Hydraulics & Pneumatics March 2022

INTERVIEW 44 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS March 2022 www.hpmag.co.uk Many readers of this journal will already be familiar with Paul Cooke as a long-standing and highly respected figure within the fluid power industry. His passion for fluid power over the years has its roots in the period when he moved temporarily to South Africa after graduating as a mechanical engineer some 37 years ago. Cooke began his career as a design engineer for a mining machinery company that was active in the goldmining industry in Johannesburg. “So, right from the outset I became involved in fluid power because the extraction machinery in the goldmines was largely hydraulic,” he reflects. “From here, my interest in fluid power and its potential and importance quickly developed. I had dealings with several fluid power companies in South Africa, which stood me in good stead when I returned to the UK and began my career with Bosch Rexroth, initially as engineering manager and later as managing director for the company’s UK operation.” Cooke went on to hold various senior roles within the Bosch Rexroth framework. “For example, I worked for the organisation in Germany for over three years and more recently I served as CEO in the US for Bosch Rexroth in North America,” he explains. When Cooke had completed his tasks in the US and returned to settle back in Cambridgeshire UK, his intention was to semi- retire from the industry. “However, I always had it in mind to stay involved in the industry in some capacity,” he explains. “I then received a phone call out of the blue from John Farmer, the president of the BFPA, who had heard that I was back in the country. He enquired whether I might be interested in discussing taking up the position of CEO at the BFPA. I was absolutely delighted and after meetings with the team I accepted the offer on an interim basis.” Passion Cooke enthuses that the fluid power industry is a genuine passion of his. “It has given me a fantastic career over nearly four decades and I still believe it remains a modern and vibrant sector to work in. It’s predominantly an industry where engineers sell to their fellow engineers, supplying many types of machinery and applications to a wide variety of sectors. Cooke points out that in his new role as the BFPA’s interim CEO he is committed to ensuring the board of the association is well-positioned to continue to support, inform and engage with its members as they navigate their businesses through 2022 and beyond. “With this in mind, we have been reviewing the BFPA’s services to its members and shortly we will be officially launching a new strategic roadmap,” he explains. “This was a process that had begun just prior to my coming on board, but I am committed to progressing and developing this important project. This all ties in with the BFPA’s core raison d’être ‘to strengthen the fluid power industry’. Six strategic pillars Cooke explains that key to the goal of continuing to strengthen the industry will be the BFPA’s focus on six strategic and future- oriented pillars. These are: Health and Safety and the Environment – Promoting and enabling fluid power to be safe and to meet the environmental demands driven by climate change. Statistics – Enabling our industry to have the data it needs to forecast and to predict market developments Industry Trends – Adapting and aligning to the world of digitalisation and environmental demands and ensuring that modern fluid power is well positioned and promoted as an essential and important sector for automation and drives of the future. Standards – Ensuring that the BFPA continues to develop and design industry standards within a global framework. In a competitive world of globalisation and technology change, Cooke considers this to be of paramount importance. Legislation – With Brexit and the wider challenges of international trade, Cooke maintains it is important the BFPA and its members have a voice within the UK industrial and political circles, to stick together and ensure that the UK is a good environment for fluid power manufacturing as well as importers and exporters. Education and Training – Cooke cites this theme as the top priority for our industry and for engineering in the wider context. “As we navigate the opportunities and challenges of the future it is essential to attract and retain the best talent,” he says. “We will promote and position fluid power as an exciting, Experience and commitment Hydraulics & Pneumatics spoke with Paul Cooke, the recently appointed interim CEO of the British Fluid Power Association, about his long-serving and successful background within the fluid power industry, the growth of digitalisation, his plans for the further development of the BFPA and the roadmap he and his team is currently putting place to serve our industry in the most effective and forward-thinking manner. Paul Cooke: “Along with the challenges and opportunities following Brexit and the importance of expanding internationally for many companies in our industry, we need to continue to embrace and adapt to technological change.”