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JANUARY has been a long month for many following the Christmas break, and the snow and icy conditions has just made it longer. However, the New Year has brought with it renewed optimism for a lot of people, although it isn’t until the new financial year in April that companies will have a better idea how their finances have been affected by the bad weather and double-dip recession from last year.

Nevertheless, a lot of the companies we spoke to are

optimistic for the New Year and some, including Barclays, saw enough growth in 2012 to continue ahead with plans for refurbishment in branches across the country, including one fairly local to NCM in Huddersfield.

Another company we spoke to with big plans for the coming year is Stanhope PLC. They are developing a shopping complex within Hereford which will bring numerous jobs and tourism to the city, a scheme set to reach completion in 2014 making it the only shopping centre in Britain planned for opening next year. Hereford is only the beginning of a journey for Stanhope, who hope to transform cities across the country while keeping their historical context. For many areas, this could be the key for recovery after a difficult few years.

Elsewhere in this issue, we learn about water systems from Mark Collins at C&B Systems, a company that is managing fairly well despite the difficult economy as a result of their commitment of not borrowing money from banks.

It is enlightening to understand the ways different companies have adapted to the difficult economy in order to survive, and it brings hope that they will excel themselves once the economy has recovered. With the New Year there is new hope, and all of us in the NCM office wish only the best for all within the industry in the coming year and beyond.

Features Manager Anthony Hamilton Michaela Henson Joanne Cowan

Features Manager - Scotland Kimberley Richardson Stacey Aitcheson

Editor Sabeeha Coates

Design and Artwork Mark Alsop

Admin Beverley Wood

Publisher Mohammed Faraz Steve Rushworth

S&S Publishing Ltd T/A National Construction Magazine UK

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EDITORS NOTE

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CONTENTS

AIRCONCO PG 15

C & B SYSTEMS PG 12

AHMARRA PG 8

FLOORING CO PG 18

JOHN ANTHONY SIGNS PG 20

LAIDLAW CONTRACTS PG 24

BARCLAYS PG 32

RAMSDENS PG 38

STANHOPE PG 27

DECATHLON PG 34

T MITCHELL & CO PG 44

NSI PG 30

FIAT PG 36

TEC CONSTRUCTION PG 48

TIS WORKWEAR PG 54

ULTRASYNTEC PG 56

JOHN ANTHONY SIGNS PG 20

FIAT DOBLO PG 36

AHMARRA - PG 8

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CONTENTS

LEE BROTHERS PG 61

JCB PG 68

ASA SCAFFOLDING PG 58

TEC CONSTRUCTION PG 48

ULTRASYNTEC PG 56

T MITCHELL & CO PG 44

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UNIvERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE GIvES APPROvAL FOR PHASE ONE OF NORTH WEST CAMBRIDGE DEvELOPMENT

THE governing body of the University of Cambridge, Regent House, has given formal approval for the commencement of the first phase of the North West Cambridge development.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor Jeremy Sanders welcomed the decision. “The North West Cambridge development is a major part of the University’s long term future. It will provide much of the residential and research accommodation that the University needs as it grows over the next 20 years. Attracting world-class academics, researchers and research partners is vital if the University is to retain its world-class position. Being able to provide high-quality, affordable housing in a thriving community will be an important element of our attraction to staff and students, and Phase One of the development focuses on this immediate need. The endorsement of the University’s Regent House illustrates the positive commitment that members from across the University and Colleges have towards the continuing success of Cambridge and

the wider city region.”

In August 2012 the three local authorities involved resolved to grant outline planning permission for a mixed-use development on the 150-hectare site of University owned farmland in the North West quadrant of the city, subject to the signing of a Section 106 legal agreement, planning conditions and reserved matters approvals.

Subject to the approval by the local planning authorities, work on infrastructure will start later in 2013, and the first buildings will be completed from late 2015.

PRIvATE SECTOR HOUSE BUILDING STABLE IN 2012, DESPITE OvERALL DECLINEAccording to latest NHBC data

FIGURES released in January from NHBC indicate that the overall level of house building declined during 2012 with 104,510 new homes registered during 2012; a 9% decrease on 2011 (114,930). This decline was entirely contributable to public sector housing registrations which dropped from 36,680 in 2011, to 26,390 in 2012.

However, the level of private house building in the UK was stable during 2012, with 78,120 new homes registered, compared to 78,250 in 2011.

Commenting on the annual statistics for 2012, NHBC Commercial Director Richard Tamayo said: “In summary 2012 was a challenging year for the house building industry overall but ended on an encouraging note with Q4 figures 17% up on the same period for 2011. With Government-backed schemes such as NewBuy and Funding for Lending helping to increase mortgage availability, there are reasons to believe that 2013 may see the industry able to build on some of the positive momentum we saw towards the end of 2012, which does seem to

be carrying over into January.

“Nonetheless, with house-building volumes so far below the numbers desperately needed in the UK, this is clearly an issue that needs to remain at the heart of Government policy.”

HALIFAX DOUBLES UP AT 2013 MAB MORTGAGE LENDING AWARDSMORTGAGE Advice Bureau (MAB) has revealed the winners of its 2013 mortgage lending awards at its annual conference, held at Pride Park Stadium in Derby yesterday. Halifax was prominent among the business winners with recognition as ‘Best Lender for Service’ and ‘Best Overall Intermediary Lender’.

Nationwide was named ‘Best Lender for Intermediary Products’ and matched this achievement with an individual accolade for Simon Cockerill as ‘Best Business Development Manager’. The Mortgage Works was also among the successful lenders, securing the award of ‘Best Specialist Lender’.

Among the other business winners, Coreco was named ‘Top Business Partner’ with Brook FS recognised as the ‘Best Business for Protection Culture’.

This year’s MAB conference – with a theme of ‘Lucky 13’ – took an upbeat look at market prospects for the year and examined the improving health of the mortgage lending sector, along with emerging specialist and new build opportunities and developments at MAB.

The mood was one of optimism for 2013, following a year of growth for MAB as well as for the market as a whole. The appointed representative performance tables for 2012 show MAB among the three fastest growing networks in the country, having surpassed 500 advisers through a series of successful acquisitions.

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PROPERTY INDUSTRY WELCOMES OFFICES TO HOMES PLANTHE property industry has welcomed Government plans to introduce new permitted development rights to convert offices to homes without planning permission.

In a statement today Secretary of State Eric Pickles announced that proposals to ease the planning rules would go ahead following consultation last year.

The British Property Federation said the move towards greater flexibility, long-supported by landlords, would boost housing supply and bring vacant property back in to use.

Ian Fletcher, director of policy at the British Property Federation, said: “Given our acute shortage of homes this is an extremely welcome step.

“Office to residential conversions won’t work for all buildings, or in every area, but any trip through our suburbs soon exposes redundant office space that with the best will in the world is never going to be brought back into commercial use.

“Such conversions will be good for those seeking homes, the wider community and local authorities, who will gain from the New Homes Bonus and council tax receipts that occupation generates.

“However, will need to see further detail on how ‘local exceptions’ schemes will work. Any exemptions should be few and far between, and this aspect will need to be tightly drawn and policed if it is not to undermine the overall policy objective.”

COST OF GOvERNMENT GREEN MEASURES FOR PRIvATE RENTED SECTOR LANDLORDS REvEALED LANDLORDS are urged to consider what works may be required to improve their property’s EPC ratings sooner rather than later, to stay ahead of planned regulation.

Research provided by the BPF and Energy Saving Trust has shown that the cost of improving a typical F rated property to an E rating – which is likely to be the minimum standard for private rentals from 2018 – ranges from just £100 up to £660. However, improving

the property to the highest possible EPC rating could cost almost £20,000.

With December’s census revealing home ownership had fallen for the first time since records began and the number renting from a landlord doubling to 3.6 million homes, improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector will be key in helping to meet the Government’s climate change obligations.

With this in mind the British Property Federation and the Energy Saving Trust today published a free guide explaining how landlords can plan and fund improvements to help ensure their investment will be lettable from 2018.

