AFTER finishing his building surveying qualification at Salford University, Steve Duffield got a temporary job at Redcar’s The Wilton Centre.

Fast-forward 16 years, and he’s still working at the business park – but now he’s the boss.

“I came back to the North- East in the summer of 1996 and started doing a summer job to pay my overdraft off, working at The Wilton Centre, which was owned by ICI at the time,” said Steve.

“Then it came up in conversation that the facilities manager needed some roofs surveying, so they asked me to do that, and they just found more and more things which suited my skills. They just kept extending my contract. I’ve been here ever since.”

In 1999, the 75-acre site, which is home to more than 60 businesses, was sold to an investment company, which was part of a smaller group.

“We had an old ICI legacy network which was not really fit for what you would expect to have at that time,” said Steve, 39.

“I became responsible for looking after the organisation’s IT system, and I was also doing things like refurbishment projects.”

In 2004, the centre was sold again to a pension fund and the manager in charge of the building retired. Steve was asked to take on the role.

“It is an interesting place to work,” said Steve.

“That’s what’s kept me working here. I have got a great team around me, and the companies that are here are great to work with. It is very much a miniature community.

“We have had a lot of companies who haven’t known about this space, who have come round just to take a look and then ended up taking space, and have grown and grown.

“A lot of cutting-edge research takes place here, which also makes it really interesting.

“We are getting a lot of start-ups coming to us with an embryonic idea. If they progresses the way they expect, there will be big things to come.

“It is nice to be involved in giving those companies the facilities and environment to do things well.”

When he’s not helping firms get off the ground, Steve, from Redcar, spends time with his wife, Donna Marie, and their three children, and also indulges his passion for motor sport.

“I’ve been to the British Grand Prix four times,” he said.

“The first time was in 1994 – I went for one day just to see what it was all about. It was so good, I got really into it.

“We camped for a weekend in 1995. That was great. I also went in 2004 and 2005.”

He said he hoped to pass his love of motor sport on to his children.

“When my eldest is a bit older, we’ll try to take him. It would be great to pass on my love of it to them.”