National Construction Magazine Issue 107 by SNS Publishing

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ISSUE 107

EDITORS NOTE FEBRUARY has been a busy month in the NC Magazine office, with many companies sharing news of growth and hope for the coming year. A large number of the companies we spoke to reported a similar story after the bad weather is preceding months. Although it may not feel like it, Spring is almost on the way, bringing with it an urge to start afresh, which for the construction industry will hopefully mean a lot more business.

Office Manager Anthony Hamilton

The economy is far from complete recovery, but the companies we spoke to this month have used innovation to ensure they kept above water and continued to grow during the last few years. Luke Bell from Kenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yard told me about how the company (set up in 2009 at the beginning of the recession) used the economy to their advantage, a move which resulted in financial growth and success for the company, which continues to trade strong.

Features Manager Michaela Henson Joanne Cowan

Elsewhere in this issue we were inspired by the work of the Hjaltland Housing Association in Shetland. Paul Learsk, the Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Property Services Manager, explained that Hjaltland constantly works to improve customer service while maintaining affordable costs. With their excellent partnerships, the Association focus on the most vulnerable people in their area, providing safe shelter for many who would otherwise be homeless. It is always good to see so many companies taking their social and environmental responsibilities seriously.

Editor Sabeeha Coates

Our cover feature this month is Soil Engineering, a company who proudly celebrate their 50th year in business. The secrets to their success appear to be an outstanding commitment to their customers and which has resulted in an excellent reputation.

Features Manager - Scotland Kimberley Richardson Stacey Aitcheson

Design and Artwork Mark Alsop Admin Beverley Wood Publisher Mohammed Faraz Steve Rushworth

We wish them, and all other companies featured this month, the very best for the coming years

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9am - 5pm 9am - 4pm

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CONTENTS YOUR POWER

YOUR POWER - PG 8

BLACKWOOD HOUSING PG 32

PG 8

CDR ELECTRICALS

PG 10

GUARDSMAN

PG 14

SOIL ENGINEERING

PG 17

ABSCAFF

PG 32

KEN’S YARD SUPPLIES

PG 34

GRIGGS HOMES

PG 37

BLACKWOOD HOUSING

PG 40

WATSON PLANT HIRE

PG 44

KROWMARK

PG 48

APS WINDOWS

PG 50

MILBANK

PG 52

CLOW GROUP

PG 57

THRIFTY CAR RENTAL

PG 60

LOXAM ACCESS

PG 64

CHANNEL COMMERCIALS

PG 68

MILBANK PG 44

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CONTENTS

LOXAM ACCESS PG 56

CHANNEL COMMERCIALS PG 60

HJALTLAND PG 65

DS EXPRESS

PG 71

HJALTLAND

PG 73

TUFF SHOP

PG 77

DAD GROUP

PG 79

CAITHNESS STONE

PG 82

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NEWS SEATS COURSE SETS OUT ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICE IN UK CONSTRUCTION The first nationally accredited environmental training programme for those working on construction sites, the Site Environmental Awareness Training Scheme (SEATS), was officially launched today at an industry event in London. Developed by leading construction and engineering solution providers Costain, Skanska and Wates Group with support from CITB-ConstructionSkills, the new course is fully endorsed by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) and the Environment Agency (EA). SEATS will provide those working on site with the knowledge required to drive environmental best practice – as well as a common, transferable training programme for the UK construction industry – reducing the costs and duplication of large contractors having to develop their own in-house training schemes and providing a programme that can be embedded across the supply chain. Andy Walder, Director of the National Construction College (NCC), said: “As the first nationally accredited environmental training programme to be developed for the sector, today presents an important step in raising the benchmark for environmental best practice across the wider industry. We have a responsibility to help employers manage the impact their activities have on the wider environment – equipping the industry with the skills and training it needs to deliver long-term beneficial change.” Speaking on behalf of its members, Head of Policy at UKCG, Simon Nathan, said: “UKCG members recognise their responsibility to take a leadership role in promoting environmental best practice. The SEATS course will provide a common benchmark for

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those working on site and will be a recognised programme that can be utilised by firms large and small.” The one day SEATS course provides knowledge in managing typical site environmental issues, including site environmental sustainability, water management, resource efficiency, contamination and hazard awareness. As part of the course development, four pilot courses were run in September and October last year by UKCG members, Costain, Skanska and Wates Group – individually, these companies intend to gradually roll-out SEATS as a mandatory requirement for all site supervisors and managers within their organisations.

Spectrum Housing Group’s Chief Executive to Step Down The Chief Executive of Spectrum Housing Group, Wayne Morris is to step down from his role later on this year, following his decision to retire.

The south coast based housing association is one the leading providers and developers of affordable housing in the south with over 18,000 homes in ownership. It also provides maintenance and facilities services to a further 35,000 homes through its maintenance contracting arm Spectrum Property Care Ltd. Mr Morris, who started his career as a graduate entrant to the Housing Corporation in 1974 has been Chief Executive of Spectrum since its establishment in 2007 through merger of the former Signpost and Spinnaker Housing Groups. He was previously Chief Executive of the Spinnaker Housing Group. Spectrum Group Chairman, Richard Organ said: “Wayne has given nearly 25 years of unstinting service to this organisation and its predecessors. He is fundamentally responsible for its ethos energetic customer service, with residents at the heart of everything we do. He has patiently progressed overall amalgamation of the group in recent years, which has and will unlock valuable savings to re-invest just at the moment our communities need it most. I wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement on behalf of the whole Group.”

Wood working for disabled people Palatine Beds and the Percy Hedley Foundation are working together to build on their existing partnership and offer further benefits to disabled people across the North East. Palatine Beds, a manufacturer of high quality contract and retail mattresses run by Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), has joined forces with the Percy Hedley Foundation to provide a wood workshop for disabled people. The Percy Hedley Foundation, the region’s largest disability charity that provides a number of services for disabled children, young people, adults

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NEWS CONTINUED and their families, runs wood working sessions as part of the Able 2 Day Services offered at its activity centres located throughout North Tyneside and Newcastle. The Foundation has recently been looking for new premises for the wood workshop as the service has outgrown the green house initially used. Palatine Beds is a supported business, with over 70 per cent of all employees having some form of disability. There used to be a wood workshop at its Westerhope factory site but this has been out of use for a number of years. The workshop will now be used by Percy Hedley Foundation service users who have an interest in working with their hands or who are looking to increase skills and confidence to enable them to access the world of work. The workshop houses eight machines that used to belong to Remploy, another organisation that works to help disabled people by providing employment opportunities. The products made in the new wood workshop can be kept by the service users who produce them, sold at community craft fairs and in some cases bespoke designs will be sold to retail companies such as garden centres and individuals. Anyone interested in commissioning something from the workshop or wanting to know more about the services the Foundation has to offer should contact Able2 on 0191 2381300 or visitwww. percyhedley.org.uk

New development provides affordable housing for families in the North East Affordable housing provider Leazes Homes and house builder Barratt Homes North East have officially opened a new development on the site of a former Newcastle primary school, bringing 113 new homes to the city. The Hazel Walk development in the Fawdon area of Newcastle has created 113 homes of mixed size, type and tenure, designed to meet local housing needs, and complement existing housing in the local area. It

was opened by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Jackie Slesenger. The site is of the former Hillsview Primary School, which closed in 1992 and was subsequently demolished. The layout of the new Hazel Walk development was designed to ensure it complements the surrounding residential area and includes extensive landscaping, cycle ways and a wildlife corridor. The site now offers a mix of 2, 3 and 4-bedroom homes and 2 bedroom flats, with 16 homes for affordable rent and 97 for private sale. These incorporate environment-driven features such as solar panels to reduce energy demand. Homes at Hazel Walk include designs from the new Barratt Classic Range which are proving so popular that the development is the housebuilder’s fastest-selling site in the region. Prices start from £146,500 for a three bedroom semi-detached house, with buyers needing a deposit of only £7,325 using the NewBuy 95 per cent mortgage scheme.

MAB APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR AFTER STRONG 2012 Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB) has appointed Simon Hendy as its Key Account Director from 4th March 2013. This new role has been shaped by the significant growth achieved by MAB over the past year, with appointed representative performance tables showing it is one of the fastest growing broker networks in the country. Simon joins MAB from Linear where he was Sales Director for the last eight years. His new position will see him take responsibility for developing relationships with the growing number of key accounts under the MAB umbrella. MAB Chief Executive Peter Brodnicki commented: “Simon has been on our radar for some time and so we are really pleased he has agreed to join us. We know Simon’s strong work ethic and experience will be well suited to the vital role of Key Account Director, complimenting the ethos of the rest of

the MAB senior management team.” Simon Hendy commented: “MAB has a tremendous reputation and I’m delighted to be joining such an experienced and forward thinking team. I’m certain my move to MAB will provide me with the opportunity to take on some exciting new challenges and contribute to the company’s strong growth and success.” Having grown to over 500 advisers through a series of successful acquisitions in 2012, MAB anticipates further growth and product innovation as demand continues to drive the market’s recovery in 2013. With a number of exciting plans in the pipeline, including enhancements to its online systems for brokers, MAB is expecting to announce a second year of record profits in the near future.

Mark Prisk and Jack Dromey underline crossparty support for ‘build to let’ Build to let will be crucial in meeting the UK’s future housing need, Housing Minister Mark Prisk and Shadow Housing Minister Jack Dromey will tell the British Property Federation Residential Conference today as they underline the government’s support for the growing sector. Prisk will say that the government’s flagship build to let policy – which provides a £10bn debt guarantee and a £200m equity finance for house builders and developers – will encourage a wider range of investors to build homes for private rent. With the government measures aimed at boosting the construction of homes specifically for private rent, and the first build to let deals being announced, 2013 shows signs of being a breakthrough year for the private rented sector. Data shows that over a ten year period residential property delivers better long-term value for growth than any other investment asset. The BPF was part of the nine-strong industry panel that advised the

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NEWS CONTINUED Government commissioned review into why institutions did not invest in rented housing, led by publicprivate partnership expert Sir Adrian Montague.

The BPF has urged the Government to accept all the review’s recommendations, including providing local authorities with specific guidance on the planning treatment of build to let which clarifies that local authorities are able to take into account viability considerations.

