production abroad. As product development scientist, Paul was heavily involved in developing the original valve regulated industrial NiCad batteries and he moved into a sales role there in 1990.

Since joining Hoppecke, Paul has won major contracts with such leading names in the rail sector as Bombardier, Siemens and Alstom.

His most notable coup was bringing the Heathrow Express contract with him when changing companies. It is unprecedented for a user to change from one battery to another but Paul has a simple explanation – "People buy from people," he says.