Meet the SATRA team: Lee Wilson

In this latest article on members of the SATRA footwear team, we introduce an experienced technologist with in-depth knowledge of the fitting and comfort of footwear.

Lee Wilson’s career has taken an unusual route, spanning the British Army, the footwear manufacturing industry, retail management and, ultimately, a long and successful career at SATRA. Along the way, he has developed extensive expertise in footwear materials, fitting, comfort and testing, becoming a valued member of SATRA’s technical team and helping countless members solve complex product issues.

Lee began his military career as a teenager, joining the British Army in the early eighties. After leaving the forces in 1993, he found himself searching for a new direction. Living in Kettering, he noticed a footwear factory opposite his home and simply walked in to ask if there were any jobs available. This approach proved successful and marked the beginning of his career in the footwear industry.

Starting at the bottom

His first tasks were far from glamorous. Among his earliest responsibilities was making tassels for loafers, but Lee quickly began learning the practical skills of shoemaking. Over subsequent years, he worked for several footwear manufacturers in the Kettering area, gaining hands-on experience and learning from highly skilled shoemakers. The industry, however, faced significant challenges during the 1990s, and like many others working in British footwear manufacturing, Lee was made redundant during the middle of the decade.

A complete change of career followed. Lee moved to Ashford, Kent, where he became a supermarket manager for a major national retail chain. The role provided valuable management experience and a different perspective on business operations. In 2001, he returned to Kettering to manage the company’s local store, but after two years in retail he began considering another career move.

The turning point came when Lee completed an aptitude assessment designed to identify a role that would suit his skills and interests. The result was unexpected: ‘laboratory technician’. Intrigued by the recommendation, he applied for a vacancy at SATRA, successfully completed the interview process and joined the organisation in 2003.

Beginning his SATRA career

Lee’s SATRA journey began in the footwear laboratory at the organisation’s former Rockingham Road site in Kettering. Reporting to Sue Winckle, he developed a strong understanding of footwear upper materials and their performance characteristics. His work involved testing uppers, linings and other components, helping manufacturers to ensure that their products met required quality standards.

In 2006, Lee moved with the organisation to SATRA’s current headquarters in Telford Way. His commitment to learning and willingness to take on new challenges soon became apparent. As SATRA evolved and reorganised, Lee’s growing experience was recognised, and in 2009 he was appointed team leader, managing a small group of technicians.

His career took another significant step forward when he moved into footwear fitting and comfort assessment. Working under the guidance of Mike Wilson – despite sharing the same surname, no relation – Lee became a fitting technician before progressing to fitting technologist in 2011. During this period, he rapidly expanded his knowledge of footwear fit, comfort and the correct use of lasts.

A major part of his work involved assessing footwear against global foot dimension data or individual customer fitting standards. By identifying fitting issues and helping clients resolve them, Lee developed a detailed understanding of the complex relationship between foot shape, footwear design and wearer comfort. He also benefited from the expertise of Alan Weston, gaining valuable knowledge in the specialist area of last assessment.

Back to school

One of the most memorable aspects of Lee’s career involved visiting schools and nurseries to assess the fit of children’s footwear. Using traditional measuring tools such as sticks and tape measures, he evaluated how well shoes fitted children from nursery age up to around 11 years old. These visits typically lasted around two hours and involved measuring large numbers of children while collecting valuable fitting data.

The school visits eventually became part of a much larger initiative – a global children’s foot survey. The project provided SATRA with important information about foot dimensions and growth patterns, supporting the development of better footwear fitting standards.

During these visits, Lee also delivered engaging presentations explaining the importance of correctly fitting footwear. The sessions proved popular with both pupils and teachers, who often described them as ‘invaluable’. By helping children understand why fit matters, the programme combined education with practical research.

The project continued successfully for several years before being halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before that, scheduling visits had become increasingly difficult as schools faced growing demands from government and educational initiatives competing for time within the curriculum.

Despite the programme ending, its impact continued to be felt. On one occasion, Lee was approached by a young woman in the street who recognised him from when he had measured her feet at school many years earlier. She remembered him simply as ‘Mr SATRA’ – a testament to the lasting impression those visits made on many children.

Since then, SATRA has developed and refined a range of fitting aids that provide valuable measurement data without requiring technicians to carry out large-scale school visits. These tools continue to support footwear manufacturers in understanding fit and foot development.

Ongoing development

Conducting a fit assessment at SATRA

In recent years, Lee has worked closely with Mark Southam to further expand his expertise in upper material testing. Today, he serves as the technical lead for SATRA’s Footwear Team A, overseeing the testing of upper materials and components while continuing to contribute to fitting assessments, last evaluations and whole-shoe comfort studies.

Lee’s role extends beyond footwear alone. He works with SATRA’s innovations team on projects involving comfort, dimensions and foot growth. Lee is also involved in testing a wide variety of non-footwear products and materials, including luggage, leather goods (such as phone cases, dog leads and handbags), as well as life preservers, military gloves, webbing, body armour fabrics and uniforms.

Alongside his testing responsibilities, Lee helps to share SATRA’s expertise as an instructor on the internationally respected SATRA Accredited Footwear Technologist (SAFT) course. He also trains industry personal in the UK and around the world through a variety of other courses, presents webinars on a number of topics and regularly writes articles for SATRA Bulletin.

From making tassels in a local footwear factory to becoming a recognised technical specialist and educator, Lee Wilson’s career has followed an unexpected path. The determination, adaptability and enthusiasm that have characterised each stage of that journey have made him an influential member of SATRA’s footwear team and a trusted source of knowledge for members around the world.

More members of the SATRA footwear team will be introduce in future issues of this magazine.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 30 of the July/August 2026 issue of SATRA Bulletin.