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BUSINESS NEWS | JUNE / JULY / AUGUST 2021
Member News
RHH Franks celebrates 60 years of engineering excellence with fresh look and newly expanded premises Leading manufacturing firm, RHH Franks, are celebrating their 60th trading year, and have relaunched with an impressive new brand and the unveiling of its newly expanded factory in New Milton. Following a successful application to the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the advanced engineering business was awarded over £97,000 towards their investment to acquire and equip an additional 6,600 sqft of unit space. Their premises on Gore Road Industrial Estate now spans 30,000 sqft and will increase RHH Franks’ manufacturing capacity to the global aerospace, defence, nuclear and marine industries by over 25%. The expansion project, which was completed in January 2021, comes after a recent rebrand that will reflect their values and
objectives in the 21st century and is part of a growth strategy to double turnover in the next five years. The extension includes a dedicated and improved Nadcapaccredited heat treatment facility, increased machining and fabrication workshops and storage provision, as well as new technology worth over £150,000. Managing Director, Elsa Hogan, commented: “We are thrilled to unveil our newly expanded premises in our 60th year, which will significantly increase our manufacturing output to meet the growing demands of our clients and their supply chains. “Our team and contractors have worked extremely hard to create a modern and fully-equipped facility that provides our skilled engineers with a positive and productive working environment, improving capacity and lead times. When circumstances allow, we are looking forward to welcoming clients to our new facility.”
A-One Insurance Group moves into the top 50 With 10 offices across the south, A-One Insurance Group (A-One), have officially become a top 50 UK insurance brokerage. Established in Westbourne, Bournemouth by Managing Director Ian Penfold in 1993, A-One have grown through mergers, partnerships and acquisitions over the past 28 years. Now headquartered at Ringwood, the group comprises around 150 industry experts to provide cover for clients seeking everyday personal and business insurance through to business risk management. They also offer bespoke schemes including marine, aviation, laundry blocks of flats, healthcare and cyber liability. Ian reflected on the importance of being an independent broker. He said: “What we offer as an independent has been our core strength and continues to allow us to respond to client requirements with industry-leading services – it’s also far more personal. HAMP SHIRE CHA M B ER OF C O M M ERC E
“We take great pride in a client-focused, jargon-free approach. Clients benefit from individual and dedicated account handlers to manage their policy along with our in-house claims department to manage their claims – clients are looked after personally, every step of the way. “Not only has the business grown as we approach three decades, but equally, so has the knowledge and skillsets of our staff. 80% of our client-facing staff are fully qualified with a Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Level 3 Certification, with the remaining 20% actively working towards it. This is something that we are really proud of. “Being an independent broker has given us the freedom to react and respond to the ever-evolving industry requirements. Most importantly, it means our staff are not restricted to the insurers we have available, providing real choice of cover, service and suitability for our clients. That is something that will continue as we plan the future direction of the business, which is an exciting position to be in.”
