EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
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Matt is the Chairman and owner of Hoverdale UK Ltd, based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Hoverdale provides hard metals & wear-resistant products, conveyor belt products and equipment to keep waste recycling, biofuel, power generation, wastewater treatment, sea aggregates, vinyl, food, mining, tunnelling and glass plants moving.
Matt is an accomplished Senior Executive with 30 years proven track record experience using exceptional communication and leadership skills to coach, manage, and motivate a wide range of professionals in challenging environments. This experience has proved highly instrumental in the development and execution of strategies and action plans within the engineering & manufacturing arena. To complement this – an experienced, extensively travelled engineering professional of many years in the Automotive, Aerospace, Defence, and Bulk Handling industries.
Ben Dunn serves as the Managing Director of Rossi Gearmotors Ltd, a leading manufacturer of industrial gearboxes, electric motors, and gearmotors based in Coventry, West Midlands. Appointed in 2021, he brings over 25 years of expertise in engineering, manufacturing, and leadership to the role.
Rossi Gearmotors Ltd is a subsidiary of the Rossi Group, headquartered in Modena, Italy, and part of the Moovimenta Group. The company specialises in the production of planetary, helical, bevel-helical, and worm gear reducers and gearmotors.
Beyond his leadership at Rossi Gearmotors, Ben plays an active role in the wider engineering community. In October 2024, he assumed the position of Vice President of the Materials Handling Engineers Association (MHEA), contributing his extensive experience to the organisation’s initiatives.
Ben’s skill set spans Business Management, Sales, Manufacturing, Business Development, and Product Development, showcasing his versatility and depth of expertise. His leadership at Rossi Gearmotors and involvement with the MHEA, highlight his dedication to advancing the industrial equipment sector in the UK and internationally.
James is Managing Director of ConSpare Ltd and ProSpare Ltd. He joined the MHEA Executive Committee in 2015.
James started his career in 1984 at ConSpare Ltd, concrete industry specialists who help improve the concrete production process to deliver greater plant efficiency and lower carbon concrete.
ProSpare was launched in 2007 to bring the unique ConSpare range of products and expertise to a wider audience in sectors such as quarrying, mineral processing, cement, glass and recycling. ProSpare supplies high performance materials handling equipment to companies processing bulk raw materials and powders.
James is a keen target rifle shooter, having represented Great Britain, England and Nottinghamshire on many occasions.
Dr. Vivek Garg is working as a Research and Consulting Engineer in The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology, specialising in powder characterisation and bulk property analysis, with a focus on powder flowability. Dr. Garg actively leads consultancy projects that include designing storage vessels, resolving flow issues in powder handling industries, and optimising process parameters to improve plant efficiency. With a strong presence in sectors like food, pharmaceuticals, and battery manufacturing, Dr. Garg contributes to enhancing production processes and ensuring operational efficiency.
Ian Atkinson is the Engineering Director at Don Valley Materials Handling Ltd, part of the Don Valley Engineering Group. Graduating in 1984 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Ian became a Chartered Engineer in 1993 and now has over 38 years’ experience of working in the bulk materials handling and processing industry.
Ian’s early career spanned the mining and quarrying sectors, and in later years the power and port infrastructure sectors developing and delivering bespoke material handling solutions for Limestone, Wood Pellets, Grain, Sand & Gravel, Cement, Coal & Iron Ore.
Chris is the Managing Director for Flender in the U.K. and Ireland, where he leads the company’s operations across a broad range of industrial drive train products and services. He joined the MHEA Executive Committee in 2022 and brings over 20 years of experience across various engineering disciplines.
Chris’s career began as a mechanical engineer with the Ministry of Defence, where he gained valuable experience working on many different projects. Over the years, he transitioned from engineering to application engineering, and ultimately to senior management within Flender. His diverse career has provided him with a deep understanding of both technical and strategic aspects of the business.
As a highly adaptable and creative engineering professional, Chris has an excellent track record in project management and thrives on new challenges. He excels in managing a diverse workload, employing high-quality organizational skills, and prioritizing tasks to ensure corporate goals are not only met but often exceeded.
Linda White joined the MHEA Executive Committee in 2006 representing Fairport Engineering Limited where she promoted the company across its market sectors for over 25 years. A member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing she was very proud to be the first female to be elected onto the Committee since its incorporation in 1938. Initially adopted as the late Harold Wright’s “Right Hand” woman, Linda has provided senior executives from the leading UK materials handling companies with that “other view” of matters from the industry and work place for over 14 years. In March 2020, Linda enthusiastically accepted the position as Secretariat to the MHEA where she will be able to stay in the industry she knows so well and hopefully take the Association to new heights.
