We celebrate a very special milestone today, on 5th February, when our Chairman, Ian Meadows OBE, turns 80.
Ian Meadows has played a huge role in shaping RS Clare over the last five decades – first as Managing Director and later as Chairman of the Board. He has led the company with passion and dedication – and his achievements have helped make RS Clare the world-leading lubricant supplier it is today.
Helping build a world-leading lubricant supplier
When Ian joined RS Clare in 1972, the company was already a well-known lubricant supplier and an important employer in the city of Liverpool. Founded in 1748 by chemist and drysalter Richard Shaw Clare, the company began by distilling raw turpentine from the Carolinas in North America for use on ocean-going vessels. But it was lubricants where RS Clare truly made its mark.
By the mid-1920s, the science of lubrication was well established. The great steam, petrol and diesel engines of the day needed lubrication to keep them working. The accepted maxim was “the thicker the oil, the better the product”. RS Clare went another way, carefully blending oils to ensure the ideal viscosity for each engine and application. This proved a master stroke, delivering higher performance and longer product lifetime – and it’s an approach still used by the company today.
From the very start, Ian brought fresh thinking and energy to the company, as well as an unwavering commitment to doing things right. In 1979, he became Managing Director, a role he held for an incredible 37 years, and in addition, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors in 1996, a position he still holds to this day.
Under Ian’s stewardship, RS Clare has made major investments in its facilities and technology, expanded into new markets and developed innovative products that continue to support customers around the world. Today, it is a byword for quality lubricants, providing speciality greases that deliver significant benefits and cost savings to clients in the rail, wire rope, road markings, private label and oil & gas industries.
An OBE for services to Liverpool
As well as running RS Clare, Ian has worked tirelessly for the city of Liverpool, a city close to this heart, and he was awarded on OBE in the 1993 Queen’s Birthday Honours list in recognition for his contribution to the regeneration of Merseyside.
Among other things, Ian has Chaired the Toxteth Crime Prevention Panel, the Parliament Street Industrialists Association and Liverpool Personal Service Inc. He was President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, President of the British Lubricants Federation and President of the CBI Smaller Firms Council. He was also the High Sheriff of Merseyside from 2013 to 2014.
Passing on to the future generations
Ian is the fifth generation of the Meadows family to be part of RS Clare – a family association that began in the late 1800s with Ian’s great-great-grandfather. This tradition continued when Ian’s cousin, David Meadows, was appointed as Managing Director in 2022.
“Ian’s contribution extends well beyond the walls of our business,” says David. “His work has been recognised both within our industry and more widely, reflecting a career built on dedication, professionalism and community involvement. Even after stepping back from day-to-day management, Ian’s commitment to the company has remained – ensuring we stay focused on quality, integrity and long-term thinking.”
“On behalf of everyone here at RS Clare, I’d like to wish Ian a very Happy 80th Birthday – and thank him for his leadership, vision and lasting legacy. We’re proud to celebrate this milestone with him and look forward to his continued involvement and inspiration for years to come.”