• 10 per cent off your first full heat pump system order required for your MCS certification

Dimplex and Segen Partnership to Support Renewables Growth Segen, a leading distributor of renewable technologies, has announced additional support around the installation of Dimplex heat pump equipment for heat engineers in the UK. Working in partnership with Dimplex, the brand leader in heat pumps, electric space and water heating, Segen will help engineers to take advantage of increased customer demand for heat pump technology expected with the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive launching in the Summer. Dimplex offers training courses to help reputable heat engineers get started with heat pumps with a one day Foundation Training Course in Renewable Heat This can be followed by a one day Heat Pump Level 1 course, which covers the basic design, setting to work and commissioning of Dimplex Renewables’ popular Air-Eau inverter-driven air source heat pumps as well as an overview of other heat pump ranges suitable for domestic installation. After the successful completion of the Heat Pump Level 1 course, suitably qualified installers may be invited to join Dimplex’s Accredited Renewable Installer scheme. Additional support from Segen to help engineers capitalise on growth in the heat pump market include: • Segen’s Online Portal has now been developed to fully support the

Heat pump offering, including accurate quoting suitable for the consumer, full product representation and additional supporting documentation

• Access to further training - new products and industry initiatives and legislation • In addition there is in-depth technical support from Segen’s pre and post-sales support team Andy Pegg, CEO at Segen, said: “We hope to enable engineers to capitalise on the growth in the heat pump market expected as the Department for Energy & Climate Change launches its renewable Heat Incentive this Summer. Now is the perfect time to bolster your services with a heat pump offering and to be associated with an established brand name which you recognise and trust to help you stand out.”

Garden size is number one compromise for home buyers

at 15.4%, followed by the availability of parking at 9.3% and the number of bedrooms at 2.7%. The survey also found that the number of property viewings that homebuyers completed before buying their new home has also increased. The average number of properties a buyer has typically viewed before buying in the last six months is between 11 and 15. Robin King, Director at Move with Us, says: “It is likely that the rise in the number of viewings that people are undertaking has grown as a result of the average move cycle increasing to every 20 years or so. People are moving less often now so they aren’t as willing to compromise and are taking more time to find the right property. We may see this change in 2013 if more buyers return to the market and lending criteria becomes more relaxed. “In the meantime estate agents should help manage the expectations of their customers so they understand what they can afford in their chosen area. The perfect home rarely exists so it is important to help them to prioritise their ‘must haves’ and their ‘maybes’. Ultimately, having a set plan and clear criteria can save both the estate agent and the customer time and money in the long run.”

More than a third of homebuyers in search of their dream home are willing to compromise on garden size A survey from Move with Us, the residential property experts, has revealed that potential homebuyers are most willing to compromise on the size of their garden when looking for a new home. This was closely followed by a downstairs cloakroom. The survey was conducted among independent estate agents from the Move with Us Partner Network and found that nearly 40% of estate agents noted that the size of a property’s garden was the first thing to be forfeited when buyers were purchasing a new home. A downstairs toilet was next on the list with 33.5% of agents highlighting that potential homeowners are willing to sacrifice this in order to secure the right property. Location came in third

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SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICE AT THE HEART OF YOUR GROUP IN 2010 Your Power began doing solar installations; after a very busy trading period in March last year - the decision was taken to diversify their service offering and thus the Your Group was established. 8

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Your Group brings sustainability to the construction sector through each of its divisions; Your Power, Your Scaffolding, Your Electrical, Your Roofing and Newmills Engineering (Hydro Turbines). They provide renewable energy installations, access and roofing solutions as well as electrical contracting services. Their objective is to simplify the supply chain and reduce carbon consumption. The company builds relationships based on openness, integrity and capability. This creates enduring partnerships that deliver profitable business with an environmental conscience.

MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE With just over 50 members of staff excluding subcontractors, the Group has recently moved to a beautiful location just outside Bath and intend to continue expanding their business whilst developing strong and enduring relationships. Making a positive difference to the sustainability of the planet through their products, and service delivery is at the top of their agenda. They continually seek to reduce the amount of waste and pollution created throughout all their operations. They also always reuse components that are still in good working order and donate any usable materials to schools, charities and local projects. In 2013 the company has set their sights on zero waste to landfill. Their new office site is looking to become sustainable and they will continue contributing to that development. They raise awareness and encourage the participation of all their staff in social and environmental matters. Whether it is through promoting their cycle to work or lift share schemes – hosting community workshops or smiling at their neighbours more; they understand that creating the future is their responsibility; “today, tomorrow and forever”. “Unlike many construction service providers, sustainability and environmental conscience has been built into our business from the start. Our Directors have been involved with renewable energy and sustainability for over 50 years combined – their experience means we are well positioned to help businesses make the changes they will need to make in order to become compliant with new regulations,” says Nick Spicer.

managers from each division, ensuring the highest standard and continually improving the environmental credentials of the organization. Additionally he has been responsible for bringing in some really exciting work in the last few months including scaffolding some of Bristol’s festivals

WORKS In 2012 the Group have completed over 1500 solar installations which in turn enabled them to diversify their service proposition across four new areas – access, roofing, electrical, contracting. Their latest acquisition – Newmills Engineering - is somewhat a return to roots for Group Managing Director Jamie O’Nians who used to be head of the Marine division for an international consultancy. He is joined by Simon Taylor, from Renewable Design Consultants, who will be the Commercial Director at NME.

Streamlining internal operations, better service route planning, internalising elements of their operation so they can better service their clients has been key for the company’s success in the difficult economy. The government incentive to install solar has helped their installation business and enabled them to create the business they have today.

TRAINING AND BENEFITS The Group has a dedicated health and safety officer who is responsible for ensuring 100 per cent compliance with their health and safety procedure. As they are constantly looking to better the image of renewable energy within the construction sector – their team are expected to set an example for everyone on site and their no tolerance policy sends a strong message to everyone who works or wants to work for the company. They run a young apprentice program in all of their divisions as they understand the value of skilled workmanship and acknowledge that developing the next generation of tradesmen is paramount to their success. The staff are close-knit and as Nick puts it, he sometimes feels the company is family-run! “Sustainable business practice is set to become the norm for the construction industry sooner than people realise. Whilst this may put some developers off, we see it as an opportunity to fulfill our mission and deliver a fantastic service that doesn’t cost the earth,” concludes Nick.

As Group Operations Manager, Nick is responsible for liaising with project

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CAN ECOMMERCE WORK IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY? CDR Electrical Wholesalers is a traditional independent Electrical distributer, which was set up with customer service as one of its main goals. Starting small in 2007 with 5 employees, it has now grown considerably and increased to a business employing 24 staff working across two different sites. 10

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E-commerce director Ed Kelsing thought that setting up an e-commerce website would be a better way of expanding the company and making people more aware of what this company has to offer. In January 2010 the idea of UK Electrical Supplies was formed and went online with 2,500 products in January 2011. Between this time, they spent hours researching, designing and building the website to make it as user friendly as possible. It has now reached over 25,000 products and is consistently increasing with a year on year sales growth of 50% per year. At the start UK Electrical Supplies had a small but enthusiastic team, which has continued to increase along with the expansion of the company. Having spread across two branches, the company grows month by month. This is a company who is dedicated to customer service and has a high quality business ethic. The company is split up into 3 different working teams. The sales team work hard to provide you with the best customer service. Anything you need, UK Electrical Supplies will deliver. The team thinks it is very important to be loyal to their customers and to keep them happy. Making sure that you are satisfied with the service is the key concern here. Secondly there is the Marketing team. The staff here are committed to keep you up-to-date with all the latest news and offers on their website. The website is filled with great deals and over 25,000 products to choose from. Using their vast imaginative and creative personas the marketing team create a diverse and unique looking website. The company displays eye catching products that are all discounted below the trade price, to entice sales and to give them an edge over competitors. Last but not least, there is the technical department. The staff are highly productive and make sure that everything runs as smoothly and easily as possible for customers using the website.

LATEST NEWS UK Electrical Supplies are currently working on expanding their product range, increasing from 25,000 to over 40,000 by May. The aim is to get all the latest products onto the website so that there is everything the customer requires for their home or workplace. In order to support the environment, UK Electrical Supplies have pushed the sale of Aurora’s range of LED lamps, panels and LED replacements for fluorescent tubes. They also sell a wide range of energy efficient lighting systems and home automation systems from Hamilton Litestat, which can be operated by iPhones and iPads as well as other popular smartphones. These systems can control your lighting, heating, and even your window blinds from anywhere in the world using an Internet connection and a smart phone.

GOALS AND ACHIEVEMENTS The staff regularly attend training courses to keep product knowledge fresh. The sales team is trained on intelligent lighting and audio systems such as Sonos, Hamilton, Lutron, Rako and iLight. They have also received training from leading manufacturers like Aurora, Click Scolmore and Hager to keep them familiar with all the latest products.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE UK Electrical Supplies have the ambition to increase their turnover and become increasingly well known throughout the electrical industry. With plans to open a third branch at the end of the summer their future is looking prosperous. Along with the UK Electrical Supplies website, the company also have a sister website called ‘Love 4 Lighting’ which is more specific to designer lighting. This website is expected to go live later this year.

All these major suppliers, especially Aurora Lighting and Hamilton Litestat, heavily support UK Electrical Supplies and it is something that, as a company they appreciate and hope to continue to work as closely with these businesses for years to come. E-commerce is believed to be the future for retail businesses and UK Electrical Supplies are going to work as hard as they can to be a part of that future. The company is rightly proud of the achievement of recently becoming one of 5 finalists in “The Electrical Industry Awards: Wholesaler of the Year – Turnover up to £20 million”. It is remarkable to be short listed for this award considering their short time in the electrical industry.

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As a company that started during the recession and has only known these difficult times, the rate at which they have expanded and continued to grow just shows that if you have good leadership, are prepared to embrace new ideas and technology along with a dedicated team of employees, anything is possible. Growing from 5 to 24 employees is one of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest achievements to date and something they are all very proud of. The determination and loyalty from employees is a key asset to the company, which has helped the expansion. The support from loyal and returning customers has also made a huge impact on the business. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our key ambition is to shine in a increasingly competitive market. We wish to continue to offer customers a large variety of quality products and offer a service second to none.â&#x20AC;? UK Electrical Supplies have gone from a small team with a big idea to a large workforce with a desire to succeed and be the best that they can be. Take a look at their website www.ukelectricalsupplies.com you might just find the item you are looking for.

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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 910 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK nc_magazine http://www.facebook.com/NCMagazine

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the gold standard celebrating 50 years of industry 2013 marks a golden anniversary for Soil Engineering Geoservices Limited services. For 50 years we have been at the forefront of UK geotechnics, we have introduced innovative processes and applications that have helped to shape the site investigation and grouting industries.

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Our Heritage Soil Engineering began life based in Leeds as an internal specialist department of Holst, carrying out investigations and designing foundations for their concrete structures. Holst was taken over by Norwest Construction in the 1970’s and in 1973 Soil Engineering emerged as a limited company trading as Norwest Holst Soil Engineering Limited. In 1993, Norwest Holst was taken over by what is now the VINCI Group and for some years Soil Engineering operated as part of Vinci Construction UK Limited until in 2012 when, Soil Engineering was transferred within the Group to the geotechnical specialist, Bachy Soletanche UK.

