{"id":2170,"date":"2025-09-01T10:10:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T10:10:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/?p=2170"},"modified":"2025-09-01T12:08:35","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T12:08:35","slug":"from-welding-torches-to-teamwork-marianne-edwards-25-year-journey-with-rapid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/articles\/from-welding-torches-to-teamwork-marianne-edwards-25-year-journey-with-rapid\/","title":{"rendered":"From Welding Torches to Teamwork: Marianne Edwards\u2019 25-Year Journey with Rapid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Starting a new job is always a challenge. But starting one as the managing director\u2019s wife? That comes with a unique set of expectations &#8211; and pressure.<br><br>In 1997, Marianne Edwards found herself stepping into exactly that situation.<br><br>With a background in private health insurance, she\u2019d built her own career, far removed from the world of welding supplies. But after marrying Roy Edwards, founder of a fast-growing welding business, life took an unexpected turn.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_4898d8-18\"><strong>Joining Rapid: A Leap into the Unknown<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_1d5ad6-4a\">Just eight months after tying the knot, a marketing vacancy opened up at Rapid. Roy encouraged Marianne to apply, convinced she had the right skills to help shape the company\u2019s future.<br><br>At the time, Rapid was in its eighth year of trading, and while the business was established and growing, it was in desperate need of a clearer identity &#8211; branding was inconsistent, invoice headers mismatched, and there was no cohesive look or feel.<br><br>So, in January 1998, Marianne joined the team to address those issues.<br><br>Walking into a small but growing business, she knew there were challenges ahead &#8211; not least of which was proving herself.<br><br>\u201cI was very aware of how it might look,\u201d Marianne admits. \u201cNot only was I new to the company, but I was also the boss\u2019s wife. That meant I had to work twice as hard to earn respect.\u201d<br><br>And earn it she did.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8f2fd7-5b\"><strong>From Marketing to Sales &#8211; and Everything in Between<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_5ed24b-87\">What started as a marketing role soon took a new direction. Six months in, Marianne left the quiet of her private office to join the buzz of the communal sales floor &#8211; learning the ropes, picking up the phone, and immersing herself in a customer-facing role.<br><br>Her natural knack for customer service soon became obvious, and it wasn\u2019t long before she was handling credit control &#8211; a role she continues to be involved in today.<br><br>But it was quite a learning curve, to say the least.<br><br>&#8216;I remember once, someone phoned up asking for a red leather jacket,&#8217; she laughs. &#8216;I had to politely explain we were a welding supplies company, and they\u2019d probably be better off ringing Topman!&#8217;<br><br>There were other moments of confusion too, like when a customer ordered &#8216;Sparklers&#8217; and Marianne thought they were after fireworks. Turns out, it was a type of welding rod!<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image2170_af7203-c0 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image2170_af7203-c0\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"403\" src=\"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Mariannes-Story--768x403.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-2173\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Mariannes-Story--768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Mariannes-Story--300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Mariannes-Story--1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Mariannes-Story-.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8793bd-6f\">Misunderstandings aside, it was all part of getting to grips with a whole new industry, and six months after joining Rapid, Marianne finally felt accepted, which meant everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-small-font-size\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cI\u2019ve always enjoyed working with Marianne throughout my years at Rapid, and deeply value her insight and perspective across all areas of the business. She\u2019s a vital cog in the management team and, for me, someone I trust to bring clarity and meaning to ideas, helping shape them so they really connect and make an impact.\u201d<\/em><\/p><cite><em>Dave Austin, IT Director.<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_08902d-3c\"><strong>Building Something New: The Birth of Rapid Industrial Gases<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_9b9a0e-c3\">In 1999, Marianne took on what would become one of her biggest professional achievements &#8211; the launch of Rapid Industrial Gases.<br><br>\u201cIt was the biggest challenge, but also the biggest success. It felt like building a company within a company.<br><br>From overseeing legalities and paperwork to hiring staff and managing orders, it quickly became \u201cher baby.\u201d<br><br>\u201cWe started from scratch and grew fast,\u201d she recalls. \u201cAt one point, we had three sites, four drivers, two admin staff, and covered Dorset, Hampshire, and West Sussex.\u201d<br><br>She also brought in new people to support the team, including Karen, who still works at Rapid today, albeit in a different role. And Stuart Rogers, who was a key part of the gas division\u2019s success and camaraderie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-small-font-size\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cI\u2019ve worked with Marianne for 25 years, she\u2019s always been there for me, many of those years we worked side by side supporting each other. Great times.