Business Enquirer Issue 109 | Taziker | Jan'23

Engineering Today Protecting Tomorrow Taziker

Taziker

Schofield Street, Heywood Design, build and installation of a new footbridge over the East Lancashire Railway.

PROJECT DIRECTED BY WRITTEN BY Laura Watling Glen Newton

Engineering Today Protecting Tomorrow

Currently with over 550 employees working out of 12 sites across the UK, Taziker has seen incredible growth since its inception in 1969, then a family business.

Taking the reins as CEO in 2020, Steve Corcoran has delivered a clear strategy for the engineering firm, helping to double the business’ turnover in 2 years, whilst improving the businesses culture.

Steve discusses with Business Enquirer Taziker’s key role within the UK’s infrastructure, its innovations and why people are and will remain fundamental to its long-term future.

Protecting the Future of the UK’s Infrastructure

Founded by Tom Taziker in 1969, Taziker has forged its name as being one of the UK’s leading multi-disciplinary engineering specialists.

The business delivers structural strengthening, scaffolding, encapsulation, protective coatings, fabrication, and geotechnical engineering to a wide range of industries, largely focussed on infrastructure.

When it comes to infrastructure, Taziker are the unsung heroes helping to keep Britain moving.

As well as providing restoration and repair services, Taziker’s team also fabricate and install entirely new structures, bespoke to customer needs, assisting them with the design.

“Our specialist Access division means we can self-deliver many of our projects from concept to completion,” explained Steve, “we can provide scaffolding solutions, rope access, encapsulation services and specialist access solutions as required”.

Taziker’s order books has included work on the UK’s critical infrastructure, such as ports, docks, railways, and roads, ensuring the safe upkeep of some of the country’s most iconic, historic structures.

The team have just finished works on the Clyde Bridge and have delivered its expertise to the Tay Bridge and the Forth Bridge - known for its continual painting requirements.

Taziker

“Recently we’ve been undertaking restoration works on the roof at Bristol Temple Mead station. It’s an honour to be able to work on such an iconic Victorian structure and play a part in its history, but it's also a testament to our skilled team,” shared Steve.

Although most of Taziker’s projects, like the Tame Valley Crossing on the A38 in Birmingham, are critical in keeping the country moving, some are critical in keeping the country entertained.

“Taziker were involved in the restoration of Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s “The Big One” rollercoaster constructed in 1994. In 2019 we were approached to undertake its refurbishment,” explained Steve, “this included the use of 3D Point Cloud to model the structure from scratch, Leica EDM for accurate tolerances, the build, assembly and fit of four tracks painted to specification, and trials to ensure safety”.

Driven by Innovation

Despite its involvement in the history of Britain’s infrastructure, Taziker understands the importance of remaining innovative to ensure its involvement in the future, too.

Developed in-house by Head of FRP Construction, Matt Greenhalgh, Taziker’s FRP/ GRP Footbridge Solution uses fibre-reinforced plastic in structures in place of traditional steel.

“This method, which can be designed bespoke to a customer’s requirement, is cost-efficient, high-strength, environmentally beneficial, and most importantly, safe,” shared Steve, “it’s a really exciting innovation which has the potential to grow”.

Designed to simplify the process of steel bridge strengthening works, Taziker has also developed (with the support of FJD Consulting) the Top Hat Boss.

Tay Rail Bridge

hyhyhyh The Perfect Partnership

The portal has been a pivotal part of the process and the team at Taziker can easily login and procure products for their requirements, streamlining their processes.

How can Selectequip support you and your business?

Speak to us today to arrange a demonstration of our portal and discuss your product needs.

Our 30+ years of supplying the rail industry has positioned Selectequip perfectly to understand the needs of clients within the field.