Service Excellence is our Reputation With offices strategically located throughout the British Isles, Soil Engineering’s technical staff are always available to provide direct assistance and expert advice for any geotechnical problem. We have one of the largest company owned fleets of field investigation and drilling plant in the UK. Backed by a resource of over 150 geotechnical specialists ranging from expert chartered engineers and engineering geologists, to lead drillers, drillers and field technicians, every member of our team is appropriately trained and qualified to industry standards. We continue to evolve our commitment to provide appropriate and adequate geotechnical solutions that are safe, cost effective and quality assured.

Experience Isn’t Expensive – It’s Priceless For over half a century Soil Engineering has been involved in the UK geotechnical industry, pushing standards in safety and innovating and refining the techniques that today for the backbone of our industry. This pro-active, partnering approach remains central to our success as a preferred contractor, industry partner and sub-contractor for expert site investigation drilling and sampling, laboratory and in situ testing services and specialist consolidation and TAM grouting works.

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An On-side Partner You Can Trust One of the most important things we have learnt along the way is that building solid relationships in business comes from constantly offering best-in-class products and services – “value for money”. We have also learnt to value the fundamental trust you place in us to deliver the best the industry has to offer and to continue to improve and grow our service offering to suit your needs.

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So whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enhancing drilling and field techniques or innovating new technology or supplying alternative methods, our engineers, technicians, project managers and field crews will continue to develop and deliver the products, technology and services you need to succeed.

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CASE STUDIES

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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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PRIVATE OWNERSHIP MEANS EASIER DECISION MAKING FOR ABSCAFF BEING family-run has been key to the success of Abscaff, a Scotlandbased Scaffolding company. Conceived by Managing Director Ian MacLeod approximately 18 years ago, the privately-owned company today employs around 60 people and achieves a turnover in excess of ÂŁ2m. 32

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“Ian’s management has been very focussed and he has a strong background within the industry aware of what needs to be done. He has managed to steer the company through the recession without much trouble,” says Operations Director Garry Butcher who is responsible for overseeing the day to day running of the business including HR, Operations, Business Development, Customer Relations and any other operational demands of the business. In the short time Garry has been there, he has learnt a lot about the company and how best to ensure its smooth running.

SERVICES Abscaff Ltd are specialists in providing the safe erection of basic scaffolds to the most complex scaffold structures, offering a competitive service to the construction industry, all trades and individuals seeking a professional, reliable service.

able to maintain a high supervisor to worker ratio under the control of senior supervisor Graham Masson. “Being privately-owned and family-run business has allowed us to adopt a very compassionate attitude towards our workers. With a large amount of Scaffolders employed it brings many challenges, but we manage to do this quite successfully,” says Garry.

For the next few months, Abscaff want to focus on consolidating the business developing the skill levels of the workforce with the help of Construction Skills. They hope to maintain their success, levels of safety, excellent delivery and ultimately, their client satisfaction.

With their reputation quality and being accident free, the company see themselves as the on-shore scaffolding company of choice within Aberdeen. This is in part due to their flexibility and ability to adapt to individual needs. They have just taken on a new, high profile house building project and hope to continue their pro-workforce attitude and use simple policies to maintain a quality management system.

They are able to undertake many and varied contracts, large or small, ranging from access towers and new house builds to major projects, design and temporary roofs. Their scaffolders are competent in all types of scaffolding, both system and conventional tube and fittings. Abscaff are able to provide the most economical scaffold solutions for all their clients’ projects, no matter what the access requirements may be. The company pride themselves on fully supporting their customers continually from the start of their project until completion, with expert advice usually just a phone call away. Although the economy has squeezed their margins somewhat, their overall turnover has not been affected, although they have had to deal with more operational issues and increasing cost from the supply chain. Nevertheless they have remained strong, and maintain their mission statement of being the company of choice in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. They do not want to grow geographically as they want to be able to continue managing their sites from a central location.

MOVING FORWARD As a privately owned business, the company are able to keep their decision making process very clear-cut and implement change very quickly. This means that they can rapidly adapt to changing environments and they are

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UNCOMPROMISED CUSTOMER SERVICE GAINS ONLINE BUILDERS MERCHANT, KEN’S YARD, AN OUTSTANDING REPUTATION 34

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Ken’s Yard is an online builders merchant with a comprehensive range of building supplies available at very competitive prices. Launched in late 2009, the business is an independent on-line building products company founded following extensive research by an experienced team who are passionate about bringing the building supplies industry into the 21st Century. Not just another specialist products outlet, Ken’s Yard offers a whole range of building supplies from the industry’s best-known manufacturers of high quality brands.

For customers from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience levels, Ken’s Yard offer a wide selection of products to choose from, safe online shopping, fast dispatch, a manufacturer’s guarantee, UK wide delivery and a unique personalised estimating service.

Customers have access to real people who know about the products and are dedicated to ensuring the customer experience is of a very high quality. And the proof is in the pudding with Ken’s Yard consistently receiving 5-star reviews on their customer feedback page.

It is no wonder they have continued to show impressive growth figures, despite a difficult economy.

“We want our customers to experience the best possible service and have the best possible deal - plain and simple!” explains Luke.

ONLINE INTERACTION

“We have kept our costs low, so we can be consistently competitive to our Trade and Self-Build customers,” says General Manager, Luke Bell.

PRODUCT RANGE The company are the UK’s largest online supplier of VELUX windows and have a proven track record in excellent customer service and product knowledge, combined with fantastic prices and efficient nationwide delivery. They have also recently added an extensive range of interior doors to their website. “Prices should be extremely competitive but we encourage customers to let us know if they find the equivalent door cheaper elsewhere and we’ll do our best to beat the price,” asserts Luke.

“As many of our customers are building their own houses or managing their own home improvement projects, we want to offer as much information and advice as possible on the subject and our Self-Build Blog is full of informative articles looking at planning permission, budgeting, tips and advice and lots more,” says Luke. “We also have an interactive Facebook page where customers can post pictures and comments about their own projects, share ideas and meet other like-minded people”.

STANDING OUT Providing excellent customer service has always been at the heart of the business at Ken’s yard, and with a combination of a user-friendly website, well trained staff and competitive pricing, the company know how to stand out from the crowd.

Ken’s Yard have an extensive range of other products available too which customers can find on their website. The success of ecommerce through an economic recession is key to the company’s foundations, and their online payment system is secure, fast and easy to use.

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ROOF WINDOWS

The AXIS90 DVX500 collection is a range of central pivot roof windows with special slimline wooden proﬁles. They are equipped with a ventilation valve which allows comfort and added value for all budgets. It can be installed in a roof pitch from 15 to 90 degrees. Passive ventilation (to provide fresh air in your room) can be achieved either through the ventilation valve without opening the window, or with the handle, which has two different secondary locking positions. DVX500 4-17-3 standard double glazing with argon gas and low E coating.

FLASHINGS

SFX

TFX

UFX

Applicable for ﬂat rooﬁng materials up to 16 mm (2 x 8 mm) thickness.

To fit all kinds of roofing materials in 16-50 mm high profile range.

Fits any kind of rooﬁng material in the proﬁle height range of 16-120 mm.

BLACKOUT BLIND

ROLLER BLIND

ANTI HEAT BLIND

High quality blind for 100% blackout effect. Aluminium guides. Easy and precise positioning.

High quality blind for softly diffused light effect. Translucent polyester fabric construction.

External blind for effective sun heat protection without limiting the view.

SLATE FLASHING

TILE FLASHING

UNIVERSAL FLASHING

BLINDS

10Year guarantee

1.1

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Available at Ken’s Yard Building Supplies

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GRIGGS BUILDERS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TAKING THE BUSINESS TO NEW HEIGHTS FORMED in 1968 by John E Griggs, John E Griggs & Sons LTD have grown from strength to strength over the years. John was soon joined by his two sons, and today the business is run by two of his grandsons, Chris and Ross Griggs.

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At first the company carried out small extensions and renovations, and as they grew, they bought their first office and yard in Borehamwood. John E Griggs passed away in 1978, but his sons continued to expand the business, building larger extensions and a few houses through the eighties and nineties. Chris and Ross have now started Griggs Homes and are currently developing 10 cottage style houses in the village of Shenley, Herts.

at keeping it this way. The second factor is their willingness to carry out all types of residential works; boiler servicing, roof overhauls, decorations, etc. has meant that if the extension or development work was in short supply, they could keep turning over with the small works.

With the help of eight full-time staff and a host of sub-contractors, the company has managed to maintain a turnover of between 1.3-1.7m, although they are expecting this to rise to £3m this year. The company attribute their continued success despite a bad economy to two key factors; the first is their enviable reputation within the local area. They are held in high regard and work hard

“My role here has changed over the past two years. Previously, my brother and I would run our separate jobs. We’d both have a couple of extensions running simultaneously, along with the odd kitchen or bathroom renovation. We were proud to never turn anything away, providing it was in our working district. This meant we were happy to carry out a wide range of works across the trades, from small plumbing works to large extensions or house builds. Running these types of contracts would mean meeting with the clients/architects on a regular basis, arranging building control inspections, organising the tradesmen and ordering materials. Now we have this site in shenley, it means we are both working together on the construction, while trying to explore the possibility of bringing new sites forward. We still intend to continue with the extension and renovation works.

Chris Griggs tells us more about the company:

“We’ve learnt so much on this first development so would like to put that to good use on a new scheme. We feel we are approaching crossroads in the not too distant future on how we take things forward; whether we commit fully to house building and leave behind many years of providing a quality service to our local area. This has seen us well and we fully appreciate it.

“Stepping up into buying land, gaining planning permission, building the houses and then selling them is a completely different situation. It helps that we have a good planning department at our local council in Hertsmere that know their profession and are willing to discuss issues. We’ll be competing with larger more established companies, so for now, we will keep our options open. We still have six houses in Shenley to finish and sell and then hopefully later on this year we’ll have two larger five-bed houses to build. “We take pride in being the third generation to run, in what started out, as a small family building firm. My father tells me that he’s seen plenty of firms come and go over the years. We sold our first house last month, which was a big milestone.

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“I think people like it when the ‘name above the door’ picks up the phone and attends to their needs and this is something we have always done. We always endeavour to leave a client happy with the work carried out and have never been afraid to put things right if, for a valid reason, the client or home owner isn’t happy with something. “We take consideration in what and how we build, making sure the new homes suit their surrounding area. This involves working closely with the architects to achieve the correct design, including what type of materials to use.” “It is difficult to say what our ambition is. Our reputation is very important to us. So I suppose to continue to enhance our reputation in whatever we are doing, and see where that takes us.