To meet the Government’s energy efficiency rules, the guide reveals a typical:

• one bedroom Victorian mid-terrace converted flat will cost £659 to improve from an F to an E rated EPC, but £11,182 to improve from an F to a C rated EPC;

• two bedroom 1970s flat will cost £150 to improve from an F to an E rated EPC, but £14,927 to improve to a C rated EPC;

• two bedroom end-terrace Victorian house will cost £245 to improve from an F to an E rated EPC, but £19,586 to a B rated EPC (excluding earnings from feed-in tariffs);

• three bedroom mid-century semi-detached house will cost £100 to improve from an F to an E rated EPC, but £13,154 to improve to a B rated EPC (excluding feed-in tariffs).

HILSON MORAN APPOINTS NEW NON-EXECUTIvE CHAIRMANLEADING international multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy Hilson Moran, has appointed Chris Balch as non-Executive Chairman.

Chris is an expert in planning, development and regeneration. He will undertake his new role with Hilson Moran alongside his current position of Professor of Planning at Plymouth University, where he is Chair of the Management Board for the Institute for Sustainable Solutions Research (ISSR). Previously, he held various senior positions at DTZ, which culminated in the role of Managing Director UK & Ireland.

Chris’s professional experience includes the development and funding of complex and large scale projects. He has been involved in millennium projects such as the Lowry in Salford, The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the Odyssey project in Belfast. He was Chair of the Basildon Renaissance Partnership and contributed to planning, economic and development strategies for major transportation and infrastructure projects, such as the East London River Crossing and the Channel Tunnel rail link. His international experience includes advising on the Dubai International Finance Centre and the National Plan for Bahrain.

Chris Plummer, Managing Director of Hilson Moran, said: “Hilson Moran is a substantial organisation and we see the commercial advantage in having a non-Executive Chairman with broad experience in the property industry. Increasingly, our work is focused on the early stages of projects, assisting clients with developing strategies and masterplanning, and Chris’s unique blend of commercial acumen and academic expertise will assist us in enhancing our service offering to clients, as well as complementing perfectly the existing skills of our board”.

Chris Balch said: “Hilson Moran is an exceptional firm with a great reputation for providing high quality services to its clients, and has a track record of creating exceptional buildings. I look forward to working with them and to contributing to the company’s continuing growth and diversification”.

CONSTRUCTION GIANT BUILDS NEW PARTNERSHIP Willmott Dixon selects Anglia Ruskin to deliver leadership programme for managers.

ANGLIA Ruskin University has joined forces with Willmott Dixon to launch a Learning Academy for Leaders at the company’s purpose-built training centre in Basingstoke.

Willmott Dixon, one of the UK’s largest privately-owned capital works, regeneration and support service companies, chose Anglia Ruskin ahead of five other universities to validate its internal course for future leaders, the Management Development Level (MDL) 3 programme.

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The partnership allows senior managers on the MDL3 programme to accrue credits to progress to the MA in Leadership course, starting with the Postgraduate Certificate. These programmes will be delivered by academics from Anglia Ruskin’s Lord Ashcroft International Business School.

Founded in 1852, Willmott Dixon has grown to become one of the country’s most recognisable brands for the built environment with over 3,000 employees and a turnover in 2011 of over £1 billion.

The company invests around £2 million on training and development each year, providing an average of four and a half training days per employee compared to an industry average of two days. Around 40 Willmott Dixon managers are enrolled on to the MDL3 each year.

Rick Willmott, Group Chief Executive, said: “Staff development is a huge part of what our company is about. We’ve recognised that for many years the best place to grow talent is from within the business.

“Partnering with Anglia Ruskin University is a significant step for us. We chose them because they support the core values of our company and I know they will strengthen our internal programmes.”

MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION INSOLvENCIES TOP 9,000 SINCE 2011 There have been 9,153 insolvencies in construction and manufacturing since Q1 2011 PwC figures reveal, although the two sectors did see a fall in the last quarter.

In Q4 of 2012 (October to December) there were 12 per cent fewer insolvencies in construction than the previous quarter and it was the lowest quarter for insolvencies in the sector across the two-year period. London remained the region with the highest number, 125, although even this was 5.3 per cent fewer than the previous quarter. The 5,580 overall construction insolvencies for the entire period included 1,559 for general construction/civil engineering firms and 373 were plumbing firms.

Q4 for manufacturing was slightly better at 425, but this was 5.7 per cent up on

the same quarter last year. The regions most affected in the last three months of 2012 include the North East & Cumbria which suffered 23 in Q4 2012 compared to 11 the previous quarter.

Despite a better Q4 construction and manufacturing remain two of the worst affected sectors across the board to suffer from insolvencies.

Jonathan Hook, PwC’s Engineering & Construction leader, said: “Whilst there has been a decline in the number of insolvencies over the last quarter the industry remains under severe pricing and cash flow pressure. I anticipate further failures in the supply chain over the coming period with the first half of this year being the peak point for failures in the sector.”

Of the 3,573 manufacturing sector insolvencies since January 2011, 983 were industrial manufacturing firms with the rest including automotive, aerospace and defence, chemicals, metals, transport and logistics and consumer goods manufacturers.

Philip Hines, PwC Deals & Industrial Products partner, said: “The reduction in manufacturing insolvencies is encouraging but with rising raw material costs and no imminent signs of a material economic recovery, the outlook remains tough for those companies already experiencing financial stress.”

FORREST AND BOLTON AT HOME RELATIONSHIP BLOSSOMS WITH £70M PARTNERSHIP SOCIAL housing regeneration specialist Forrest has cemented its relationship with Bolton at Home by securing a £70 million refurbishment and maintenance contract.

The 10-year partnership incorporates the capital improvement of 18,000 households across Bolton and includes the installation and repair of bathrooms and kitchens, electrical upgrades and rewiring, central heating and boiler renewal, external refurbishment and infrastructure works.

Forrest’s relationship with Bolton at Home dates back to the early 1990s when Forrest was first engaged on improvement works.

Over the last two years, and as part of its ongoing commitment to Bolton, Forrest has invested heavily in the area and in 2011 opened a new 22,000 sq foot operational hub near to the Reebok Stadium.

Jim Higham, Bolton at Home’s Director of Technical Services, said: “Over the years, Bolton at Home and Forrest have developed a solid partnership through working together to deliver our capital works programme. I’m delighted that with this latest appointment, we have the opportunity to build on our relationship for the benefit of our customers and communities.”

Jon Lord, Chief Executive of Bolton at Home, said: “We’re happy to be partnering with Forrest, which has proved itself to be a good partner in the past. I’m sure that together we can continue to improve the living standards of our tenants.”

Lee McCarren, Chief Executive of Forrest, added: “Fostering long-term partnerships is the bedrock of our business and this latest agreement with Bolton at Home is testament to the strength of the relationship between the two organisations which has been established for many years now.

“Bolton and Greater Manchester are a key geographic area for us too, where we’ve made significant investments into creating new jobs and apprenticeships since we opened our regional operations hub in the town in 2011.

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AHMARRA CELEBRATING 20 YEARSIN 2012, Ahmarra celebrated their 20th Anniversary. We caught up with MD Tim Doran to find out their secrets for success.

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CAN YOU GIvE ME SOME HISTORY AND BACKGROUND INTO THE COMPANY / ORGANISATION?The Ahmarra group of companies consists of Ahmarra Door Solutions Ltd, a specialist manufacturer of timber doorsets, Ahmarra Door Installations, which services the airport contracts, and Ahmarra Installations Ltd, a specialist joinery contractor concentrating on the luxury hotel sector.

Our customer base is drawn from the hotel, airport, commercial, health, education, heritage, leisure and luxury homes markets, within London and the South East.

A family-owned and run business, Ahmarra celebrated its 20-year anniversary in 2012. In 2001 the company moved to its current facility in Farlington and has since grown steadily with a strong order book, notably from airports, hotels and schools.

Ahmarra Door Solutions prides itself on its quality door manufacturing credentials. This has enabled us to attract and retain blue-chip customers, such as Grange Hotels, Balfour Beatty Construction and BAA (the UK airport operator).

HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THE COMPANY EMPLOY?The company employs 42 people, 20 of whom are engaged full-time in the factory workshop. In addition, the installation projects also sub-contract up to an additional 30 skilled workers.

WHAT IS YOUR ANNUAL TURNOvER?The annual turnover of the Ahmarra group of companies is approaching £6m.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT IT ENTAILS?As Managing Director and majority shareholder, I oversee all aspects of the company. I don’t consider myself a “Corporate Director” and I am very much hands-on. My desk is in the main office, I wear the Ahmarra staff uniform and you are more likely to find me in the factory than on the golf course.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANS? Research and development is key to our future success and we will continue to invest in this area. We are currently developing a number of innovations in door manufacturing such as specialised facings for fire doors as well as technical innovations such as BIM drawings. We have recently developed a relationship with Portsmouth University with a view to utilising their expertise and experience.

IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE KEY AMBITION OF THE COMPANY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? To be the UK’s leading doorset manufacturer, delivering value through excellence in design, quality and customer service

WHAT ARE SOME MAJOR MILESTONES AND ACHIEvEMENTS OF THE COMPANY? In 2006, Ahmarra Door Installations were selected to be BAA Framework Suppliers. To qualify we had to invest heavily in the construction of airport doorsets, and created a technical catalogue of nearly 300 standard door types. Since then we have manufactured and installed over 3,000 fire-rated doorsets at UK airports, specifically at Heathrow and Gatwick.

We can also proudly claim that we are on the supply chain for 8 out of the Top 10 Construction Companies.

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WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER COMPANIES IN YOUR FIELD? Over the last 20 years the Ahmarra group has focused on providing our customers with the quality of service that we should all expect from our suppliers. Our ability to provide this level of service ensures that our customers return time and time again.

Our aim is to make the entire process as simple and practical as possible, using a combination of robust processes and effective data management. Years of experience go towards successfully managing any size of project.

We are fortunate that as an SME, we can often be more flexible in response to short lead times and to low volume, tailored projects against our larger competitors.

Impending changes in the way doorsets are certified will mean that more customers will appreciate the peace of mind afforded from dealing with a single company for manufacture and installation of their doorsets. We are one of the few specialist door manufacturers who can also offer an installation service with the ability to certify every aspect of the performance of a doorset.

We have manufactured doors for the majority of the UK’s leading construction companies. This involves continually undergoing rigorous pre-qualification questionnaires including such issues as health & safety, quality control and sustainability.

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THE RECESSION / HOW HAvE YOU COPED? Fortunately many of the sectors that we work in have not experienced major downturns and we have also benefited from positive factors such as hotels being built for the Olympics. However, we have undoubtedly had to work hard to win orders in a very competitive marketplace but I think our reputation for quality door manufacturing and delivering on our promises has helped us through the difficult times.

How do you roll out your health and safety policy?

All employees receive on going health and safety training and we have

undergone comprehensive audits and rigorous reviews of our Health & Safety, HR and Environmental processes by external organisations such as CHAS and Achilles and of course our clients through the PQQ process. Our quality practices and procedures are also externally audited by BM Trada to ensure we maintain our British Standards BS EN ISO 9001:2008 certification.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THE ENvIRONMENT? We have excellent environmental credentials in terms of FSC/PEFC certification, which has enabled us to meet the supply chain criteria for many of the UK’s largest companies.

We have also taken this a step further and have launched a new Tree Planting Project for our local community. We will plant a new tree for every FSC or PEFC door that our customers order. This will mean that by the end of 2013, Ahmarra would have planted thousands of new trees with the help of a number of local community projects including Motiv8. As fully certified members of the FSC and PEFC schemes, Ahmarra are committed to using sustainable materials and reducing the impact of what we do on the environment and we hope our new tree planting scheme will only enforce our commitment to help sustaining the earth’s natural resources.

WHAT TRAINING AND BENEFITS DO YOUR STAFF RECEIvE? As a business that is accredited by “Investors in People” we recognise the need to engage our staff through continuous training both in-house and

through local external learning facilities. Recent training includes Health & Safety, HR, Computer Technology, Marketing and CAD Design. As we celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2012, staff were treated to a family BBQ in August and also a very enjoyable two-night luxury cruise break over the Christmas holidays as a recognition of their hard work. through local external learning facilities. Recent training includes Health & Safety, HR, Computer Technology, Marketing and CAD Design. As we celebrated our 20th anniversary in 2012, staff were treated to a family BBQ in August and also a very enjoyable two-night luxury cruise break over the Christmas holidays as a recognition of their hard work.

IS THE COMPANY FAMILY RUN? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIS? We are a family business, my wife and three sons work for the company and we pride ourselves on developing long-term relationships with our clients, suppliers and staff. Many of our staff have been with us from the start and there is a definite attitude of “we are in this together” which extends to all our staff.

Being a family business allows us to be flexible and to make fast decisions but we understand that our reputation is on the line every day and we always try to take a long-term view to ensure the longevity of the company. These are exciting times for the company and we look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDWe work with some great companies that for part of the process of making us successful. These include Rojac Engineering and Lorient Pollyproducts.

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PROvIDING PRACTICAL, QUALITY SOLUTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL SANITARY WARE LOCATIONSFrom birthing pools to ablution facilities for religious routines, C & B Systems cover all areas within the specialist field of designing, supplying and installing sanitary ware within the contracts market specialising in Healthcare.

Established more than 18 years ago in 1994, the business was set up by Mark Collins and Steve Bennett, who already had between them 20 years of experience within the field. Since then, the company has completed work for a wide variety of clients, both public and commercial but specifying in Healthcare.

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PROJECTSAmong the many projects they have completed, C & B have been involved in work within many leading UK Hospitals, with clients like Carillion Construction and Laing O’Rourke and many School Projects. The company offer a wide range of products and services as well as technical support, assisting clients in navigating through the wealth of guidance notes and regulations as well as an installation service.

Working throughout the UK, the company have a number of projects currently underway including a large hospital in Dunbarton, Scotland, St Bartholomew’s Hospital and The London Hospital in London, a college near Liverpool and another large hospital in Bristol. C & B strive to ensure all project’s get evenly distributed attention, although as a business C & B have found that Scotland has provided a disproportionate amount of business.

“It seems that Scotland gives much more attention to the quality of the water used in hospitals than other area of the union although all areas seem to miss some key factors. An example would be the governments’ incentive to contractors to use less water via the BREEM scheme. C & B have found that if you slow the water within pipes by using less you create a canal like stagnant swamp where bio film can grow, which is unhealthy and clings to different pipes in different ways. The Bio film is the home for all sorts of nasty bugs. Both temperature control and the speed of water are important when considering clean healthy water. Scotland does not permit the use of copper pipes within hospitals in order to stop the acidic corrosion of the pipe and so stainless steel and plastic are used as alternatives,” says Mark.

SUPPLYING AND MAINTAINING QUALITY WATERAlthough C & B Systems are a business, the company have a regard for the way their designs and products will affect the quality of the water being delivered. ‘While many see what we do as controversial, Mark is adamant that there is enough water in the country, but privatisation and building on old reservoirs has led to mismanagement, resulting in the supposed ‘water-shortages’.

“Good, clean, healthy water relies on speed in volumes. Anything that slows water down is in direct conflict with healthy water. If you use less water you are increasing the potential for water to become unhealthy,” explains Mark. The nature of the work C & B carry out requires an in-depth knowledge of water, taps and pipes, and it is clear that Mark possesses this to a very impressive degree.

Mark is completely against the government’s policy of giving tax rebates for implementing ecological solutions affecting water, is he sees this as encouragement to use less water without looking at the consequences.

“It is fair to say that using less water makes water useless,” comments Mark. “Water management is a far more important area that needs to be researched because water cannot really be used, we just interrupt its passage from the sea, through evaporation, rain etc and so it recycles all on its own. The country could do with an authoritative body looking at this subject”.

