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Victor Girardier – Structural engineer who presided over the transformation of the structural steelwork industry

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Victor Girardier presided over the revolution in structural engineering that occurred in the latter two decades of the 20th century. Initially as Chief Executive of one of Europe’s largest steelwork companies in the 1980’s, and thereafter as Director of the Steel Construction Industry Federation (SCIF) in the 1990’s. This revolution which changed the industry over these two decades from a craft industry to a technology-based one, was sparked by the introduction of computer aided design and manufacture. Victor played a significant role in introducing this, and then encouraging its utilization throughout the industry.

Edward Victor Givictorrardier was born in Salford in 1935, of parents who were both blind, and had memories of rubbing shoulders there with L S Lowry. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and left at the age of sixteen when he joined a local steelwork manufacturing company, Edward Wood, based in Trafford Park Manchester, and trained to be a structural engineer. He subsequently joined Redpath Brown also based in Trafford Park. After nationalization of the British Steel Industry in 1967, the company became part of Redpath Dorman Long (RDL), a division of British Steel Corporation. In 1975 he became Commercial Manager of RDL’s manufacturing division, then in 1978 Sales and Marketing Director of RDL International, targeting overseas contracts which included Iran, and finally in the early 1980’s was appointed Chief Executive of RDL. The company supplied the engineering and the steel framing for many prestigious contracts in the 1980’s, including Broadgate then the largest commercial development in Europe.

British Steel Corporation sold RDL to the Trafalgar House Group in the late 80’s and Victor became a director of the Trafalgar House Structural Division. In response to a request from the steelwork industry, Trafalgar House agreed to a secondment for Victor, and he was appointed the Director of the Steel Construction Industry Federation. The industry was aware of the need for the industry’s three main organisations – BCSA (representing steelwork manufacturers), British Steel (steel making) and SCI (research) – to co-ordinate their market development activities. Victor played a leading role in this, as the three bodies came together to further the success of structural steel, which now enjoyed over 70% market share in commercial building and 90% market share in industrial building.

His support included contributions to several important projects, such as the “Green Book” guides, which he promoted as industry standards. Victor will be remembered as part of the movement that encouraged standardisation and best practice in all forms.

In addition to his over-arching responsibilities across the sector, Victor contributed directly to some of SCI’s project activity. He was keenly interested in continuing to improve industry efficiency, playing an important role in joint projects examining the potential future shape of the sector. In a more personal way, Victor acted as a professional mentor for the SCI Directors, contributing to SCI’s strategy.

His work was recognised with the award of the Fellowship of BCSA and an Honorary Member of SCI.

Victor had suffered from poor health for some time, but after retirement from SCIF he acted as a non-executive director for the Bone Group in the early 2000’s, and for Caunton Engineering for over twenty years until shortly before his death.