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Dr Margaret Blackwood MBE (1924-1994) was a campaigner for the rights of disabled people. She formed Margaret Blackwood Housing Association (now called Blackwood) in 1972.

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closer. The 3 regional hubs are based in

Margaret was deeply committed to people being able to live independent lives and, following her work to improve their financial situation, set her sights on providing housing that was suitably designed for disabled people and was awarded her MBE for her tireless efforts. Blackwood is now a national Care and Housing organisation providing over 1,500 properties across 29 local authorities in Scotland, with a mix of house types suitable for all sectors of the community. Blackwood designs, builds and manages homes in mixed-community developments across the length and breadth of Scotland. The developments range from general needs housing to properties designed and adapted to suit wheelchair users. Blackwood Care provides in-home person-centred support services for our tenants and for the wider community. From small amounts of extra help to 24hour care, tailoring support to individual needs and aspirations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; backing tenants and residents life choice helping people live their lives to the fullest.

The organisation went through a radical transformation in its outlook and practice in 2012. Finances were realigned to create a sustainable business model, a fresh brand, vision and values were introduced, reflecting new ambition. A revised regional structure was created to bring employees and customers

Aberdeen, Stirling and Glasgow, all providing expert Care and Housing services on a local level. In addition, bespoken.me, a new social networking site, is helping democratise the design of disability and smart home technology by bringing together disabled people with designers and

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manufacturers. The site has an impressive fan base and has won numerous awards for its innovation including a prestigious Care Accolade. Blackwood Homes are also embracing new technology. From fitting Solar PV panels to improve energy consumption, to installing Mobiflex kitchens designed specifically for our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, Blackwood understands the positive impact technological enhancements can have the lives of our tenants. The vision is that within 3 years Blackwood would have developed a national reputation for excellent integrated housing and care services and sound entrepreneurial business management with a continuing strive to provide the best quality for our customers.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLACE A FEATURE OR AN ADVERT IN THIS MAGAZINE PLEASE CALL STEVE RUSHWORTH AT S&S PUBLISHING ON 01924 920 483 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO STEVE@SNSPUBLISHING.CO.UK

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CONSISTENCY AND COMMITMENT DRIVES WATSON PLANT PAUL Watson of Watson Plant talks to us about his business…

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Can you give me some background into Watson Plant? We originally started in road planing in 1995 – we were a husband and wife team with a staff of six employees. This grew over the years as we expanded the fleet, workshops, offices, sales and parts. We are a regional dealer for Gehl who have now been taken over by Manitou. We have one of the largest fleet of skid steers in the UK, established in 1987.

How many employees do you have at present? We currently have upwards of 22 workers.

WHAT IS YOUR ANNUAL TURNOVER Our annual turnover stands at £2.5m+

What is your role within the business and what does this entail?

Does the company have a mission statement and what is your company’s key ambition? To ensure quality of service to all clients and to provide a support to the community including employment.

Please list some of the company’s milestones and major achievements. • To continue to grow through the recession and remain focused and positive • To sustain clients that we started out with in 1995 – testament in itself!

What do you feel sets you apart from other companies in your field? We offer a personal service – prompt and efficient – 24 hour commitment and a great team of staff.

I work as a larger machine operator as well as the company MD and oversee all larger operations, sales and technical expertise as well as support to Gehl

What are your present and future plans? We would like to continue the service with the statement of quality and professionalism, and with a steady growth pattern.

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What has helped you get through the recession and what have been your coping strategies? Consistency and commitment to every client and supplier â&#x20AC;&#x201C; positive action and our operators always give 120 per cent!

What is your health and safety policy within your business and how is this rolled out? We are SAFEPLANE accredited and CHAS registered. Outside agency provides invaluable support and documentation for all staff with H&S. All operators have Buddy Packs and are able to produce accurate and up to date documents on any site. The ensures our professional ethos is adhered to and maintained.

Do you have any environmental policies and what is your companies contribution to the environment? Yes we do and we recycle all waste. Our fleet of new wagons comply with the latest EU regulations.

What training and/or benefits do your employees receive? Annual assessments and continued training along with NVQ, CSCS.

If your company is a family business could you please tell us the benefits of this? Personal service, approachable and flexible for both employees and customers. Committed and dedicated to offering a service second to none. Located on the fringes of Shropshire, Cheshire and North Wales.

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GROWTH AT THE HEART OF THE BUSINESS AT KROWMARK ESTABLISHED in 2005, with only three members of staff plus selling workwear out of a small office in Fishbourne, West Sussex, Krowmark has seen many changes over the last few years. 48

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“Initially, for a very short time Krowmark used subcontracted companies to provide the print and embroidery until one day I visited their setup and thought ‘I could do that’. From that moment we have never looked back, we’ve had a steep learning curve, discovered many skills and techniques but now we have a lot of knowledge within the company and we’re always looking to expand and better improve our services,” says Mark Ponsford, Director of Krowmark Ltd.

printing press, adding four colour screen printing to the list of services they can offer. “Despite the overall recessionary environment we have in the UK, we have continued to grow our customer base year on year. Expansion into the European market has proved our business model again, and we will continue to expand both in the UK and Europe,” explains Mark.

EXPERTISE All the company’s senior staff are experts in their field; they share their expertise with otherstaff on a daily basis to help them complete their jobs to a high standard.

The company have seen rapid growth and now have a very strong team of 40 staff who are spread out over the sales department, the design department, and production.

GROWTH Mark’s days are busy and include thinking of new ways to market and grow the company. Over the past five years, Krowmark have concentrated on nothing but growth and according to Mark, they have managed this very successfully, although they feel there is still more potential for growth. Mark also helps, supports and motivates the sales team; “I think we have the best in the country but of course I’m biased, there is lots of competition out there, we do our very best to give the best pricing possible. However, I’m confident we give the best service possible”.

“In what has been a difficult few years economically we have continued to grow, taken on more staff and increased our turnover year on year, growing by between 10 and 20 percent each year. Some companies stop marketing as they think this is an expense they can do without,; we never stop marketing if anything we do more. It’s also made us look at what we spend and where we spend it, just like a household on a budget, you look at your providers, cancel the things you don’t use, sometimes so much is wasted by not looking carefully at your outgoings!

They also have trainers come in and train staff on all the production equipment to ensure quality. It is very rare to employ an individual with embroidery skills so every member of the embroidery team has had to have training. Ultimately, Krowmark aim to be the Number 1 company in the country and in Europe for their services.

WORKS When selecting contractors for work, Krowmark go on reputation, recommendation, examples of work and often a gut feeling. All their projects are kept secret – the company likes to surprise their customers... and of course their competitors! Krowmark trade from Bognor Regis is West Sussex, however they ship throughout the UK and to some parts of Europe. The company are currently continuing to concentrate on growth, heavily targeting the corporate end of the market and investing in technology to make Krowmark the easiest company to work with. They have recently expanded their sales to France & Germany, and once they are firmly established Mark feels there is nothing stopping them from trading into the rest of Europe. Additionally, they have just purchased a six head automatic screen

As an environmentally conscious company, Krowmark recycle all their paper, cardboard boxes etc. They reuse a large number of their boxes for shipping orders to customers and thy recycle all their garments for charity using a company called RagBag.

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APS WINDOWS APS Windows offer outstanding Quality and Service from initial survey right through to final installation and beyond. In beautiful, stylish and virtually maintenance free PVCu there will be no more painting and our range of styles means we can design your windows and doors to perfectly compliment your home.

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• Energy Rated to A, B, or C standards • Available in five Standard Colour combinations • White, Rosewood, Rosewood on White, Antique Oak & Antique Oak on White • Specialist colours also available including Blue, Green, Black, Red & Grey • 70mm Easy Fit System • Internally Beaded • Modern Fully Sculptured Design • Low Line Gasketing • Co Extruded Bubblex weather sealing • 28mm Double Glazing Units • Shootbolt Locking as Standard • Push Button Key Locking Cranked Handle • Easy Clean & Restrictor Hinges available • RCM Reinforcements • Featured Horned Sash Option • Astrigal Bar Option • French Casements also available

APS Windows, Manufacturers and Installers of Quality Windows, Doors, Garage Doors, GRP Flat Roofs, Conservatories, Porches and Canopies- Manchester, Lancashire, UK. APS Windows specialize in planning, fitting and design to finish installation of stylish and beautiful UPVC throughout Ramsbottom, Helmshore, Haslingden, Edenfield, Norden, Rossendale, Rawtenstall, Burnley, Padiham, Nelson, Colne, Barnoldswick, Gisburn, Clitheroe, Whalley, Gt Harwood, Rishton, Clayton Le Moors, Accrington, Blackburn, Knuzden, Sabden, Mellor, Longridge, Langho, Wilpshire, Oswaldtwistle, Read, Darwen, Bacup, Bury, Waterfoot, Crawshawbooth, Simonstone and indeed Lancashire. We now have a brand new garage door showroom with a huge selection of contemporary garage doors to choose from including: Roller Garage Doors: Up and Over Garage Doors: Remote Controlled Garage Doors: Sectional Garage Doors : Garage Doors: Lancashire .

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CONCRETE SPECIALIST MILBANK IS “A GREAT PLACE TO WORK” MILBANK are one of the leading manufacturers of high quality concrete products within the UK. Throughout the design, manufacturing, delivery and installation stages, Milbank offers the most comprehensive and professional service. 52

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Floor products include: prestressed hollowcore floors, prestressed beam and block floors, and insulated ground floors. Other specialist and bespoke precast concrete products include stairflights, landings, balconies, ground beams, terrace units, wall panels, car park planks, and dock levellers.

SERVICES Milbank provides complete “in-house” technical support including Design, Estimates and Project Planning. All precast concrete units are designed to the requirements of BS 8110 1997 and the Building Regulations. By involving Milbank at an early stage, their qualified Engineers will ensure that the most cost effective Precast Concrete solution can be achieved. Milbank manufactures high quality prestressed and precast concrete units under strictly controlled modern factory conditions. Computer controlled production ensures efficiency and consistent high quality units. Milbank can provide an extensive transport fleet including specialist selfoffload lorries, providing fast, safe and efficient delivery of its products to site. • Conventional articulated lorries with short (10m) or standard (12m) length trailers • Conventional rigid lorries • Self-offload rigid lorries with or without drawbar trailers To complete the comprehensive service, Milbank employ teams of fully trained experienced site fixing personnel, and take pride in providing customers with a totally reliable, cost effective package. • Speed of installation • Trained experienced installers to

Precast Flooring Federation Standards Milbank has made major investments in its commitment to creating and maintaining safe working systems and environments both on and off site. The company has designed and developed a series of award-wining air-mattress fall arrest systems for working at height or off trailers, in addition to the Milbank Scaffold System for trailer fall protection. Milbank’s investment in people and evolution of the business has continued with dedicated programme of training and development across the business and strategic research in to new markets. This month, Milbank will achieve ISO 14001 accreditation, followed by CE marking on hollowcore slabs and beam & block flooring systems by summer 2013. Customers can also look forward to seeing a brand new, interactive Milbank website in the next few weeks.

