Allen Strange - A Journey In From The Cold

The Journey of Allen Strange was an American tv series from 1997 to 2000 that developed a cult following. It told the story of a young alien stranded on planet Earth. Highly intelligent and with extraordinary powers, the alien's 'journey' was the story of how he met a young girl, her brother and their father and was eventually adopted by them. They gave him the name of 'Allen Strange'. Included in his powers was the ability to read the contents of a book just by placing his hand on its cover.

Personally I have never seen The Journey of Allen Strange but with a name like mine it was inevitable I would hear about it! The page I have linked to on Wikipedia put me in the picture and is a good reference source for anyone else who wants to know more about this iconic tv series.

So how would I describe The Journey of Allen Strange when applied to myself and my career?

Well, my profession as a consultant, designer and installer of refrigeration systems and polyurethane panel products has afforded me a fascinating life and career to date. It has taken me to many parts of the world and introduced me to a multitude of industries that use cold rooms, refrigeration systems and insulated panels, both commercial and industrial. I suppose the strapline of my Google+ profile just about sums it up .... 'A Lifetime In The Freezer' :)

Not everything is 'cold' in my world, however. Industrial insulated panels can be used in all kinds of construction, not just for cold storage - such as modular homes and warehouse construction.

Industrial panels used as warehouse cladding

I have also been involved in the design of many clean rooms and environmental test chambers. One of my passions in life is cars so I have really enjoyed particular parts of my 'Journey' which have involved the automotive industry. I was involved in the construction of a special automotive test chamber for Cosworth Engineering for Formula 1 engine testing and also did testing-related chamber design for McLaren and Toyota's Formula 1 Racing. Bentley Motors and the Ford Motor Co. have also been clients for temperature controlled testing rooms. It often surprises people when they get to know this kind of detail - they never imagined insulated panels could be so interesting!

I suppose my 'Journey' so far has had a very broad spectrum if I sit down and think about it. There are many sectors that I get involved in and find interesting, each in their own unique way. These include the food industry, clinical research and the public services sector (NHS, Armed Forces, Police, Museums).

I can't imagine the alien Allen Strange being able to relate to that :)