Retirement Citation

(c) Vin Callcut 2002-2021.

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

 

Retirement Citation for Vin Callcut, March 1999

 "Vin Callcut has devoted his professional life to copper, first with the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association, then Enfield Rolling Mills and for the last 19 years at Copper Development Association.

 Vin was appointed CDA Technical Director in 1995 and more recently Director and has worked closely with the CDA Chairman and Managing Director, first Gonzalo Cuadra and now Pierre Neatby. Despite financial constraints and a declining UK industry base, CDA has successfully achieved the market objectives set by International Copper Research Association, International Copper Association and European Copper Institute.

Vin is highly respected by UK industry members for his `case study' promotion programme which clearly demonstrated the cost advantages of brass over steel and plastic alternatives. His success in regaining markets for brass from competitive materials led to the adoption of the case study promotional themes by Copper Centres in many other countries.

The UK CDA has always had an international role to play since many countries, particularly Africa, Middle and Far East adopt UK standards and installation codes for copper products. Vin as the Chairman of the UK Copper Standards Committee was at the centre of this international activity - an important task essential to securing copper's future position in its key markets.  He joined, and subsequently lead, the UK delegations to many International Standards Association meetings.

Vin was also an early devotee of computerised information systems and it was his vision that inspired the idea of presenting CDA data on videos, floppy discs and CD-ROMs, which are now widely adopted by all Copper Centres worldwide.

Vin's greatest achievement and success is without doubt the personal contribution he made to promote copper's electrical applications. Although the largest end use market for copper, the wire and cable sector has long held the view that copper's electrical applications were not promotable.  Vin obtained funding from ICA and ECI and adopted promotional themes such as 'Copper for Energy Efficiency' and 'Copper for Power Quality' and proved them wrong!

Vin found willing promotional partners among electrical contractors and governmental energy agencies and he was the inspiration behind the eye catching promotional slogan `Save Money - Use More Copper' which caught the electrical market by storm.

Vin's energy also led him to create a whole new range of technical publications devoted to copper's cost-effective electrical advantages. These have since been translated into many other languages for use around the world. His personal enthusiasm and success was infectious and led to ICA, and subsequently ECI, adopting much larger promotional electrical programmes for Europe.

The industry owes Vin a great debt of gratitude for his promotional vision, technical skills and unquenchable enthusiasm for work. Vin is very much a professional's professional and is held in the highest regard by all in the Copper Centres network. The recent award of the Institute of Metals Sir Ronald Prain Medal for services to the copper industry is well deserved. Our sincere thanks to you for all your efforts - we wish you and Hilary a very happy and long retirement."