We are currently implementing a comprehensive series of company-wide training and development workshops with personalised plans for each person within the company; including formal industry recognised qualifications and accreditation. The formal development of our people is something I am very passionate about. And of course, in addition to the above, I am strengthening existing external relationships and developing new ones along the way. All in all, 2013 is an exciting time.

MILBANK’S MD TELLS US MORE... Can you tell me about your role and what your day-today job entails? As I am newly appointed to the role of Managing Director at Milbank, I am finding my feet at the moment but I have 21 years of operational experience behind me. On a daily basis I am liaising directly with the various Department Managers to ensure that I am aware of the progress of the teams, I am made aware of any issues which may have developed and I am able to advise and guide as necessary. I am continuing to implement our former MD’s strategy and continue with the culture that the Milbank family held dear.

What are the current expansion plans for the company? With the economic downturn affecting so many companies, my role is to ensure that we don’t try to expand too quickly and at the wrong time. I will ensure that we consolidate our working relationships with all our clients and guarantee that we have a solid foundation on which we continue to build upon to ride-out the rough times. We are looking to further develop our relationship with our European partner and increase our client base in respect of the silage solution which we launched onto the UK market over the last two years. We are currently

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reviewing and upgrading our website to be more informative and user-friendly. I am looking to introduce more structured direct marketing and even a corporate marketing team to concentrate solely on ensuring that, within our industry and specific field, our companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name is the first one that springs to mind; I know we have a great product, I know we have a great teams, I know we deliver exceptional service so I want to let everyone know just what it is that I know.

Has the company won any Awards? We often get awarded or shown recognition for assistance in helping our customers deliver excellence, quality and safety. We are also often in receipt of letters and emails thanking us for our service, which in my opinion, is award enough.

If you had to name one key ambition of the company, what would it be? Without a doubt it would be to exceed our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expectations and help them achieve success.

Have you been able to continue expanding during the recession? To what extent? We have not expanded during the recession, but we have spent a large part of our time analysing our costs and consolidating the information for future reference, along with looking at sound practises to look at reducing waste wherever possible. We are currently a few months away from achieving ISO 14001 accreditation and we will be fully CE compliant by the summer.

What has helped you get through the recession? Hard work, determination and the commitment of the great team at Milbank have helped us to face the problems that come with such a huge double-dip recession. It has not been easy, we have been through a great deal of pain to get where we are today, but I have every confidence that we will go on to greater and better things.

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What do you do for the environment? The introduction of a product specifically designed for the Biogas Production, namely our purpose-built silage clamps shows that, as a company, we care about the environment are keen to develop this further. We currently do all that we can on site to ensure that, wherever possible, we exceed our minimum standards in areas such as waste re-cycling, energy conservation, use of re-cycled water etc. and our Environmental Policy is a genuine working document which is part of our company ethos. Our teams live and breathe it not because we have to … but because they want to. We exceed all our minimum requirements and are happy to continue to do so.

What training and benefits do your staff receive? As I said earlier, the whole company is going through a phased series of training and development with personalised plans in place for every member of the team, from Director level down. The added benefit is that here at Milbank, everyone gets to work in a great team … it’s a great place to work!

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DIVERSITY AND QUALITY CARRIES CLOW GROUP THROUGH DIFFICULT ECONOMY ESTABLISHED in 1913 as a manufacturer of ladders and access equipment, The Clow Group Ltd. Has expanded considerably and is currently the largest privately owned manufacturer of access equipment in the UK. The company have premises throughout the UK in London, Birmingham, Belfast and Glasgow. 57

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The Clow Group specialise in the design, fabrication and installation of specialist fabrications and have the ability to take a project from the design stage through to the fabrication and final installation, including a full inspection and testing facility. As specialists in Working at Height, the Clow Group together with consultancy and advice regarding specialist access solutions, also offer training and guidance to access equipment operatives through the Clow Group’s training division, the UK Ladder and Safety Training Company.

MILESTONES Over the years the Clow Group has made a number of achievements and milestones. In 1976 the first Glassfibre ladder was made in their Glasgow factory. Throughout the years Clow Group have acquired various manufacturing companies throughout the UK. Their most recent major achievement came in 2008 when they were granted

a Royal Warrant as Manufacturers of Access Equipment to Her Majesty the Queen. The company this year celebrates 100 years of being in business, their most notable milestone to date. Looking to the future, the company would like to ensure that all current and future projects are completed on time and do not incur any penalties. “Part of our future plans are to design new access equipment to the highest possible safety standards,” says Group Chairman Douglas Clow. “My role entails overseeing capital expenditure and Ensuring each branch works together as a team for the benefit of the group as a whole. It also entails ensuring all production facilities throughout the UK manufacture to the highest standard”.

A COMPANY OF CHOICE As a family run business, the Clow Group has never received any reports of

accidents on their products due to faulty workmanship and Douglas hopes this will continue into the future. “Clow Group has always maintained its safety record both within its own workforce and also for the products we produce, as our safety motto is ‘We raise our fellow men and never let them down’,” explains Douglas. Health and safety is paramount within the organisation. The lead is taken from the board of directors and passed down through management via board and safety meetings. The company provide extensive training using both in-house and external trainers to ensure that all their staff possess the knowledge and skills to do their job efficiently and safely. The company believe in looking after their staff as they are what makes the business so successful and they are rewarded accordingly. In addition they are giving their entire staffing an extra day’s paid annual leave to commemorate their centenary.

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In addition to putting safety and staff first, the Group have always actively promoted environmental concerns throughout the organisation and have been recycling waste from both the manufacturing process and the general running of the business. With a turnover of ÂŁ6.5m, Douglas believes that diversity is the key to beating the recession. He attributes the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success during the downturn to continually producing access equipment and new products to the highest quality possible. Douglas hopes to take the company forward to be a global world leader in the access industry.

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LONDON OLYMPICS HELPED THRIFTY REACH NEW HEIGHTS THRIFTY Car Rental was founded in the USA in 1958 and is now one of the largest rental companies in the world, operating over 1,000 corporatelyowned and franchised locations in 64 countries. It is part of the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. 60

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Scot Group Ltd., trading as Thrifty Car Rental, is the holder of the master franchises for both Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent a Car brands in the UK. The company currently has 90 branches. Over 20% of the UK fleet is commercial vehicles. Scot Group Ltd is based in Exeter with Headquarters on Marsh Barton Trading Estate. Scot Group Ltd employs around 1100 people throughout the UK.

ADDING RICHMOND AND PADDINGTON TO THE NATIONAL NETWORK With the Olympics fast approaching and a huge increase of visitors expected within the UK, Thrifty Car and Van Rental expanded its nationwide network at the ideal time. By opening new branches in Richmond upon Thames and Paddington, Thrifty was able to bring a variety of vehicles and services into the area at a time when thousands of motorists were looking to take to the roads. The branches both offer a wide selection of cars and vans in both manual and automatic models. Whether customers

need a larger family sized vehicle for a day out, or fancy hiring a luxury car for a weekend away – there’s something for everyone. Thrifty can also provide satellite navigation and full breakdown cover with the vehicle to ensure trouble free motoring. Thrifty is also helping to keep local businesses moving through its flexible rental terms - whether extra vehicles are needed during busy periods, or when a new employee is taken on. In addition, both business and leisure customers can receive special discounts and low cost rates when they book online at Thrifty. co.uk.

Having successfully managed the company’s High Wycombe location, Kurt Joy, Richmond’s branch manager, said: “We are looking forward to developing the new branch in Richmond. We are a friendly and lively team who strive

to produce the very best in customer service.” Steve Sandford, director of regional operations for Thrifty Car and Van Rental added: “We are delighted to further strengthen our network. Whether you need vehicles for work or pleasure please give our Richmond and Paddington locations a call or visit our website and we can help you choose the best car or van for you.” Following five years at the company’s London Heathrow location Gemma Kearns, Paddington’s new branch manager, said: “With an anticipated increase of tourism this summer, it is very exciting to have the opportunity to develop such a prime location. Our customer service team are very friendly and professional, so you can expect a warm welcome and excellent service on every visit.”

NEWPORT Thrifty Car and Van Rental further expanded its nationwide network in 2012 by opening a new branch in Newport, bringing a variety of vehicles and services into the area.

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David Ward, Newport’s new branch manager, said: “Since opening our doors we have had a brilliant turnout with both leisure and commercial customers. We are an experienced team here so the customer can expect a very warm welcome and excellent customer service on every visit.”

Steve Sandford, director of regional operations for Thrifty Car and Van Rental adds: “Our network continues to grow from strength to strength and we’re delighted to open our latest branch in Newport. Whether you need a vehicle for work or pleasure, simply pop into the Newport branch, give us a call or visit our website and we can help you to choose the perfect car or van for you.”

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LOXAM UK DELIVERS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND FINANCIAL RESULTS THE UK Managing Director of Loxam, Brian Stead, talks about the company’s progress in the UK over the past few years…

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Loxam was formed in France in 1967 and is one of the pioneers of equipment rental to the construction industry and industrial professional markets. It first came to the UK in 2000 when it acquired one of the UK’s leading powered access companies Port Talbot Plant (PTP). The business at acquisition had 16 branches and revenue of around £16m. The business in the UK failed to keep pace with market growth and very much failed to capture the opportunities of the working at height legislation in 2005. By 2005 it had seen turnover decline to below £12m (branches to 14) and by 2007 it was no longer a profitable business. Its market share had declined significantly. As with most businesses 2008 and 2009 saw market impact take turnover to just over £9m and branches to 11. Published operating losses were around £2.5m, second hand equipment was sold to mitigate the operating losses. Following the departure of the 5th Managing Director (since acquisition of PTP) in 2009 I joined the company to take charge from January 2010. I have managed many companies including one rental company before but would not describe myself as a powered access expert. This actually helped in the early months as I was not held back by some of the historic views. I listened to customers, employees and key suppliers with an open mind. The current structure was quickly put in place and the three year plan firmed. The company has made steady progress, halving losses in 2010, eliminating them in 2011 and for 2012 the profits although not published have continued at the same rate of improvement. With profit improvement of circa £3m per annum in three years and revenue growth of over 25 per cent the business is in solid shape. The financial plans have been backed by continuous investment. The original value of the existing fleet sits between £30m and £40m, the expenditure since 2007 has been over £25m and the rate of investment continues to accelerate to meet the growing demands of the customer base. Throughout the last thee years however investment has been fully funded from cash generation so today the gearing is much stronger. We dropped one branch at the end of 2011 when the lease expired and consolidated the two London branches into one large branch. We retained the full fleet in London and the team. It

confirmed the drop through rates of fleet on an existing branch and encourages future growth within each of the now 10 outlets. This is complementary to the plans explained elsewhere for enhanced UK geographic coverage. We do not quote machine numbers as we see some key divergences in the powered access rental market. One of our competitors for example has increased its fleet far faster than ourselves but its average spend per machine is around £8k a mere 20 per cent of what we typically spend on the average machine. Their strategy is more towards low level access whilst we remain firmly at the higher end booms and scissors plus considerable investment in our vehicle mounted fleet which the targeted customer base really appreciate

Our annual turnover is... ... almost £12m per annum. Our revenue (excluding machine sales) has only grown by just over 25% over the last 3 years as revenue growth has NOT been our driving force. The financial focus was to grow EBITDA and to generate free cash (after capital investments) to help pay down the bank loans. This has been done through realignment of customer segmentation into more specialist areas where we can leverage both our excellent customer service and our single solution selling across vehicle mounts and self propelled equipment. I am pleased say our efforts have been rewarded. Our gearing is now low. This has not come easily and our entire UK team have worked extremely diligently on service improvements and customer focus to ensure this can happen.

