With the percentage of women in Engineering increasing, Carter Manufacturing reflects on Francesca Brundell-Romero’s path to success within the company.
Data published in March 2022 summarises how the gender composition of the UK’s engineering workforce has changed over the last 11 years, confirming that engineering remains male-dominated. However, trends are gradually shifting, with the percentage of women in engineering increasing. In 2010, just over 1-in-10 (10.5%) of those working in engineering roles were women. By 2021, the percentage had risen to 16.5% (source: ONS), with changes focused on associate and technical professional levels rather than managerial or director levels. A notable example of increased female involvement in engineering is Francesca Brundell-Romero, Head of Sales at precision bearing specialists Carter Manufacturing. In an interview, Francesca shares her journey, growing up amidst the world of bearings and rising through the ranks of this complex industry.
Growing up in the Bearing Industry:
“From a young age, I experienced many bearing industry events and exhibitions, meeting many businesses that we still work with today. This improved my customer engagement skills and made me a familiar face to our clients,” said Francesca Brundell-Romero.“This improved my customer engagement skills and made me a familiar face to our clients,” said Francesca Brundell-Romero.
Attending Conferences:
“In my early years, I was too young to officially attend conferences but interacted briefly with people. As I got older, I started attending conferences, socialising with customers, and benefiting from networking at events like the BearingNet User Meetings, which helps keep up with industry trends.”
Visiting Bearing Factories:
“Annual visits to suppliers are critical for maintaining relationships and ensuring high-quality manufacturing processes. These visits help build long-lasting relationships and ensure suppliers understand and respond to complex enquiries.”
University Placement at Carter Inc.:
“After studying International Business at Nottingham Trent University, I worked at Carter Inc. in Michigan. I started in the workshop assembling bearings, gaining insight into the backend of factory work. Later, I moved to business development, calling potential customers, and engaging in regional sales around Michigan, Chicago, Indiana, and Texas.”
Working in Sales and Business Development Outside Carter USA:
“I began at Carter UK focusing on the sales inbox and supporting Unasis, Carter’s sister company. As the team expanded, my role progressed to Head of Sales, managing the sales team, and supporting account and business development managers. Post-COVID, I optimised business relationships through overseas trips to Germany, Sweden, and the USA.”
Joining Carter UK – Progression through the Company:
“The company recently expanded, opening new offices in the USA and Spain and increasing our headcount at our UK HQ. This internal restructuring created more roles and promoted me to Sales Director. My role has become more varied, overseeing the sales team, and managing key accounts while delegating technical requirements to our Technical Manager.”
Barriers as a Woman in the Industry:
“There are fewer women in the bearing industry compared to other manufacturing sectors, which can be daunting. Without a technical upbringing, I rely on engineers to fill knowledge gaps.“There are fewer women in the bearing industry compared to other manufacturing sectors, which can be daunting. Without a technical upbringing, I rely on engineers to fill knowledge gaps. Despite assumptions about my technical knowledge, I have always been taken seriously in my role.”
Growth of Women in the Bearing Industry:
“At the first BearingNet User Meeting in the early 2000s, I saw roughly four to five women. Since then, female representation has grown significantly.
Locally, we recently hired Elif, our first female Engineer at Carter. I have seen considerable progress in recent years.”
Summing up her journey and hopes for the future, Francesca comments, “I see a movement in the bearing industry that includes more women, offering equal opportunities to both males and females.It’s inspiring to see this growth and change, and I look forward to what the future holds.”
Contact here:
+44 1865 821720
sales@carterbearings.co.uk
www.carterbearings.co.uk
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