An engineer who travelled the globe to promote a Huddersfield firm has retired after nearly five decades of service.

John Wright, a director at Huddersfield engineering firm Thomas Broadbent & Sons Ltd, worked at the firm for 48 years and bid farewell to colleagues at the firm’s premises in Queen Street South this week. His wife, Jean, was presented with a bouquet.

Mr Wright, who lives at Farnley Tyas, joined the company in 1968 as a 16-year-old engineering apprentice.

He later worked in the process laboratory where he became manager before transferring to sales and heading the division selling industrial centrifuges into the oil and gas sector. He later moved into petro-chemical sales before becoming marketing director and latterly process director.

During his career, Mr Wright travelled all around the world and was involved in a number of major projects installing, commissioning and fine-tuning the firm’s centrifuges.

Company chairman Simon Broadbent said: “John has been a key person for the firm because he knows about the products, how they are made and used, what he was selling and what it did. Asa result, people trusted him and that helped us achieve more success.

“His career with us has been exemplary. He has inspired people and his relaxed manner gives customers, colleagues and suppliers the feeling that he is a safe pair of hands.”

During retirement, Mr Wright plans to take up golf.