Anyone who has not hired from Loxam in the last few years will certainly notice a difference when they try us again. Where we stand today I can say: 85 per cent of our equipment is 2007 or younger The fleet is in exceptional condition relative to the overall competition. Our breakdown ratios have halved and sits significantly below the industry average

Our response time to breakdowns is hard to beat We are proactive on supporting customers on site often visiting to check machines even when we there are no known issues Our customer retention is our highest since we began recording the information And The customer share of wallet continues to grow which I guess is the best measure of customer service.

My role is simple in concept. Having identified the 3 year plan at the start of 2010 based on single solution selling and service leverage my job was merely to oversee the delivery of the plan through building a strong team of competent individuals at all levels capable to ensure timely attainment. I have an excellent UK Operations Manager, an excellent UK Technical Manager an excellent Human Resources Manager and an excellent team of Financial Managers. Between them they drive compliance and advancement as part of this process. On the Commercial side I have been happy to lead this myself because I need that customer focus to be at the forefront of everything we do. Now is the time to hand this over to a new incumbent. The position has been difficult to fill despite a number of commercial sales personnel on the market today, this is because I know what it will take to progress to the next stage and our standards will not be compromised. I came to Loxam in the UK with the aim of reversing its declining fortunes,

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making it a top 3 player financially (based on Group key measures) in the UK, matching those of best in class across the Group’s 11 countries. Growth has not been a primary driver, it is only important in that Loxam have to return to being a leading player with the coverage to offer uniform delivery of our leading service values and this time its position needed to be sustainable and needed to become the platform for further advancement. Growth for the benefit of quoting turnover level is not an ambition and therefore this changes the focus to make sure if there was an acquisition it would be of a business that could deliver with the same level of customer satisfaction within an acceptable timeframe. I am not new to turning the performances of businesses around. I was fortunate enough to work for a leading company in building products in the UK. They trained me not only across the entire spectrum of functional management and leading companies but also on business turnarounds. Loxam is probably my 8th such company in the last 20 years. When you set about such tasks you need to be focused on the goal and also work with parties who share a similar desire. Aside from the excellent team internally some of the powered access manufacturers are exceptional companies. On arrival the main supplier to Loxam in the UK was Haulotte. The obvious French connection applied and as a result the relationship was not focused around value creation, innovation or any specific areas such as safety. Haulotte remain a good company (and a competitor here in the UK), they are a major supplier to many parts of the group but today in the UK we work with best in class depending on what values we need to bring to the customer offer. Across the range we use Niftylift, Skyack, JLG, Genie/Terex Versalift and King Highway as our key suppliers and everyone knows our focus and works closely with us to deliver service. Outside of equipment suppliers the same can be said of such as Murdoch’s for haulage or Oakwood environmental for waste management. I see part of my role is to ensure the entire supply chain is aligned and now that it is it creates tremendous energy. It all sounds very strategic but in reality success comes from attention to detail on a day by day basis. The reversal of fortunes, the matching of best in class financials and the creation of service at a leading level has been achieved and will be retained.

AMBITIONS My simple ambition for the Loxam UK would be to educate customers increasingly to make choices on service , safety and overall cost to them of the offer and to move away from a simple £’s per week scenario. The continuing trend (in part explained by a reaction to the recession) is inevitably putting the workers within the construction industry and related sectors at risk. I also believe that if true cost analysis was done for many customers it is costing them more. Commercially when the customer segments move towards safer working and lowest overall cost this will benefit Loxam UK. Loxam customers will then be operating in environments and Loxam revenues will continue to grow in line with Group expectations. The service ethic of Loxam UK personnel, the commitment of our teams and our ability to recommend to our customers the best solution to their needs for working at heights in the range 8 metres to 65 metres sets us apart. Our focus is absolute, we do not buy low level access

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equipment. I am sure some do just to boost their fleet numbers and claim a lower average age of fleet. We do not have trucks above 70 metres as this inevitably means you chase the niche segment of windfarms for a small part of the year at the cost of service to the core customer base and we do not run our own haulage because you end up chasing volume to make it work or worse still start doing milk rounds to lower average cost which means customers get machines later than they need them to do their job efficiently. Of course I recognise this means some of our competitors offer haulage rates at below my cost (and probably theirs) but Loxam work with hauliers of high standards who respect the need for good health and safety operations whilst being absolutely committed to the levels of service we expect for the customers. You should never rule anything out for the future but today I see no evidence in the market that those with their own transport focusing on service through a differentiation but I see a lot focusing on cost ahead of the service opportunity.

Our headquarters in France have a significantly sized technical team who work on the direction for the future on matters such as the environment through engine emissions, not only for powered access but across plant. This gives excellent direction on where we focus our investment strategy to help our customers lower their impact on their environment. This is complimented by a full time environmental team which works across countries to set and monitor standards for improvement whilst respecting the focus and direction of individual countries. I think we can always do more but our actions are clear, we focus on the equipment emissions and we focus on the Loxam operational environment and that of its customers. One day I will be satisfied that we have done everything possible then I may turn my attention to working in the community where I am sure we can also add benefit, but not until we have done everything we can for our two prime areas.

SUCCESS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT I personally came from a world leading Group Saint Gobain and had the UK responsibility for the environment. Working to have a positive effect on the environment is a prime area where being part of a leading multinational Group can give you a clear advantage. This was the case in Saint Gobain and is the case in Loxam. The UK as a group of countries is advanced in its focus on the environment but when you are part of a group that includes major countries such as Germany, Denmark and Switzerland you start to see some of the wider benefits.

Loxam is a great company to work for, as we have that unique mix of autonomy to develop the business and the backing of the group and its best practice techniques. The UK team have got this business back on track with a formula that delivers customer satisfaction and financial results. From a personal viewpoint I wanted to take the UK from the bottom of the pile of countries that Loxam operate in to the top. 2012 has seen that happen and now the team plan to keep it there.

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KENT’S COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DEALERS OFFER AN ENVIABLE SERVICE CHANNEL COMMERCIALS PLC is an established commercial vehicle and LCV dealer in Kent, providing sales, parts and servicing for DAF Trucks and Nissan vans. 68

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Alongside new and used trucks and vans, Channel Commercials provides an impressive portfolio of additional products and services including a fully equipped paint and body shop where accident repair, shot blasting and sign writing is carried out, as well as a specialist engineering and fabrication department, where expert technicians offer both light and heavy commercial vehicle modification, welding and rail wagon maintenance. Some of their other more specialist services include Waxoyl rust-proofing, tachograph services, Speedliner spray liner, and various other commercial vehicle safety and security products. As a leading commercial vehicle dealer in Kent, the company have factory trained technicians at four locations (Ashford, Strood, Sevenoaks and Canterbury), who are able to offer 24 hours Servicing, 365 days of the year for commercial vehicles, that will get customers back on the road so as to minimize the impact to their customers business. As the main DAF truck parts dealer covering Kent and East Sussex, Channel Commercials offer great value for money on genuine DAF parts and are also able to offer competitive parts for all makes of

commercial vehicles. For light commercial vehicles they have recently acquired the Nissan Commercial vehicle franchise and have added Nissan van parts to their portfolio. Parts for all other makes of van can be supplied on request, and they are continuing to stock LDV parts to serve their established parts customer base throughout the Kent area. Channel Commercials has recently expanded into the Diamond Blade and Construction Fixings market, expanding their product offering and developing new areas of the business.

including cab and body modifications with full corporate livery refurbishment. Truck and van conversions are their speciality, with no job too big or too small. From ply lining a van to heavy truck engineering and chassis alterations, Channel Commercials aim to modify clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; vehicles to suit their specific business needs.

They always have great offers available on a variety of vehicle parts in Kent. With all this supported by their expert staff and fast, efficient service customers can count on Channel Parts department to keep them moving.

TRUCK AND VAN CONVERSIONS The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialist engineering facilities in Ashford, Kent, enable Channel Commercials to completely repair, refurbish and carry out reengineering design work. They can offer commercial vehicle modifications,

The fitting of ancillary equipment can also be completed at their specialist engineering department in Ashford. Here, Tachograph, road speed limiter (RSL) work, the fitment of truck and van security systems and the fitment of accessories take place. From ply ling vans to fitting van racking and tow bars.

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They provide a range of commercial vehicle equipment and installations, with a bespoke service to meet all of their clients’ requirements.

RAIL WAGON SERVICING AND REPAIRD Channel Commercials are proud to be part of the Link-up UK Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme. Channel Commercials rail division was conceived in October 2006, when a large haulage contractor approached the company regarding the paint and maintenance of 20 rail freight wagons. The ethos of Channel Commercials has always been to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for all customer needs. Therefore after much research, they embarked on an extensive 12 month assessment regime and training of their technicians to competent levels from basic weekly inspections to full wagon repairs. The assessment and training undertaken showed that there were similarities to their core business and from this synergy they further improved their credential within ISO 9001 to include Link-up and Safety Critical GM/RT2450 which were

included after successful audits. Channel Commercials believe that their own and their clients’ success lies in bringing the best from the Road Industry to Rail with innovative ideas for old and new problems with minimum downtime. Channel Commercials Rail Division currently manages three fleets of over 200 wagons, offering full rail wagon servicing and maintenance.

