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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
Company on track to double turnover A COMPANY manufacturing special oils and lubricants for the automotive industry has reported strong sales. Brighouse-based Millers Oils saw an 8% increase in sales across its entire range, including lubricants and fuel additives during the financial year ending March, 2012. The strong results mean Millers Oils is on track to reach its target of doubling revenue by 2015. It reported a record turnover of £25m globally last year. The firm said its growth was due to the addition of new distributors and direct partnerships totalling nearly 1,000 new accounts in the year. This was a combination of 561 new distributors and direct partnerships and 420 accounts returning to Millers Oils in the UK alone. While sales in all areas have been particularly strong, the automotive and industrials sectors put in a particularly strong performance with its Ecomax additives and Trident grades enjoying increased sales among cost-conscious customers. A focus on nanotechnology has also helped drive the company’s success in the motorsport and automotive sectors, with developments such as its Nanodrive range of engine oils at the beginning of 2012.
The increase in sales and product development resulted in five new appointments to the sales and technical teams. Joint managing director Steve Woollven said: “This growth is testament to the combined knowledge and experience of both our technical and sales teams. “Developing products that help manufacturers, drivers and engineers to perform at their best is no mean feat, but we are committed to developing state-of-the-art products that meet the needs of modern engines and machines.” Millers Oils opened a new research and development at its Brighouse site in 2011 with 15 new products set to launch later this year. The firm pumped £500,000 into its new research and development laboratory, which is focusing on developing technology to help in the manufacture of products that reduce friction – a key growth area for oil and lubricant companies. Mr Woollven said: “Our client service continues to improve, especially because of our UK-based support services. This is why so many businesses keep coming back to Millers Oils. “The past few years have been diffi-
Polar in top five A CAR dealership in Huddersfield has been voted one of the UK’s 50 top garages and one of the top five in Yorkshire. Polar Ford, at St Andrew’s Road, Bradley Mills, was one of 14 Ford Retail outlets recognised in the Garage of the Year competition. The contest is organised by government-backed consumer watchdog for the motor industry, Motor Codes, to recognise first class, honest operators.
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■ CONFIDENT: Steve Woollven , joint managing director of Brighouse-based Miller Oils, said new appointments had helped boost sales
cult for most industries, but we are confident that we’ll continue to grow.” Millers Oils, founded in 1887, makes products including oils manufactured
specially for the automotive, motorsport, classic car and truck sectors. It has headquarters at Brighouse and depots in Glasgow and Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
Huddersfield firm that’s in the driving seat A JAPANESE company has broken with its normal practices to award a three-year contract to a firm based in Huddersfield. Japan Tobacco International is outsourcing its UK vehicle incident management for the first time – and has chosen FMG Support, based at Bradley Mills. JTI’s UK operations include a headquarters at Weybridge, a distribution factory in Crewe and a manufacturing plant in N o r t h e r n I re l a n d . P rev i o u s ly, i t s 600-strong fleet of mainly BMWs and Vauxhalls had been managed in-house. JTI overheads and fleet manager Judy Edwards said: “A review of our internal processes and the introduction of a new car policy led to our decision to seek expert
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support to realise real business benefits from fleet.” The contract was awarded at the start of the year, following a formal tender process when FMG was one of four companies shortlisted. She said: “We were impressed by their professionalism, their genuine interest in us as a company and a commitment to customer service which runs through the core of their business. “The management information FMG’s comprehensive system provides will help us make improvements in areas we are trying to focus on. “And, on a very practical level, our drivers will benefit from having a single
point of contact and speedier resolution of incidents thanks to FMG’s excellent network. “So far the handover and implementation process has been seamless, and we’re looking forward to working closely with the team to deliver service improvements and cost-savings.” FMG chief executive officer John Catling said: “The decision to outsource elem e n t s o f a n o rg a n i s at i o n’s f l e e t management is not always an easy one. “We hope that by working as a strategic partner, rather than simply a supplier of world class incident management services, our method is changing the way companies view fleet.”
■ STRATEGIC: FMG Support operations director John Catling
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Waste collection A WASTE management company caught the eye of judges in a monthly awards competition. Mirfield-based Sunersol Ltd, which specialises in recycling electrical waste metals, including electrical appliances and equipment, is the latest winner of the Business of the Month Award run by Huddersfield law firm Eaton Smith.
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