Chemical cleaners are another topic Mark feels passionately about. For the inside of pipes, he recommends using just very hot water to clean them out before use. Chemical additives unless researched properly and mixed correctly at the correct temperatures can cause all sorts of potential problems. As for contemporary products such as hand sanitisers, soaps and detergents commonly used in hospitals, Mark explains that while these do not have any adverse effects on skin or chinaware, they do attack the fixed items such as panels, floors, etc. These secondary effects can cause an imbalance and result in the opposite effect than the one intended. Warm soapy water is his solution, as he believes it cleans away just a many germs as the sanitisers do.

Mark advises that people should “use lots of water, keep it flowing and add fewer things to it”.

THE BUSINESSSo how does all the above information tie in with C & B? According to Mark, the company do not class themselves as moralists. Rather, they are trying to run a successful business within the market. It is this, coupled with their decision not to borrow money from banks and have the least possible bank involvement that has lead to successful management of the recession that and the slow death of capitalism.

“Sometimes a client asks for a bond on a project, but we won’t do this because we have no bank involvement. We do not issue bonds or any other type of financial arrangements. To be honest, I would rather revert or progress to trading in goats” jokes Mark.

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Over the years, the company have identified a number of key milestones.

• Finding a successful profitable way of working with large, key contactors

• Being able to achieve repeat order business as a result of quality products and installations

• Establishing a team of core international suppliers (British, French and German) who permit design input from C & B in order to provide the market with improved products.

• Developing a strong attention to detail and account management, enabling the company to navigate through the difficult economy.

Along with co-director Steve and C & B’s site-based manager, Mark works hard to ensure that all employees and subcontractors have the correct accreditations and training. Additionally, they deliver regular toolbox talks and training sessions for the job.

“We try to take everything very seriously, at the same time ensuring that we don’t loose our humanity and we also try to have fun along the way,” concluded Mark

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WEATHER RECESSION ONLY MAKES AIRCONCO STRONGERWE spoke to Richard Salmon from Airconco to learn more about their current plans and the effects the recession has had on business.

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CAN YOU GIvE ME SOME HISTORY AND BACKGROUND INTO THE COMPANY/ORGANISATION?Trading began in the early 1980s although The Air Conditioning Company was formally established in 1986 when entrepreneur and television personality Jeffrey Salmon saw a gap in the market for portable air conditioner sales and short-term hires. Over the next three decades The Air Conditioning Company grew to become the largest (and friendliest) air conditioning company in the United Kingdom. Readers may remember the famous Cucumberman adverts of the 90s voiced by Mr Salmon himself. Toward the end of the 1990s, we added a fitted or fixed air conditioning arm to the company in response to what were some very unusual weather patterns and record-breaking summer temperatures. This fitted air conditioning arm grew faster than anyone could have anticipated and soon overtook the portable air conditioning business. With the rapid (yet careful) expansion of the company, The Air Conditioning Company soon outgrew its Highgate premises leading to the purchase of a large office and warehouse facility in Mill Hill where we are still based today.

Today many people with be familiar with our fleet of blue-liveried Air Conditioning Company vans around London providing a full installation and maintenance service to thousands of satisfied customers.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY?Unlike many ‘one-man-and-van’ air conditioning companies, we have 19 full time members of staff including our very knowledgeable sales team, engineers, surveyors providing free surveys for fitted air conditioning, service and maintenance staff as well as apprentices. At The Air Conditioning Company we actively support the apprentice placement program. We are however not being entirely altruistic in our support of this program; we know that by nurturing the next generation of engineers and carefully monitoring their progress, we can have the pick of the best air conditioning engineers when they graduate from their current training programs.

WHAT IS YOUR ANNUAL TURNOvER?We don’t generally discuss turnover but we can say that despite these harsh economic times and the worst summer on record, we are continuing with year on year growth at a very satisfactory rate.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT IT ENTAILS?Everyone who works at The Air Conditioning Company can multitask; while our sales staff may not be able to fit an air conditioning system and our engineers are not necessarily the best sales staff, we can all do almost everything from initial enquiries and quotations to surveys to arranging finance options to the final installation and project management. Indeed, one of our largest contracts was brought to us by one of our engineers and one of our biggest surveys was conducted by our MD. We don’t want our people to be Jacks of all trades but we do want everyone to have a thorough understanding of each role within our organization.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANS? Our current plans are to grow our business steadily, in much the same way we have over the past 30 years. We have seen too many businesses trying to grow too quickly and failing. Too many air conditioning companies have also closed up shop over the past two or three years or laid off staff as they have not been able to cope with the terrible summers. We have an enviable and well-deserved reputation within the industry and with our clients and we have no intention of going anywhere. As one of the few (or possibly only!) air conditioning companies offering a seven year warranty on our equipment, we have an obligation to be around for many years to come.

IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE KEY AMBITION OF THE COMPANY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? To remain as the friendliest air conditioning company in the land as well

as being considered the authority on all things Air Conditioning.

WHAT ARE SOME MAJOR MILESTONES AND ACHIEvEMENTS OF THE COMPANY? We were approached by The British Olympic (and Paralympic) Association to provide a substantial air conditioning solution for hundreds of athletes bedrooms. Many people have cited us as one of the main reasons for the successes of Team GB.

We have supplied everyone from Buckingham Palace to the BBC. We are also proud suppliers to the armed forces, with many of our units being shipped to Afghanistan and Iraq.

WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER COMPANIES IN YOUR FIELD?Apart from being the friendliest company? We believe we are unique in the air conditioning field in that we have been around for years, we offer a full installation and ongoing maintenance service and we believe our engineers are the best in the business. Indeed, we have such faith in the equipment we install and in the quality and work of our engineers, that we probably the only air conditioning company in the universe to offer a seven year warranty on our equipment. We are backing this longer warranty, not the manufacturers, as it exceeds even the best manufacturer’s warranty available!

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WHAT HAS HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THE RECESSION/HOW HAvE YOU COPED?Our recession has actually been a ‘weather recession’ with no hot summers since 2006. When times are bad, many companies shed jobs or even pull the plug and close down. We believe it is better to keep your staff and remain loyal to them as this loyalty will be returned with interest. We have also had to become leaner and more efficient so as not to have to make people redundant; not only does this help during the ‘bad’ times but it means you can reap the rewards when things pick up. We have also instituted changes to how we operate, whether it be through weighing up the benefits of ‘Just in Time’ ordering to help cash flow versus bulk buying to get better prices or a combination of both. Each member of staff has ‘bought in’ to the company and treats it as if it were their own business; as such, they are extremely conscious about costs and constantly monitor supplier prices to ensure that we are buying at the best possible prices, without ever compromising on quality. But no matter how bad things have been and how bad they will get, we always have one customer who won’t let us down and that is our ‘repeat’ customer. We have a huge repeat business and customer referral business which can only come from providing an outstanding service. You only have to look at our customer list to see some of the biggest and best known brands and blue chips who have made use of our services.

HOW DO YOU ROLL OUT YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY?We have two members of staff responsible for Health and Safety within the company and ensuring that certificates and training are kept up to date. We also ensure that all our staff receive all the necessary training to do their jobs safely! We allocate specific training days whether it be for First Aid training, Ladder Safety, Lifting, Forklift driving, etc. We are very pleased with our safety record and have not had any serious injuries within the workplace since trading began.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THE ENvIRONMENT?We don’t waste! Any unused kit or equipment is recycled, reconditioned or re-used. We also actively encourage customers to convert from the now out-of-date R22 Gas systems to more environmentally friendly R410A Gas systems. We also promote the use of Inverter systems (we very rarely fit non-inverter systems) which are far more efficient and use less power than standard air conditioning systems. A recent development in the industry is air source heating and ground source heating which are extremely efficient ways of heating houses or businesses. This technology is still in its infancy, but we are actively involved in it and intend to start providing these systems in the very near future. To give you an example of how efficient they are, for every kW of energy they draw, they provide 4 kW of heating. That is four times more efficient than some of the best systems on the market today.