THE FUTURE Having just celebrated their 25th year as a commercial vehicle dealer, Channel Commercials are proud of their achievements. In that time the company has grown from humble beginnings at one site employing 35 people and through its commitment and diversity

to where it now employs over 200 staff across six sites throughout Kent and the rest of the UK.. It is through their diversity that Channel Commercials have weathered the recent recession so well, and as we come out the other side this company is set to continue to serve its customers in a confident and committed manner.

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DIVERSITY OF PRODUCTS AND COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE MAKES DSXPRESS WORKWEAR PROVIDER OF CHOICE AS distributors of multiple workwear brands throughout the UK, DSXpress have extensive knowledge of all types of work clothing. Trading online, the company boast a comprehensive range suitable for all working conditions. 71

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PRODUCTS

DELIVERY

Workwear brands such as Dickies, Scruffs, Lee Cooper , Tuffstuff and Blue Castle Clothing are all offered along with safety footwear, conforming to EN20345 safety specifications from Dickies, Terra, Makita, Scruffs and Hard Core Safety Footwear.

The company’s express delivery system enables them to ship orders quickly and efficiently to make sure they get the workwear clothes they require without delay. Orders are despatched on the same day, as standard, for all orders placed by 3pm, with the exception of Scruffs and Hard Core products, which are available for next working day delivery for orders placed by 1pm. The vast majority of orders are delivered directly to the door on the next working day. The company’s delivery system also provides one hour time slots so there is no need for customers to wait in all day for their order to arrive.

Whatever workwear clothing requirements customers have - safety or waterproof workwear, men’s work clothes or ladies workwear or virtually every other category or style of workwear clothing - they can be sure to find everything in one place. Work trousers and knee pad trousers or multi-pocket trousers with knee pad inserts are the most popular workwear products within the UK and with Dickies work trousers, Blue Castle work trousers and Scruffs work trousers all offered, customer will most surely be able to find exactly what suits their requirements. Work overalls, padded overalls or waterproof overalls are also common for many workers throughout the UK and DSXpress also offer extensive choice in style and colour.

WEBSITE With their all-encompassing range of products and user friendly website, DSXpress are clear leaders within the workwear industry. The webpage is clearly labelled and sectioned to make it easier to navigate, and with excellent customer reviews, it is easy to understand why the company has been so successful.

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COMMUNITY AT THE HEART OF SHETLANDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOUSING ASSOCIATION AWARD winning Housing Association, Hjaltland, is currently midway through the construction of 65 new properties over three different sites throughout Shetland. 73

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The Association was not only successful in its bid to the Scottish Government for grant assistance through the ‘Innovation & Investment Fund’ (IIF) but gained essential support from the Shetland Islands Council who provided funding for capitalised interest and match funding for the successful IIF bid.

SERVICES AND OPERATIONS TODAY

This is one example of the good partnerships forged by the Association with external agencies for the benefit of the local community as a whole. Other partnership working has seen the Association provide for a Crèche, a Childrens Home, Core & Cluster accommodation for ‘Independent Living Project’ and the completion of several supported houses and flats for varying needs. Other partnership working includes operating a joint waiting list with the Council and a nomination arrangement that ensures that at least 50 per cent of all lets go to homeless applicants.

The Association is committed to ensuring that a wide range of tenure choice is available.

“The over-arching guiding principle for Hjaltland is the constant improvement in its service to its customers whilst giving value for money,” says the Association’s Property Services Manager Paul Leask.

The Association is a Registered Factor providing a range of services including reactive & lifecycle maintenance, estate management and gardening services to home owners.

As Shetland’s voluntary, independent housing agency Hjaltland aims to provide quality housing for people in housing need at an affordable price. This commitment extends to assisting those who have special needs.

There is a firm commitment to working closely with the local authority to ensure that housing is available in all parts of Shetland. The Association also acts as an agent for the Local Authority with a One Stop Shop service providing minor repairs and adaptations to private properties as well addressing fuel poverty issues.

SETTING THE SCENE Hjaltland Housing Association is the result of a merger in 1980 between two earlier ‘Fair Rent’ Associations; Scottish Airports Ltd, formed in 1974, and Hjaltland Housing Association Ltd formed in 1975. Both had aims of assisting the Shetland Islands Council in providing housing for incoming workers. Until 1984 agents based in Edinburgh carried out the Association’s administration. Part-time local staff managed lettings visits and day to day maintenance. In the period up to 1982 the Association provided 88 houses that were mainly family houses. In 1984 the Management Committee carried out a review of their organisation. They decided that an improved service was possible using local full-time staff. Since then Hjaltland has built over 550 houses throughout the Islands for both general needs and supported accommodation. Most of the housing has been provided in Lerwick and the central area of Shetland where housing demand is highest. The Association now provides homes in nearly all the major settlements and the largest islands in Shetland.

STRUCTURE Hjaltland Housing Association Ltd is devoted to ensuring the provision of quality housing in Shetland to people with housing need. Membership is open as of right to Hjaltland tenants. Membership is also open to other people residing in Shetland who are interested in housing. The Association is a Friendly Society registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 with the Financial Services Authority and is registered with, and its activities supervised by, the Scottish Housing Regulator as a Registered Social Landlord. This means that Hjaltland is able to obtain grant from the Scottish Government’s to build houses. The Association also became a Registered Scottish Charity in 2001. This was to protect its houses from the Right to Buy, in order to ensure that social housing at an affordable rent remains available in Shetland. A Management Committee of up to fifteen people, formed from the membership, controls the work of the Association.

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY Hjaltland centres on providing quality services and housing for the local community, with a particular to focus to people in need.

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“Our location, an island in the middle of the North Sea, is one thing that sets us apart from others but I think there is a wealth of really good work done by the Housing Association movement throughout Britain, including within the wider community, and would suggest we are no different,” explains Paul. The Association takes a holistic view to the services it provides and we have a number of partnerships with external agencies in place which

benefit not only our tenants but the wider community. From supporting apprenticeships through our development process, to work experience for vulnerable adults with partner agencies, to setting up the HUB Project providing temporary accommodation for youngsters and an activity centre to learn the skills needed for independent living, the Association is heavily involved in the wider community. We currently employ twenty eight members of staff including two “men-with-a-van” providing maintenance services to tenant’s houses and minor adaptations to houses throughout Shetland, and four part-time staff providing warden, estate support services and office cleaning. In addition to the substantial social change brought about by Hjaltland, they do not lose site of the wider environment. The Association build predominately timber kit, timber clad houses with under-floor heating pipes in a solid floor construction. They have an enhanced insulation detail which removes any thermal bridging and reduces air leakage to very low levels. Whole House Ventilation with heat recovery is then installed to provide the necessary air-changes. The recovered heat from the ventilation system is then transferred to the gas in a heat pump, fresh incoming air or both depending on what system is in place. This type of construction provides a very efficient and clean living environment and has a low carbon footprint due to the extensive use of sustainable timber. The external cladding then forms part of the lifecycle maintenance programme and is painted regularly. This helps sustain local jobs in the maintenance industry and also results in the scheme looking brand new every six years which in turn makes the scheme sustainable as desirable place to live. Hjaltland is not only looking at innovative ways of building highly efficient new houses but also trying to improve the quality and efficiency of their older stock. The Association is part of the ‘North Isles New Energy Solutions’ (NINES) project with SSE and are in the process of installing new highly efficient Dimplex Quantum heaters and hot water cylinders in 235 properties.

“The new heaters have the potential to provide up to a 20 per cent saving against a traditional storage heater system and will assist our tenants in reducing their on-going energy use. There is also a wider community benefit to this project; SSE will be able to manage the local network in a more efficient way because of a new charging regime and the storage capacity provided by the new heaters and hot water cylinders” which will result in more renewable power being allowed onto the local electricity grid, says Paul.

ACHIEVEMENTS “There are individual staff milestones on a regular basis as a result of all the hard work put in by our small team who constantly improve and adapt to all the challenges we are facing in the current economic and political climates,” asserts Paul, “There are also a few formal milestones such as the Association gaining the Investors in People Bronze award last year, reaching 500 properties the year before, winning the Saltire Award for one of our first new schemes back in 1982 to name but a few. In more recent times gaining national recognition through the RIAS and Saltire Awards for our schemes at Grodians and Da Vadill, is testament to all the hard work put in by our staff, design teams and local contractors working together to achieve positive outcomes for the local community” SEE OVERLEAF FOR HJALTLAND’S AWARD WINNING HOUSING SCHEMES

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HJALTLAND’S MOST RECENT AWARD WINNING HOUSING SCHEMES

Da Vadill

Grodians

Richard Gibson Architects,

W A Fairhurst & Partners Engineers,

Mott MacDonald Engineers,

John Duguid Partnership QS,

John Duguid Partnership CDM Coordinator.

Michael Thomson CDM Coordinator.

Contractor: DITT Construction Ltd

Contractor: E&H Building Contractors

Shortlisted for the Inverness Architectural Association ‘Best Building’ Award 2012.

Commendation for the Saltire Society Design Award for Large Housing Developments 2012

Winner of the Saltire Society Design Award for small Housing Developments 2012

Winner of the Inverness Architectural Association ‘Place Making’ Award 2012

Winner of the Inverness Architectural Association ‘New Building’ Award 2012

Winner / RIAS 2012 Awards

Da Vadill Text from the Shetland Architectural Society website:

Regional Finalist / Civic Trust Awards

16 terraced housing to fit the natural curvature of the brownfield site.

Grodians Text from the Shetland Architectural Society website:

Initially designed as a car-free development, the scheme was amended to provide a car park. The curved terrace strengthens the street line and provides energy and cost efficient housing inherent to terraced buildings.

34 new-build social houses for Hjaltland Housing Association. Recently completed, the scheme is based on the Home Zone concept where the car is subsidiary to the pedestrian. The distinct houses are designed to provide a variation of 1-4 bedroom dwellings to a high standard of energy performance, assisted by a district heating scheme. A very low caron footprint of at least 15% beyond the latest Building Standards requirements has been achieved. The colour scheme intended to remain vibrant and cheerful during the darker winter months of the year.

Natural and sustainable materials were used throughout such as slate roofing, masonry walls and floors and Siberian larch cladding providing long life performance and are ultimately recyclable. Untreated larch cladding reduces the clients painting maintenance next to a busy road and masonry walls and floors address sound pollution between flats. Flats are entered from within the terrace curve providing shelter and a sense of enclosure. Small balconies incorporate rainwater harvesting to sustain the planters. District heating was used for heating and hot water

Special Mention / 2012 RIAS Andrew Doolan ‘Best Building in Scotland’ award!

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KEEPING OVERHEADS LOW MEANS TUFFSHOP EMERGES STRONGER THIS month we had the opportunity to speak to Tim Banks, Manager at Tuff Shop, about his role and the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming plans.

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What is your average day as Manager of Tuff Shop like?