\u201d<\/em><\/p><cite><em>Stuart Rogers, Operations Director.<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_0f260c-2d\"><strong>More Than a Job: A Journey That Keeps Evolving<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_8c19f1-d9\">Over the years, Marianne\u2019s role continued to develop &#8211; from marketing to sales to HR, she has touched almost every part of the company.<br><br>And as Rapid grew, so did Marianne\u2019s influence, becoming the driving force behind shaping a positive culture, fostering open communication, and building a deep sense of unity.<br><br>One of her proudest achievements? Creating cohesion.<br><br>From branded uniforms to consistent messaging, she\u2019s inspired a sense of team spirit that brought the whole organisation together.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1 wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_f6d271-f1\"><strong>Celebrating the Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_908304-3b, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_908304-3b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_908304-3b\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_908304-3b mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_908304-3b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_908304-3b\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_908304-3b wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_908304-3b\">Looking back, there have been many highlights over the years &#8211; including the day Rapid landed a substantial order just before the weekend.<br><br>\u201cWe all sat on the floor in the sales office, with cake and drinks, just taking a moment to soak in what we\u2019d achieved.\u201d<br><br>There\u2019s also been recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image2170_1c1930-7c .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image2170_1c1930-7c\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/winners-flashback-768x570.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-2174\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/winners-flashback-768x570.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/winners-flashback-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/winners-flashback-1024x760.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/winners-flashback.jpg 1036w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a\"]{font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-3-color has-text-color\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_3a9f80-8a\">Suppliers now know Marianne not just as \u201cRoy\u2019s wife,\u201d but as a force in her own right &#8211; a professional who\u2019s played a pivotal role in building Rapid from the inside out.<br><br>Recalling a funny moment, Marianne remembers when Roy was once invited as <em>her<\/em> plus one to an Air Products event \u2013 it was usually the other way around!<br><br>Today, Marianne continues to provide essential support to both staff and leadership, helping drive the company forward.<br><br>Having learned the business from the ground up, she\u2019s now able to support the directors across their various responsibilities, while remaining closely involved in the day-to-day work alongside her colleagues.<br><br>And yes, she\u2019s still doing credit control.<br><br>Some of the customers she chased for payments 25 years ago are still on the books &#8211; and still need the occasional nudge. Some even admit they deliberately pay slowly, just so they get the pleasure of a call from Marianne!<br><br>\u201cShe\u2019s as much Rapid as Roy is,\u201d someone once said.<br><br>And they\u2019re absolutely right.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c\"]{text-align:center;font-size:var(--global-kb-font-size-md, 1.25rem);font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<p class=\"kt-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c wp-block-kadence-advancedheading has-theme-palette-1-color has-text-color\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading2170_abbe9b-2c\"><strong>Rapid wouldn\u2019t be the same without her.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-small-font-size\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cWhen Marianne was asked to join Rapid, she was keen not to be known as the \u2018MD\u2019s Wife\u2019. I believe, with her support, professionalism and contribution, she has proven she is way more than that.\u201d<\/em><\/p><cite><em>Roy Edwards, Rapid\u2019s Managing Director.<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting a new job is always a challenge. But starting one as the managing director\u2019s wife? That comes with a unique set of expectations &#8211; and pressure. In 1997, Marianne Edwards found herself stepping into exactly that situation. With a background in private health insurance, she\u2019d built her own career,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,707],"tags":[813,812,727,136],"class_list":["post-2170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-blog-2025","tag-business-manager","tag-marianne-edwards","tag-r2025","tag-rapid"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>From Welding Torches to Teamwork: Marianne Edwards\u2019 25-Year Journey with Rapid - Rapid Welding Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rapidwelding.com\/blog\/articles\/from-welding-torches-to-teamwork-marianne-edwards-25-year-journey-with-rapid\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From Welding Torches to Teamwork: Marianne Edwards\u2019 25-Year Journey with Rapid - Rapid Welding Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Starting a new job is always a challenge. 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