WHAT TRAINING AND BENEFITS DO YOUR STAFF RECEIvE?Apart from ongoing Health & Safety training, we work very closely with our suppliers and the main equipment manufacturers who provide ongoing training for both technical and non-technical staff. We actively encourage the continuous professional development of our team and the company pays for all training course for the staff. We believe that well-trained employees are happier and more efficient.

IS THE COMPANY FAMILY RUN? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THIS? We are not strictly a family run business but we do have two generations of the Salmon family involved as well as an incredibly loyal workforce.

One of the most important things is having a happy workforce. We ONLY employ friendly and enthusiastic people, we want all our team to look forward to coming to work. We empower everyone to make them feel part of the grand scheme. It has not been unknown to even ask our apprentices into board meetings, which helps us gain a different perspective on how we run our company.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? If you are looking for a cooling or heating solution – you know where to come!

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HEALTH AND SAFETY KEY AT THE FLOORING CO LTDATTENTION to detail and excellent customer service is what stands out to clients of The Flooring Co. Formed in 2007, the Flooring Co Ltd is a well-established firm of floor layers and flooring suppliers, with over 20 years of experience in commercial and domestic fields. The MD has over 20 years of industry experience coupled with an extensive knowledge of quality products and site environments.

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SERvICESWith a wealth of knowledge and experience pertaining to all aspects of flooring among their staff members and subcontractors, the company are able to supply, fit and maintain all types such as Altro, Polyflor, Amtico, Gradus, linoleum, vinyl, carpet tiles, naturals, solid and engineered wooden floors and polished concrete, among others.

Additionally, The Flooring Co are key distributors for Kahrs and Junkers hardwood flooring systems and specialise in renovating, sanding and refinishing wooden floors. As part of their Altro Safety Flooring, they are approved installers of Altro Whiterock and can supply and install hygienic decorative wall cladding systems.

Over the years The Flooring Co Ltd has been maintained as an in dividual firm of professional flooring experts with qualified fitters and an emphasis on attention to detail. They strive for personal customer service and after care whilst maintaining a competitive price. Their working processes ensure that they meet the highest of standards at all times.

PROJECTSMost recently, the company has completed a project on behalf of Simons Construction in Stirling, Scotland for DFS Stores – one of several DFS Stores they have worked on. Others so far completed were in Lincoln, Stockport & Tottenham Court Road

Among other notable projects, the company has worked with Mansell Construction to provide quality flooring for a private health care hospital in Brighton with a project value of £280K using Gerflor and Marmoleum materials

The Flooring Co Ltd has worked with many well known companies such as Marks & Spencer, DFS, ASK, Nandos, Co-operative, Vodafone, Pizza Hut, Sotheby’s, Primark and many more. They also contract for schools, hospitals, care homes, local authorities and throughout the building industry, all of which can be approached upon request to offer statements of satisfaction.

HEALTH AND SAFETYThe company has worked hard to achieve its ISO9001 status and is CHAS accredited. They pride themselves on their exemplary Health and Safety record. Additionally, they are members of CFA, Constructionline and Exor.

LOOKING FORWARDThe Flooring Co are expanding the range of services they can offer their customers/clients – including polished concrete flooring and a range of natural carpets and floor coverings. They pride themselves on their attention to detail and strive for excellent customer service and after care, whilst maintaining a competitive price.

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EXPERT KNOWLEDGE DELIvEREDWORKING in more than 50 different countries, John Anthony Signs were established in 1969 and have been working from their manufacturing plant in Rayleigh, Essex ever since.

Originally the company worked predominantly within the retail sector, but have since expanded and diversified. Today they provide high quality signage to all market sectors. With a reputation for delivering an efficient and cost-effective service, the company pride themselves on offering clients the quality their brand deserves.

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BESPOKE SOLUTIONSAs a bespoke sign manufacturer, all signs are made to order to match the requirements of the client. The company manufacture in metal using aluminium or ACM sheets and acrylics. They also offer a spraying service, electrical assembly for LEDs, digital printing and computer cut vinyl. Majority of the work is completed in-house at their fully equipped manufacturing plant before being shipped to clients within the UK and worldwide.

With more than 40 years of experience, the company have trusted relations with bluechip companies around the world. They offer clients a one-stop shop from consultative advice and CAD design through to professional installation. They have been proven to have the expertise and flexibility to complete jobs that other companies turn away.

The core values at John Anthony Signs

are “quality, service and flexibility”, and keeping to these ideals has allowed the company to double in size within the last ten years, as well as re-establish themselves with a new corporate identity and branding.

It is a testament to their 57 professional and friendly workers that John Anthony Signs have managed to continue doing well through the recession despite a drop in profits. Working with leading companies including BTMK Solicitors, Genesis Risk Solutions Ltd and Vink Lighting has further addedd to their success and quality. Although their prices are not the “cheapest”, the company are adamant that they offer competitive value for money, and it is this value that has been recognised by bigger brands that continued doing well through the difficult economy.

EXPORT Among their clientele, the company complete work for a number of large companies abroad, particularly within the Middle East. In 2011, 33 per cent of their work was shipped abroad, and they are looking to further increase that amount.

“In countries like Kuwait, the UAE, Oman and Qatar, companies find it difficult to find the quality we offer, so they bring their business to the UK. There are huge investments being made in those countries, and we offer them the quality their brand deserves. They are

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also prepared to pay the right price, and we are making a more sensible margin than locally. For us, expansion in this area particularly will be a lot more profitable,” explains David Fagg, Sales and Marketing Director.

“The depth of the recession has taken everyone by surprise, and we have had an intrinsic desire to survive. We are proud of our brand and in the coming months we hope to strengthen

our business and continue to open new markets in the Middle East and Globally”.

It is hardly surprising that so many large international businesses flock to John Anthony Signs. Their handpicked quality suppliers coupled with their flexibility in type, time and place has ensured they remain leading specialists within their field.

As the company website aptly quotes: “The bitterness of low quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” ~Benjamin Franklin

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ROYAL SERvICE OFFERED BY LAIDLAWWE spoke to Norman Laidlaw from Laidlaw Contracts, sister company to James Erskine Interiors.

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CAN YOU GIvE ME SOME HISTORY AND BACKGROUND INTO THE COMPANY / ORGANISATION?Laidlaw Contracts has been established since 1980, and our sister company James Erskine Interiors, which focuses on the domestic side of our business, has been established since 1919. In the past we’ve not only made Barratt Homes homelier with carpeting from Stornoway to Dumfries, Glasgow to Edinburgh, we’ve made social clubs more sociable, hotels more hospitable and kept floors healthy with the Lothian Health Board maintenance contract. We’ve also brightened academic life with carpets and curtains at Heriot-Watt University and put our name up in lights by dramatically renewing the fabric and seating of the Musselburgh’s Brunton Hall Civic Theatre. All of which you’d think would be enough to go on with, except that we’ve given Peter Ustinov a re-seated chaise-longue to lie on, Pope John Paul II a special cushion to sit on and Her Majesty the Queen curtains to open and close.

APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY?12 full time with a range of sub-contractors from plumbers and electricians to builders and painters, including floor-layers and upholsterers.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT IT ENTAILS?As managing director I oversee all quotations and jobs that are carried out by my staff however I like to remain hands on and still quote and co-ordinate jobs myself on a regular basis.

ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC CHALLENGES IN YOUR INDUSTRY?Along with many other industries the current economic climate has been a challenge for all businesses in the last few years; however we are happy to be pushing through thanks to our loyal customer base. There is also the challenge of getting that right compromise between quality and price. We pride ourselves on providing the best possible quality for a reasonable and fair price. We may not always be the cheapest – but we strive to be the best and give the best value for money. Remember what John Ruskin said about service and value;

“It is unwise to pay too much, but it’s more unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can’t be done.”

“If you deal with the lowest bidder, it’s well to add something for the risk you take. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.”