The already-thriving relationship between Selectequip and Taziker was strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the former providing consistently exemplary service throughout an anything-but-consistent time for the country and world. During this time, Selectequip’s team ensured that the increasingly important PPE supply never faltered alongside the lighting, signage, welfare, and janitorial items that were being provided. Selectequip are firm believers in the power of collaboration, with ample examples of synergetic benefits from previous working relationships. This paired with Taziker’s increased trust in the reliability of Selectequip lead to the launch of an online portal that would streamline the ordering process for Taziker staff, increasing time efficiency and enabling work to continue with no supply delays.

Today, the portal now supplies the entirety of the Taziker Group with fully bespoke signage, lighting and site consumables for Taziker, a well as a further extended range of corporate and site PPE to ensure the demands of the client continue to be met as Taziker and their needs expand and adapt. Everything that Selectequip do is underpinned by innovation and sustainability, two things that are crucial when committing to providing products and service that are designed to protect people.

To speak to us regarding a demonstration of our portal or discuss your product needs, call 01543 416641 or email us at sales@selectequip.co.uk.

Taziker

“Our patented solution reduces or removes the need for temporary works and possessions as well as the need for costly jacking and major road closures. It is a quicker, faster and more efficient method, which offers direct cost savings,” said Steve.

With the public sector being a key market for the business, Steve and the team have identified the need to find solutions which can have a positive impact on the environment.

“We’re currently working on a project to discover how we can use waste products from grit blasting,” shared Steve.

Due to the mixed components of the waste, it isn’t easily recycled. The task for Taziker is to uncover the opportunity.

“The question is, can we use the waste product within concrete or tyres, for example. This means we’re reducing the impact on the

environment by recycling the waste, in turn developing a new product. I have four children and so I’m constantly reminded that we must play a role in securing the world for their future,” he added.

Securing Longevity

Essentially for Taziker, structural repair works will always be required.

“The work will always be there. It’s fundamental that we remain consistent, continue to bring innovative solutions to the market and support our hardworking and committed team to thrive,” said Steve.

To secure longevity in an economic downturn, Taziker understands the need for growth and diversification.

“In the future we will look to expand into other markets which require steel structures and will

Refurbishment. The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Steve Corcoran, CEO

Taziker

also look to develop our expertise in associated works, to allow us to offer a full service for customer’s needs,” explained Steve.

Of course, with steel as one of its main inputs, Taziker has faced challenges with supply issues stemming from the Covid pandemic, Brexit and the war in Ukraine. In addition, rising inflation in the UK has meant applying cost increases to bids and tenders.

“What is key is honesty with the client. We can’t change the variables, but we are constantly working to reduce costs where we can and to become more efficient,” shared Steve.

A Re-energised Team

In a world in which technological advancements put a question mark over roles, Steve recognises that people are fundamental to Taziker’s success.

Taziker

“The work we do is too variable for technology, it has to have the human touch,” he said, “we’ve put significant resources into training and development of our colleagues to ensure a minimum standard and a clear line of progression in any role”.

Taziker have exceeded the industry standard of a training day one in every 40 to one in every 25.

“This essentially means employees are receiving a training day every month,” said Steve.

Hailing from a military engineer background, Steve has implemented the importance of “team” into Taziker.

“Firstly, I’ve banned the word staff. Our colleagues are not simply staff, we are one team with a clear purpose. It’s vital to make the strategy and vision clear to the team, define which markets you do and don’t want to have a role in, and respect, credit and reward your teams. It is easier to push than it is to pull,” he shared.

Since Steve joined the business in 2020, he has had a vision to diversify, grow and re-energise Taziker. This has paid off from a turnover perspective, growing from £54 million in 2020 to a forecast of £100 million at close of 2022-3.

However, it is the impact which his vision has had on his employees that is more of a reward to Steve.

“We recently had our Christmas party, and it was a pleasure to have colleagues come to me and say that they can now see a clear future for them at Taziker,” said Steve.

www.taziker.com

Purfleet Embankment, Purfleet-onThames. Essential work was required to reinforce the steep, unstable embankments preventing material from falling on the track below.

Taziker

www.taziker.com

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