TJ Digital Systems named in Yorkshire's 42 under 42
Recognition from Insider Media, and why being on a 30-year-old list of the region's brightest young talent matters more for our customers than it does for us.
What the 42 under 42 list actually means
Insider Media's 42 under 42 has been running for nearly 30 years. It is the region's longest-standing showcase of young talent driving innovation, growth and entrepreneurial flair in Yorkshire. The alumni list includes some genuinely impressive names from across the manufacturing, technology and professional services sectors.
To be part of the 2026 class, alongside so many brilliant Yorkshire businesses doing interesting things, is something I am genuinely proud of. Yorkshire has a long history of producing manufacturers who matter on the national and global stage. It is a good place to be building a digital systems business that exists to help that next generation of manufacturers compete.
"I'll take that."
The bit you do not see in a list like this
The early starts. The countless meetings. The proposals that did not land. The times the plan did not survive contact with reality. Two years of building TJ Digital Systems has been many things, but it has not been a straight line.
The team. None of this happens without the people who chose to come and build this with me. The ones who pick up the phone late, who run the second discovery session of the day when the first one ran long, who turn a half-formed idea into a delivered project.
The customers. Even less of this happens without the UK manufacturers who trusted us early. Letting an outside team into your shop floor and your operating model takes courage. Every one of those engagements has shaped how we work today.
Thank you. Properly.
What we would tell you if we were sat across the table
If you are picking a partner for engineering or manufacturing integration work, this is what we would actually look for.
Honest conversations beat polished decks. Hire the people who tell you the inconvenient truth in the first meeting, not the ones who validate the answer you already have.Look for people who piece the puzzle together. The hard part of manufacturing transformation is integration, not the individual systems. Make sure your partner has done it.Pick a partner with skin in the region. Local presence matters. Showing up to the shop floor at 7am matters. Knowing the UK manufacturing landscape matters.Ask for references from people in your sector. If a partner cannot put you on a call with someone like you, that is the answer.Recognised UK manufacturing leadership
TJ Digital Systems is named in Insider Media's Yorkshire 42 under 42. Sheffield-based, delivery-led manufacturing consultancy.