What training and benefits do your staff receive?

My role from day to day is a very varied one! From meeting clients, to general admin tasks, ordering and general cleaning! We are trying to keep the overheads low including staffing costs so I tend to fill in the blanks.

Our staff receive extensive training in various software and graphic design packages as well as admin and sales/customer service training. We try to train staff in all areas of the business.

Have you got any expansion plans for Tuff Shop? We intend to grow the company using our ever changing webshop online â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tuffshop.co.uk which we are developing to get the right mix. A difficult task in itself. We are constantly adding products which gives the customer a wider choice. I intend to employ another 2 members of staff before the end of the year. My policy with staff is that we try to get young people that we extensively train in all areas of the business. I believe by giving them all a varied role, adds versatility to the business and keeps the staff happy & motivated.

Anything else you would like to share? We sponsor a local football team (Wakefield Football Centre) a girls rugby team (Castleford Panthers) and a local cycling team (Carlton Cycling Club) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we have sixty odd online reviews which average at 4.8 out of 5 stars.

How many sites do you currently work from? One site which is a trade counter/workshop which includes embroidery and printing machines.

Can you tell me about and projects that are taking place at the moment? We have recently embroidered work clothing for the British Telecom cable engineers, as well as adding the entire Helly Hansen workwear range to our webshop.

If you had to name one key ambition of Tuff Shop, what would it be? Our Major ambition would be To become a leading online seller in our industry.

Have you been able to continue expanding during the recession? To what extent? We have expanded slowly through the recession (we started in the recession) we have been able to keep more stock, buy more machinery and are at the stage where we are looking to recruit more staff.

What has helped you get through the recession? We have from the outset kept our overheads to a minimum, and worked incredibly hard not only physically but our ethos that only a perfect job will do has helped us to grow through our increasing number of customers and the repeat business we get helps.

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INNOVATION AT THE FOREFRONT FOR INTERNATIONAL FAMILY-RUN DAD GROUP ESTABLISHED in France in 1872, the DAD Group were and still are a family run business – today in its sixth generation. 79

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The company began as a locksmith and over the decades have evolved into the European market leader for mailboxes, currently manufacturing over 1.7m post-boxes every year. They have also diversified their product portfolio to include Security Doors, High Security Cylinders, Safes, Cabinets and Decorative French Country Hardware. With more than 700 personnel worldwide, the DAD Group division in the UK we has become a streamlined Sales Office and currently employ six staff members. While their worldwide annual turnover is in excess of 70m Euros, the UK contributes about £1.5m per annum.

FUTURE AMBITIONS DAD Group is a proud innovator within their industry. This was most effectively demonstrated recently, when here in the UK, they were the first and to date only manufacturer to have a product pass the new TS009:2012 test requirements, in order to provide the market with the only Secured By Design (SBD) Mailbox. They are looking to increase their SBD offerings in 2013 with a Communal Door Set with integrated mailboxes. “As you can imagine, we are continually evolving as a manufacturer reacting to market trends and clients requirements. That said, I would have to say that one key ambition is to be an open and receptive manufacturer keen to be seen as a key player and innovator within our industry”.

MILESTONES With the long-standing and successful history, it is only expected that DAD have an innumerable collection of milestones throughout the years. Below are some of the most memorable. 1872 – Antoine and Desire set up their company DECAYEUX Freres

FAMILY BENEFITS

1900 – Acquisition of “La Securitie”: Safes 1950 – First mailbox manufacture

According to UK Sales Manager, Ben Godfrey, the company has seen the benefits of remaining family-run: “the benefits are simple to see, we are a hardworking, supportive and empathetic company who encourage the growth and training of each individual as an individual for the better of the company, and the family!”

1974 – Arrival of Mr Decayeux, Chairman

As the UK Sales Manager, it is Ben’s responsibility within the group to sustain their high levels of customer service to the company’s existing client base, whilst also aggressively and proactively seeking out new business across their entire portfolio. This includes design and specification assistance with architects all the way through to site meetings with contractors and supervising installations.

1997 – Stephane, Nicolas and Antoine join the family business (6th generation)

“We have a small yet dedicated team of four sales staff, two of which are permanently based within the office to service our extensive client base”.

2007 – Acquisition of GM Serrures and Lenne

1978 – Acquisition of Bernier Degeorge: Property Management Market 1988 – Creation of “Picardie Serrure”: Security doors, locks and cylinders 1992 – Acquisition of Genifer: High quality decorative door hardware

1997 – DAD UK established 2002 – Acquisition of Plastydecor 2004 – Purchase of 16% of Titan (Slovenia): High Security profile cylinders 2006 – Takeover of Quesdeville in Morocco and Hungary

2007 – Creation of DAD Black Sea (Romania) 2008 – Acquisition of FANA DAD Polska 2009 – Acquisition of Brabantia mailbox business (Holland)

2009 – Creation of DECAYEUX Environnement: Surface treatments 2011 – Acquisition of JU Briefkasten 2012 – DAD009, the UK’s first and only SBD mailbox created

QUALITY CUSTOMER CARE “Our approachability and communication with our clients, both old and new, sets us above others. We welcome all our clients to visit our factories to see what we do and how we do it first hand, we actually encourage it!” says Ben. The company has strong partnerships throughout the construction industry, from architects to architectural ironmongers to home builders. There is no job too big or too small, according to Ben. Above all though, it is their high level of customer service and attention to detail that keeps the company ahead. They usually issue quotations within 24 hours of receiving a request, and carry out design and specification meetings across the country as well as attending site visits across the UK.

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and promote within, with some staff members with the company for 16 years still on board and proactively working for the company. Depending on the area of employment, they also have extensive in-house training on all aspects of the daily work routine, whether that be physical or software based. Additionally, they offer staff the option to carry out third party training, especially in the way of sales training and coaching.

TRAINING, ETHICS AND INNOVATION The company’s decision to “tighten [their] belts” and streamline their operations and warehousing to become “a tightly run, yet fun sales ship” has been key to their survival and continued success during the difficult economy. They have a strong team that they train

“It is a family led business and we like to continue those work ethics right down the chain making it a fun yet serious place of work. Obviously being a manufacturer it is key to our survival to be efficient and green. Working with steel as our main ingredient as it were enables us to easily recycle and we have a rigid sustainability program in place from recycling in the workplace to renewable energy at our factories,” explains Ben.

about through complacency. We are ever evolving as a company and as people, always trying new things and learning and sharing as we go along. We recently enlisted the services of Jean Nouvel a well-known and respected architect in his own field, again to inject some fresh innovative ideas into the world of mail delivery and security. Here in the UK we have and continue to work closely alongside Secured By Design, from contributing to steering groups on test requirements to training CPDA’s on the pros and cons of mail delivery in the 21st Century”.

“In an ever growing, competitive and budget stringent marketplace, it is key to be seen as an expert in your arena. Here at DAD we have been manufacturing innovative and design led solutions for over 140 years. That doesn’t come

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“KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES” IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CAITHNESS STONE INDUSTRIES BASED in Spittal, Caithness, Caithness Stone Industries was formed in 1989. In the beginning, the business was fairly small, but gradually grew, with its biggest growth taking place during a series of Millennium Projects in 2000. From Belfast to Newcastle, and Edinburgh to London, the company work all over the country, and indeed internationally, with the aim to keep growing their geographic coverage. 82

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CAITHNESS STONE Caithness Stone is a unique material only found in the far north of Scotland. The stone, which was created over 400 million years ago, has a density and hardness akin to granite, Today, using traditional techniques with modern technology, Caithness Stone Industries are able to produce orders to virtually any specification. Although indigenous to Caithness, the stone is employed across the globe on all manner of projects and in many differing environments. From the Scottish Parliament building and the Belfast Concert Hall to the British Memorial Garden in New York, Caithness Stone, and Caithness Stone Industries are found in the most prestigious of places.

SERVICES The company have three quarries in operation at the moment, two for excavating the stone and one for finishing and dispatching the product. Currently the company carry out a wide range of domestic and business works, including kitchen worktops, sinks,

cupboards, furniture, paving, walling and cladding, among many other things. Caithness Stone Industries specialise in stone carving (by hand) and also work on art projects, cutting out shapes from a stone and granite mixture. To enhance the natural characteristics of Caithness Stone, the company can incorporate company logos, personal images, graphic designs, signage and more, capturing the timeless appeal. The advanced machinery that the company use means that they can engineer integral works, achieving precise finishes to a superior, enviable standard. With just under 50 workers, the company boast their own in-house design team who have an intimate understanding of the Caithness flagstone and how to work with it to gain the most from its characteristics. They can work closely with customers in order to achieve their desired finish, or alternatively they can produce pre-designed work. “In the UK, we are probably the only factory with all the modern equipment under one roof,” says company owner John Sutherland. With a very hands-on approach, John’s average day includes communicating with architects, councils

and businesses from all around the world. Caithness Stone Industries pride themselves on quality and steadfast dedication in producing to any specification within the material’s capabilities.

FUTURE Caithness Stone Industries has fared better than most during the economic downturn, which John attributes to the fact that the North of Scotland in general was not badly affected and the company

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have had ongoing university work through the recession. Keeping up with the times has been key to the successful running of the business, and this has meant John has been able to focus more time on his plans for the company’s future. He is hoping to see the company expand further, taking on more large projects including shopping malls, hotels, hospitals and schools.

“What I really want to see is more product being used from the UK in the UK rather than the cheap Chinese imports that are becoming alarmingly common”. With the company’s unique services, high standards and modern approach, it is easy to understand why growth will be a natural process over the coming months and years.

Although John is hoping to see more international business, he is hoping business within the Uk expands too.

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Husqvarna K 760 with Oilguard. The Husqvarna K 760 Oilguard is specially designed to prevent engine damage resulting from an incorrect oil-fuel mixture. The K 760 Oilguard uses specially colored OilGuard oil, developed specifically for dusty environments like construction sites and ideal for aircooled two-stroke engines. It is also possible to use standard two-stroke oil in a K 760 Oilguard, as the OilGuard feature can easily be deactivated. An optical detection system indicates if there is a sufficient amount of the correct type of oil in the fuel. The K 760 Oilguard also has features like the new generation of Active Air Filtration™, one of the market’s most efficient centrifugal air cleaning systems that delivers up to one year’s operation without a filter change and SmartCarb™, built-in automatic filter compensation and a highly efficient vibration dampening system. It is also outfitted with an X-Torq® engine, which reduces emissions up to 75 % and lowers fuel consumption by 20 % and DuraStarter™, a dust-sealed starter that boosts reliability and product life. Air Purge and a decompression valve make it very easy to start.

Husqvarna K 760 Oilguard. A power-to-weight ratio in a class of its own.

HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS UK Tel: 0844 844 4570

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