Harborough woman celebrates 40 years in ‘niche’ career she began unexpectedly aged 17

Lisa McLean joined protective case manufacturer Nomad in the summer of 1984, aged just 17.

The company, based in Rockingham Road Industrial Estate, launched in 1961, producing work boxes for the Northampton shoe industry, and the Leicester textile and hosiery industries, before evolving to designing and producing a variety of bespoke protective cases.

The company has recently changed ownership to Absolute Casing, owned by Ed Franklin, marking the latest chapter in Lisa’s lengthy career timeline as she says farewell to outgoing boss Steve Rumsey.

The 57-year-old, originally from Clipston, joined Nomad through a college training scheme, getting paid around £30 per week for three days. But, after six weeks, the colleague training her left the company, and Lisa was left to her own devices.

She explained: “The elderly boss Eddie said ‘would you like to have a go?’ And I just said ‘Oh my God, I’ll give it a try’.

“It was a small office, just me and Eddie. He used to smoke a pipe as it was just normal to sit in an office surrounded by pipe smoke - it was the 80s.”

Four decades later, the Nomad stalwart continues to enjoy her role as technical manager, overseeing and organising the process from product design through to finish.

When asked how her 17-year-old self would react if she had foreseen her lengthy future at Nomad, she replied: “I wouldn’t have thought it, not in a million years.”

One thing Lisa did correctly predict was that she would get married. And, similarly to her, husband Alistair has worked for a long-standing Harborough institution, H. Monk & Sons, a home furnishings store in the heart of the town, for more than two decades.

Lisa added: “We both work for two of the oldest companies in town, so that’s 65 years between us. In a small town, that’s quite unusual.”

Lisa revealed she originally had dreams of treading the boards.

She said: “My passion is acting. I love theatre, singing and dancing but the boxes kept me away!

“But sometimes it’s better the devil you know. I needed to get my own house so I went down that route.”

While she has found happiness in an entirely different profession, Lisa has kept her passion alive as a member of Harborough Theatre, recently starring as Mrs Johnstone in a production of Blood Brothers.

But, despite her colourful pastime, she continues to remain loyal to her career, with no plans to retire anytime soon.

She added: “I love my role. I love the process of getting a product out to suit a customer and the organisation of it all. And I’ve made so many friends through the years, some who I’m still friends with now.

“I never expected to go into this; it’s quite niche. I look back and think ‘what a great career’ - not many people can say that after 40 years.”