John Ruskin, 1819 – 1900 Critic, Essayist, Reformer.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANS?It is all go for Laidlaw Contracts and James Erskine Interiors at the minute as we are in the process of finalising paper work on our new retail unit at Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre which is to open early 2013, and we are creating our own hundred page catalogue, which is set to be available to the public in February 2013. We are also looking forward to the 100-year anniversary of James Erskine’s in 2019, which is set to be a big year for both companies. At the moment we are getting ready for this by arranging a full year of celebrations with something different happening every month. In one month we will have the staff dressed up in 1919 clothes and outfits!

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WHAT ARE SOME MAJOR MILESTONES AND ACHIEvEMENTS OF THE COMPANY?We have recently been awarded the Green Apple award for our efforts toward creating a greener environment. We were really proud that our environmental efforts were recognised and we were privileged to receive the award at the Edinburgh Castle Ceremony. The reason for the award was that we attempt to keep both the environment and local community in mind when we’re carrying out our refurbishment services. Working alongside local organisations such as Four Square (http://www.foursquare.org.uk/) and Bethany Christian Trust (http://www.bethanychristiantrust.com/), we can offer businesses a unique free removal service if they’re having new carpet/flooring fitted or are purchasing new furniture. Instead of their old carpet or furnishings being discarded completely, we will remove these items free of charge. These items will then be donated to charities that furnish homes for vulnerable individuals and those who have been made homeless and move into an unfurnished flat.

WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER COMPANIES IN YOUR FIELD?Being a family business our personal, friendly service and continued commitment to meeting our customers needs sets us apart from our competitors. We continue to deliver our promises to customers by minimising disruption and keep a steady flow of communication open. We appreciate that the longer their business is closed for refurbishment, the bigger the dent in their books. That’s why we designed our services to save them time and money by minimising the disruption to their business.

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THE RECESSION / HOW HAvE YOU COPED?We firmly belief that our excellent service and loyal customers has helped us see this recession through.

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THE RECESSION / HOW HAvE YOU COPED?We ensure all staff have read and regularly refresh themselves with the health and safety manual.

DO YOU HAvE AN ENvIRONMENTAL POLICY? IF SO PLEASE GIvE A FEW DETAILSWe pride ourselves on our environmental efforts and as previously stated we have recently been awarded with a Green Apple Award due to our environmental efforts

WHAT TRAINING AND BENEFITS DO YOUR STAFF RECEIvE?We carry out on the job staff training and any staff who need specific training attend external training courses.

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HEREFORD REvITALISEDREGENERATION is at the heart of a project to develop the old livestock market in Hereford. Following a competitive developer pitch initiated by Herefordshire Council, Stanhope PLC was successful and commenced an extensive consultation and planning process, which has reached a crescendo opening the way for construction to begin.

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Stanhope PLC is a major London-based developer that has been in business approximately 30 years, with a host of major projects at its tail, including work at the Royal Opera House and the Tate Modern. Approximately six years ago the company saw the opportunity to diversify into retail through the sympathetic regeneration of towns and cities across the UK.

INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE“After identifying the opportunity for Hereford, we spent a lot of time working out how to best match the historical setting. People generally want to shop in places they feel comfortable in and are able to enjoy the architecture,” says Gary Bourne, Director at Stanhope.

“The most important aspect of this project is to try to integrate the redevelopment into the city of Hereford so that the entire city is a retail whole. The design has been carefully thought through.”

CONSULTATIONThe consultation process that preceded the finalised designs for Hereford was lengthy and comprehensive. Stanhope consulted largely with the local council, which culminated in a three-day exhibition in High-Town, Hereford. They received more than 600 feedback forms, which aided the design process.

“After spending three years talking to people on a one-to-one basis including representatives from the local cathedral, stallholders and workers at the cattle market, we were able to get a better view of what the locals envisioned,” explains Gary.

Consultation was substantial in Hereford, and in addition to the aforementioned also included local schools, the Art College and the School for the Blind. Getting young people’s opinions was particularly important to ensure the project remained both a community and economically viable one. Gary attributes the time and understanding of the place as the top reason for their success in Hereford.

TOWARDS COMPLETIONWith construction having begun in 2012, the target programme will see a 2014 completion. As it currently stands, the economic recession has meant that this is the only shopping complex in Britain scheduled for delivery in 2014.

Stanhope’s own resources funded the initial investment, which was worth millions, but the next stage will be funded by British Land PLC and will be a complete shopping scheme once completed.

“The spend will definitely be worthwhile. The investment made in Hereford will definitely be repaid. A dogged determination and tenacity is vital in the current climate. Long-term thinking has also been important, and of course we are lucky enough to have had the finances to see us through,” comments Gary.

“Our team has also been pivotal to success. For a project like this there are usually around 50 people from various disciplines involved, and chemistry is important. I am proud to have an excellent team who work well together.”

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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR HEREFORD?The redevelopment of Hereford, one of England’s oldest cities, will create a retail and leisure scheme that complements and adds to the historic city centre. Occupiers have already been attracted, and include Debenhams, Waitrose, Odeon, and a host of other new shops and restaurants. Old Market will also be able to accommodate 1000 vehicles with spacious car parking facilities.

“. The development is aimed at boosting the evening and tourist economies. It is what we like to call a community and economic project,” says Gary.

The development is set to bring hundreds of new jobs to Hereford and is hoped to stop a vast amount of retail spend elsewhere. Many people from the city usually travel out, but the development has brought a department store back to the city; the only previous department store closed four years ago. It is clear that the £90m investment is trying to bring local people back into the city.

WHERE TO FROM HERE?For Stanhope, Hereford is the start of an exciting run of projects. Its portfolio includes work in Salisbury and Gloucester, both historic places that will benefit from retail regeneration.

Stanhope are very keen to build on the success at Hereford and bring forward other opportunities in the coming months and years and want to find more retail opportunities within the UK. As a naturally ambitious company, they believe they take a novel approach to retail and want to integrate this in city centre locations. Stanhope see themselves as “city centre developers” and pride themselves on their ability to “mesh and weave projects into local fabric”.

www.stanhopeplc.com

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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PROvIDING UNRIvALLED ACCREDITAION TO SECURITY AND FIRE SECTORSCELEBRATING 40 years, NSI (National Security Inspectorate) was founded on the premise of raising industry standards and protecting the consumers. Although they have changed in many ways over the last 40 years, the fundamental principles for their existence remains as relevant today as they were back in 1971.

BACKGROUNDOriginally the NSI were founded as the National Supervisory Council for Intruder Alarms (NSCIA) and have had a few name changes along the way , including NACOSS, a brand name still

embedded in many of today’s contracts and specifications.

“The Fire and Security sectors are constantly evolving through British and European Standards and with legislation. To remain current, NSI has had to evolve its services accordingly,” says the NSI’s

Chris Pinder.

Having spent 13 years with the security industry trade association, Chris moved to NSI as Sales & Marketing Manager in 2010 and was promoted to the role of External Affairs Director in 2011.

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The two main aspects to his role are: 1) Even though they are a certification body with a role to independently inspect their approved companies, the NSI themselves are also inspected by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service). UKAS is the sole national accreditation body recognised by government to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services. With a very experienced and capable team at his side, Chris is responsible for managing the relationship with UKAS and ensuring the NSI’s continued accreditation.

The other key element to his role is ensuring the NSI portfolio of products and services keeps pace with a rapidly changing industry and ensuring they maintain a productive relationship with key industry stakeholders, specifiers and end-user groups.

AUDITSWith 305 Head Office staff and 31 expert auditors carrying out inspections for a portfolio of well over 1000 approved companies, the NSI’s audits are recognised as the most robust in the sector. For the consumer this provides added reassurance; for the approved companies it helps hone in on any weaker areas that they may wish to review.

The team of auditors are trained, skilled and qualified and many of them come from the fire and security industry, which means they have a thorough understanding of the industry and a sector expertise unrivalled by any of the NSI’s counterparts.

The company offers the widest portfolio of UKAS accredited services within the sector including EMS and H&S, allowing them to grow with their customers’ ambitions. Their brand reputation is second to none. The companies they approve are national, regional and local which means NSI approved companies provide trusted fire and security solutions to more end-users than any other fire and security sector specific certification body.

