New managing director appointed at Peterborough-based robotics company OAL

The family run OAL, based in Southgate Way, Orton Southgate, has announced the appointment of Jake Norman as its new managing director.

He will replace his father Harry Norman, the company’s founder, who will remain on the board.

Jake, who has more than a decade of experience in automation and a track record of developing long-term customer relationships, said: “I’m proud to lead the family business into a new era as we navigate the fantastic opportunities automation and robotics present to our customers.

“We’re inspired by Harry’s visionary approach to automation, he’s built an exceptional engineering team that help our customers succeed and I’m looking forward to building on this foundation.”

Jake joined the board of directors two years ago as sales director, taking responsibility for the business and winning a number of new customers.

He recently secured a £2 million part-government funded Carbon Trust project to deploy the company’s robotic chef with Marks & Spencer and Solina.

OAL was founded in 1993 and developed a reputation for pioneering the latest technology to solve the challenges faced by the food industry.

Harry Norman said: “Jake’s passion for technology and his understanding of the food manufacturing sector make him the ideal leader for OAL as we look towards an exciting future.

He added: "I am proud to see him take on this role and have every confidence in his ability to steer OAL to new heights.”