Management

Gavin Farmer
Managing Director

Gavin was appointed to the role of Managing Director with effect from 01 August 2007.

Having joined Scion-Sprays in March 2007 as Manufacturing Manager, Gavin's new responsibilities as Managing Director will include the development the Company into a manufacturing business. Gavin will be instrumental in setting up agreements for product supply, tooling requirements as well as creating a robust plan which will take the Company from end testing through to batch and high volume manufacture, delivering the product successfully to market.

A Cambridge University MA(Hons)& MEng Manufacturing Engineer, Gavin has extensive experience as a Manufacturing and General Manager with 11 years experience in the UK, Asia/China, and USA including greenfield and plant setup and operation as well as recent experience in the position of OE Sales Director.

As with all management roles, Gavin is an experienced team player and builder and an effective motivator with the proven ability to provide strong leadership to achieve long- and short-term goals. Having lived for several years in China, Gavin speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese as well as French and some German.

Ruud Hermans
Finance Director

As a co-founder and representative of the major shareholder, Ruud’s involvement with Scion-Sprays began in 2001. Ruud is also Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Former COO at IKU, a manufacturer of vehicle components (automotive mirror actuator) with plants in The Netherlands, USA and Poland as well as licensees in Japan and Brazil, Ruud oversaw the growth of the business with sales of 20 million+ units and the eventual sale of the business to the Eaton Corporation.

With experience in Financial Control, General Management, and Business Development, Ruud’s expertise includes product development, manufacturing and eventual sale of business.

Educated at HEAO, The Netherlands, Ruud holds a BA Business Economics.

Ruud speaks fluent Dutch and German.

Jeff Allen
Advanced Engineering

Jeff was a founder of Scion-Sprays Ltd and responsible for much of the core technology. Jeff now concentrates on the further development of the product as well as creating, developing and managing future technology and products. Jeff is also an Expert Team Member and a Non-Executive Director.

From 1983 – 2001 Jeff worked at Lotus Engineering as a Chief Engineer, responsible for research projects in engine technology.

Jeff has over 30 Patents including variable valve timing systems, direct Injection processes, auto ignition control systems, electrostatic atomization, and fuel control systems to name but a few.

Jeff attended Loughborough University, UK obtaining a BTech Degree in Automotive Engineering and Design (Hons) and is a Member of the Institute of Physics.

Allison Armstrong
Customer Account Manager

Allison manages the administration functions within the Company including human resources, internal and external communications, legal and accounting issues, events management and health, safety and environmental issues.

Allison's background includes experience in the academic sector, hotel and printing industries, and work in the voluntary sector.

Allison speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish.

Richard Hoolahan
Manufacturing Manager

Since joining Scion-Sprays in 2006, Richard has been involved in the design of the injector, and mechanical elements of the QFI system, sourcing of suppliers for development and production, specification of production equipment and processes. Richard is responsible for the management of 2 engineers in the workshop and design office.

With a desire to enjoy a more rural lifestyle, Richard moved to Norfolk from Surrey where he worked for FOX-VPS Ltd, a company manufacturing hydraulic equipment, fire suppression equipment and precision machined components. Richard served an apprenticeship at the RAE, Farnborough as an Instrument Maker, in 1986.

With a growing family, Richard’s interests include ‘serious DIY’ as well as owning and maintaining a classic Triumph

Paul Ravenhill
Applications Engineering Manager

As Applications Engineering Manager Paul manages client projects ensuring that our team fully understand our customers’ needs and requirements. He also provides guidance in the conceptual design of different engine management systems for different applications as well as facilitating the efficient running of the Applications team.

Paul graduated from Brunel University with a BEng (Hons) degree in 1998. Whilst he was a student he worked at Racal Antennas and Lotus Engineering. After university he worked for Lotus Engineering for 5years in the Powertrain Research and Development Dept being involved in many research and customer programs including the Opel Speedster/VX220 project, GM L850, GM 1.8 16v and SMART.

Paul joined Scion Sprays in 2003 and helped Jeff Allen test and develop his research into electrostatics and was subsequently involved with Jeff in the invention of PCI. He designed and built the first PCI injector.

Current challenges include the successful stewardship of the novel PCI system into the market place for the first time and the management of customer programs including hitting customer targets. Paul also manages a rapidly increasing team of engineers.

Paul is passionate about anything to do with engineering including cars, aircraft, machinery and ships/boats, as well as classic cars, vans and camping.

Ben Smither
Control Systems Manager

Ben is responsible for the delivery of software and electronics packages to both the two and four stroke programs and has been responsible for the development of a complete engine management strategy and the embedded software for these programs.

A UMIST graduate in Mechanical Engineering, Ben took up his first role as a development engineer at Lotus Engineering. He quickly became involved in the setting up of an IMechE accredited graduate scheme which he helped to pilot with other new engineers. In 2005, as a result of being on the scheme and sitting an interview, Ben became a chartered mechanical engineer.

The allure of a small startup, with very interesting technical challenges, encouraged him to leave Lotus in 2006 to join Scion-Sprays.

Upcoming challenges are driven by the need for a production ready control system - lots of time is currently being spent ensuring that it is drivable, durable, clean (low emissions) and safe.

Graham Young
Quality Assurance and China Operations Manager

Managing all aspects of quality assurance and supply chain quality to international standards such as ISO 9001, 14001 and TS 16949, as well as process and product engineering, Graham will be taking the current product portfolios into production in Europe and Asia and ensuring we have quality assured, cost effective, and value added products and processes which will meet our end user needs and expectations.

Graham has recently taken on the role of China Operations Manager and spends much of his time at our company Scion-Sprays (Trading) in Shanghai. With responsibilities which include the establishment of manufacturing and business processes, Graham will also oversee the setting up of the supply chain for China sourced components and assemblies.

Graham joined Scion-Sprays from a background in the automotive, defence and aerospace engineering sectors, mainly on new product development programs.

A certified rock climbing instructor, Graham’s leisure time is spent teaching rock climbing as well as cycling, hill walking and reading.