PLANS AND AMBITIONSOver the past year NSI have been focused on adding to their portfolio by gaining UKAS accreditation to enable

them to certify new areas such as Life Safety Fire Risk Assessment and Facilities Management. The company are also working towards accreditation for Emergency Lighting. Extending their product base is very much part of both their present and future plans.

“It is key that we ensure our products and services allows us to deliver NSI solutions to our Approved companies as and when their businesses evolve,” says Chris

The company’s vision statement is to be “the ultimate reassurance in security, fire and related facilities certification.”

MILESTONESHaving recently held an anniversary celebration aboard the HQS Wellington, the company have been able to reflect on their milestones over the 40 years of their existence:

• The number and quality of end-users specifying NSI in their tenders demonstrates how much they have achieved over the last 40 years.

• Checking down the list of NSI approved companies, it is clear that they have the vast majority of known industry players across all the disciplines they are active in. These, together with regional and local companies, mean they truly demonstrate that they are the leading certification body within their specialist fields.

• They only began fire certification in the 200’s yet the growth in this area has been significant.

• They are one of the assessing bodies for Security Industry Authority’s ‘Approved Contractor Scheme’.

“It is the companies we approve that endorse and build our reputation through the professional services they provide,” comments Chris.

CERTIFICATION The NSI offer two levels of certification to their Approved companies

1) Quality Management Systems provide inspections to ISO9001, Environmental Management, Health and Safety etc. This is NSI’s Gold level.

2) Product standards are the British, European standards specifically for the type of business being conducted i.e. BS7499 for security guarding, EN50131 /PD6662 for intruder alarm, 7858 security

screening etc. This is NSI’s Silver level.

The silver level is an audit purely to the product standards, while the gold level builds upon this through providing the added reassurance that the approved company also operates to quality management standards. In addition the NSI have quality schedules, which mean the ISO is tailored to a fire and/or security service.

There are two identified areas of benefit that comes with being NSI Approved:

1) For the Approved company’s own business - thorough audits help identify any areas of weakness may require a little attention. Similarly, third party certification (via an organisation such as NSI) allows them to demonstrate to their clients (current and potential) that they have been independently verified as working to industry and quality management standards.

2) Provides reassurance to the consumer including procurers, specifiers and influencers.

“The importance of third party certification to those seeking to procure fire and security solutions should not be under-estimated,” says Chris, “Properly installed and delivered fire and security solutions can make a huge contribution to an organisation both in terms of mitigating losses and providing peace of mind. It is however important that consumers look towards a best value rather than the cheapest solution. There are too many instances where the cheapest has actually turned out to be the most expensive either through failure to look at the contract lifetime costs or the equipment simply not being fit for purpose. Third party certification demonstrates that you’re getting a solution installed/delivered in line with considered industry best practice”.

NSI welcomes input and feedback from industry, specifiers and consumers. To share your thoughts with the NSI you can contact them via their website (www.nsi.org.uk), Facebook or Twitter.

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BARCLAYS - THE BANK OF THE FUTUREHUDDERSFIELD was among the areas that saw refurbishment to their Barclays branch in 2012. Introducing innovative technology, Barclays successfully completed work in the branch in December last year, and opened their doors to the future.

Branch manager Stuart Ambler said: “The refurbishment has been an exciting project and we’re delighted to be able to provide such a broad spectrum of services all from one site.

“The new premises will allow us to deliver the great service our customers expect and the investment in the new premises confirms our commitment to Huddersfield and the surrounding region.”

The new design will allow customers

to carry out their day-to-day banking business in a variety of ways with the introduction of ground-breaking technology and a modernised interior. The investment into Huddersfield is a display of the bank’s commitment to individual areas despite their global presence.

It is not the first time the Barclays brand has been at the forefront of innovation. In fact, they were the first to launch a variety of banking services that are indispensable to today’s consumer.

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BARCLAYS - A BRIEF HISTORYFROM their beginnings in Lombard Street London through to their global dynasty today, the Barclays brand has been around for more than 300 years.

Originally established as a goldsmith bankers by John Freame and Thomas Gould in 1690, the ‘business’ saw success and soon Freame’s son-in-law, James Barclay, became a partner in the bank that went on to become Barclay, Bevan, Tritton & Co.

In 1896, the bank joined with 19 other banking business and became known as Barclay & Company Limited, with a grand total of 182 branches and £26m deposits. In 1902, the bank obtained a position on the London Stock Exchange, and in 1940, despite damages during the blitz, Barclays branches across the country managed to remain open.

In 1966, the Barclaycard, UK’s first credit card was launched, and a year later in 1967, the bank unveiled the world’s first ATM in Enfield, London. In 1986, Barclays became the first UK bank to have shares listed on the New York

and Tokyo Stock Exchanges. Barclays continued bringing innovative ideas to the financial world, and 1987 saw the bank introducing the UK’s first debit card.

It was not until 2004 that the Barclays brand as we know it today was established, with the new logo introduced and incorporated. However, it was only in 2005 that Barclays finally moved its headquarters from the original Lombard Street to Canary Wharf in London.

Keeping up with the times, last year Barclays introduced Pingit, Europe’s first person-to-person service for sending money using mobile phone numbers.

PURPOSE AND vALUESThe purpose for existence at Barclays is clear – “to help people achieve their ambitions – in the right way”. The global giant believe that they do this on a daily basis by living the Barclays core values:

• Respect • Integrity • Service

• Excellence • Stewardship.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILTYAs well as providing global financial services, the Barclays brand has always been at the forefront of social issues, offering innovative solutions and assistance to disabled customers.

More recently though, as revealed by Consumer Affairs PR Manager Alan White, the bank has offered flood relief to customers affected by the recent bad weather. This is one of many ways the bank has shown their commitment to their customers, rewarding loyalty.

In Huddersfield, the branch opened on New Year’s Day for the first time, and although hours were reduced, it is expected to become a regular added benefit to customers who are only available on weekends or bank holidays.

With Innovation at the forefront, it is expectd that Barclays will be around to serve the British pubic for centuries to come.

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SOCIAL AND ENvIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT FROM DECATHLONDECATHLON is a major French sports goods chain established in 1976 with a small store in Lille, but has since expanded into a worldwide brand. Decathlon first opened in London in 2000, and today has a website for British customers.

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STORESThe company stocks gear for more than 70 sports and around 30,000 reference covering the needs of sports people ranging from beginners to the most demanding. Their product range is made up from both in-house “passion” brands as well as international brands.

All stores are specifically designed and spacious in order to provide an exceptional shopping experience for customers.

ENvIRONMENTDecathlon are committed to developing stores that blend into their surroundings. Their unbending desire to harmonise nature with the pleasure of sports leads them to invent sites that are constantly changing. They generally opt for big plots of land so that they can organise sports event right outside the store.

In line with its corporate values, Decathlon has been working on ecological solutions for its stores for several years. For example, the removal of free plastic bags in various countries, recovering used sports products and holding events raising awareness to staff and customers.

In addition, they act in many ways to reduce the ecological impact of their buildings, taking care not to compromise on their basic principles; buildings must be simple, economically viable and useful to the customer.

SOCIAL COMMITMENTDecathlon’s High Quality Environmental standard certification is the result of their long-standing environmental policy. It comes from an intentional approach to limit the environmental impact of their buildings. This certification is based on technical elements defined by 14 target divided into several criteria:

• Eco Construction

• Eco Management

• Health and comfort

In real terms, this approach is materialised by landscaped car parks, better thermal insulation and natural roof lighting, for example.

In addition to this environmental commitment, every new store is set up in close partnership with local players/sport figures. Partnerships include those which allow the company to recruit local people, train their staff, communicate with local companies, schools, sports associations and clubs.

All of these actions illustrate how important it is for Decathlon to enter into a sustainable relationship with the local economic, sporting and corporate environment.

IN THE UKDecathlon currently has 14 stores across the country alongside their online store, which allows customers to order online for delivery or to pick up at a store. Head of Design and Construction, Rhodri Davies, is responsible for ensuring the stores meet the criteria outlined above.

