Businessman, engineer, and philanthropist Clive Wood, who was a well-known figure in Teesside industry, has died after a short illness aged 73.

Looking for a chance to learn a trade close to home aged 16, Clive went to Marske Machine Company as an apprentice fitter-turner. He worked at Head Wrightsons in the machine shop before returning to Marske Machine as a sales rep.

He gained a reputation for his energetic and industrious approach to work, looking after clients with close attention and humility, and developing a large network of professional friendships at a time when the only resource to help was a Filofax. He became sales manager at Tees Components in North Skelton in 1977 for John Fuller and Brenda Fletcher, and invested in both this heavy engineering company, and Dormor Machine & Engineering in South Bank, over the following years.

To both businesses he turned the full force of his boundless energy, growing client bases UK-wide and overseas, and becoming specialists in bespoke engineering projects for the power generation and defence sectors.

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He delighted in innovation and modernisation, and in the early 1980s the businesses made heavy investments in new CNC machine tools, which was early technology at the time. In the late 1980s, Tees Components modified more machinery to create a bespoke tunnel lining machining production line, which was installed in Parkfield Foundry in Stockton, so that cast iron segments were produced complete from that site.

This facility produced all of the cast iron liners for the Channel Tunnel, from the UK coast to the halfway point with France, as well as two pathfinder tunnels. When Parkfield Foundry was sold to CV Buchan, Tees Components carried out machining of a further major project, the Jubilee Line extension of the London underground, in the same facility. These large contracts provided funds for further investment, enabling a large new factory at North Skelton, and new plant to be installed.

Today Tees Components and Dormor Machine are well-established as leading British subcontract engineering specialists, employing 90 local people across the two businesses and supporting the supply chain in the Tees Valley economy.

Clive was well known around Teesside, and some of the tributes left to date include: “A great character; a true gentleman; a Titan of Teesside; a man of his word and an example of success built on trust and fairness.”

His charitable and voluntary works included his commitment to furthering opportunities for young people to gain skills and employment, particularly in engineering, founding with others the East Cleveland Youth Training collective.

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He was county vice president for St John Ambulance from 2006 to 2013, and supported many local community sports, including for many years the successful Tees Components Football Club.

Within the villages of East Cleveland he was a consistent benefactor for various causes, from youth groups to In Bloom initiatives.

Clive was born in 1949 at home on Ormesby Bank, the son of Leslie, an engine driver, and his wife, Sheila. He went to local schools where the only formal lessons he enjoyed were those in woodwork, and spent his last year in the school greenhouse with the gardener, where began his lifelong love of plants and flowers.

In the 2019 Queen’s birthday honours, Clive was awarded an MBE for services to industry and skills, and for voluntary services to the community, and this was presented to him by King Charles, then Prince of Wales, in February 2020.

A polymath, in stark contrast to his schooldays Clive had a thirst for knowledge throughout his life. His interests and hobbies ranged from racehorses, playing trumpet, vintage cars and motorbikes, and art, to fly fishing, beekeeping, metal detecting, and growing fruit and vegetables.

Clive is survived by his wife Jean (nee Moore), whom he married in 1971, their daughters Helen and Sharon, son Guy, grandchildren Madeleine, Ruby, Esther, Harry, and Amos, and his sister Yvonne and brother Graham.