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FIAT PROFESSIONAL LAUNCHES NEW DOBLO WORK UPTHE appeal of Fiat Professional’s award-winning Doblò Cargo van range has just been broadened with a version never before introduced by a large volume manufacturer.

,

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FEATURESCalled the Doblò Work Up, it’s a ‘dropside’ vehicle with compact external dimensions allowing easy use in urban areas. The external dimensions are not, however, a limit to its performance. The load box is 2.30 m long and 1.82 m wide, with 4 m2 of loading area which can accommodate a payload of up to 1,000kg. Additionally, the multi-link suspension permits a rear axle load up to 1,450kg.

The load box is made of high-resistance steel with a floor created from anti-slip multilayer wood and sides in aluminium alloy. Under the floor is a compartment for stowing long tools, safely protected from the elements.

In addition, on each side of the vehicle there is a small, practical step that allows the user to get into the load area. This structure has a ladder rack/door poles, load restraining hooks, and a sturdy protective grille on the rear window of the cab.

All these features make the Doblò Work Up ideal for agriculture, construction, maintenance or city parks services sectors. It is ideal for the transport of frames and glass and can take, for example, three Euro pallets or 33 boxes of fruit.

POWER AND SECURITYThe new Doblò Work Up is powered by a choice of two Euro 5 turbodiesel engines: 1.3 MultiJet 90 bhp and 1.6 MultiJet 105 bhp. Both engines are characterised by excellent performance, low noise, low operating costs (fuel consumption and maintenance), reliability and environmental friendliness. Both feature the fuel-saving Start&Stop system and diesel particulate filter.

In terms of security, the new Doblò Work Up is unrivalled. To ensure optimum dynamic performance, comfort and active safety, the vehicle has been equipped with innovative mechanical solutions, among them multi-link rear suspension, stability control, and ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD electronic brakeforce distribution. Available as an option is ESP with Hill-holder, which assists the driver during hill starts.

Front airbags complete the safety specification, while high-tech equipment such as a handsfree Blue&Me system and the Blue&Me TomTom navigator are available.

“The new Doblò Work Up is the latest evolution of a model designed to be top of its class in terms of performance and functional characteristics, its capability and ease of loading,” says Francesco Russiello, Marketing Product Manager, Fiat Professional. “Its low running costs, low fuel consumption with reduced operating costs, and equipment levels all combine with safety and comfort, to make this a commercial vehicle well worth consideration.”

The new Doblò Work Up costs £16,065 (basic) for the 1.3 MultiJet 16v Euro 5 and £17,065 (basic) for the 1.6 MultiJet 16v Euro 5.

ENGINE RANGE1.3 90 MultiJet Euro 5

The best selling engine in the new Doblò range, with a consumption of 55.4mpg (combined) and emissions of 133 g/km CO2.

1.6 105 MultiJet Euro 5

The perfect choice for customers looking for power, torque and responsiveness, with a consumption of 49.6mpg (combined) and emissions of 150 g/km CO2.

SPECIFICATIONS:Body: DROPSIDE

Wheelbase: Long Wheelbase

Vehicle dimensions:

• length: 4965 mm • Width: 1872 mm

Rear deck dimensions:

• length: 2.3 m • internal width: 1.82 m • external width: 1.86 m • Threshold: 0.9 m • Aluminium alloy side height: 350 mm • load surface: 4 m2 • Payload: up to 1.000 Kg

Max. axle loads:

• front: 1.120 Kg • rear: 1.450 Kg

Specification:

• Glazed metal bulkhead • Rear storage compartment with key • Stylish lateral protection bumpers

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RECESSION MAKES A STRONGER RAMSDENSThis month we interviewed Barry Taylor from Ramsdens Financial, who told us more about the business and the company’s expansion plans for the coming years.

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CAN YOU GIvE ME SOME HISTORY AND BACKGROUND INTO THE COMPANY?Ramsdens is currently the UK’s largest independent pawnbroker, with 124 stores throughout North East England, Yorkshire, Scotland and Wales. We were established in 1987 in Stockton on Tees, providing an instant cash solution for customers. With the introduction of buying gold, silver and most recently mobile phones, this has seen Ramsdens successfully expand into a distinguished and trusted retailer of financial services.

We are currently the sponsor of championship club Middlesbrough FC and The Ramsdens Cup competition in Scotland, both sponsorships are currently in their second season and help Ramsdens build on the links to the communities in which they work. The company has also very recently sponsored Dave Prins, a talented North East darts player.

As a successful company we are always looking to further develop, implement ideas and replicate our successes as we expand.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY?A recent count of staff has shown that we currently employ 503 people.

WHAT IS YOUR ANNUAL TURNOvER?For the Tax Year 2011 we had an annual turnover of £52 million.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT YOUR DAY-TO-DAY JOB ENTAILS?My job entails looking at new locations for potential new stores to be located and project managing these locations so that the shop fits are completed on time with minimal problems.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT EXPANSION PLANS FOR THE COMPANY?Having secured a finance package on the back of impressive results over recent year, we now plan to double in size over the next three to five years.

HOW MANY SITES DO YOU CURRENTLY HAvE?We currently have 124 branches.

WHAT FACTORS DO YOU CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A SITE FOR A NEW STORE?There are many factors we consider when choosing a site for a new store. We tend to look at the demographics and the location within the town, also would the branch attract the attention required to be successful.

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HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT CHOOSING CONTRACTORS WHEN EMBARKING ON A PROJECT TO BUILD A NEW STORE?We look at the quality of work they have previously completed but also the portfolio of work they have developed over time.

IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE KEY AMBITION OF THE COMPANY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?Open another 100 branches across the UK over the next three years, and create a further 400 jobs.

WHAT ARE THE RECENT MILESTONES AND ACHIEvEMENTS OF THE COMPANY?Ramsdens has seen many significant achievements, just last year we celebrated our 25th year in business. In 2012 the company reached a milestone in opening our 100th branch and are quickly planning to open 100 more. The company’s turnover has dramatically increased, from £13m in 2008 to £52m in 2011 showing a 300 per cent increase in three years.

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HAvE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE EXPANDING DURING THE RECESSION? TO WHAT EXTENT?Yes, we have been able to expand. Since the recession began in 2009 we have been able to continuously open stores throughout the past three years.

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THE RECESSION/HOW HAvE YOU COPED?The support of regular customers and their belief in the services we offer is crucial, both to maintain our existing business and to also spread the word to attract new customers. It hasn’t been a case of ‘have we coped with a recession’, it is this fact that has made the company stronger, and has given the brand the ability to grow. We set the highest ethical and professional standards at all times, which we believe has helped build our reputation as a recognised and respected high street provider of financial services.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THE ENvIRONMENT?All of our branch staff undertake training, and in these training sessions we constantly push the importance to recycle all our unused paper, cardboard and plastic. One of the services we offer is the purchase of unwanted mobile phones – if a phone has no monetary value we offer to take it from the customer to recycle and prevent it going to landfill

WHAT TRAINING AND BENEFITS DO YOUR STAFF RECEIvE?

Our employees are our biggest asset and we are proud to be Investor In People (IIP) accredited. The fundamental approach taken by Ramsdens towards learning and development in our rapidly expanding workforce is to give our people the skills and knowledge they need to do the job. We have a comprehensive Personal Development Review programme underway, and as always at Ramsdens, managers at all levels are available, supportive and provide time and effort to help people develop. There has always been a structured training arm in place for the branches and it too has grown and developed in line with our expansion.

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T. MITCHELL & CO - CONSISTENT SUCCESST. MITCHELL & Co Plant Hire are a family run business based in West London. Established 1973 by Tom Mitchell and his wife Meriel after they moved from Ireland to London, the company has seen tremendous growth.

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STARTING OUTInitially starting out with one JCB backhoe loader which Tom himself drove for years, they built up a fleet of over thirty JCB’s by the Eighties. These were all supplied with operators, and it was not an unusual sight to see a line off JCB’s queuing in the early morning on the A40 to get into the city for their day’s work.

Tom would either be out operating a machine himself or would be repairing machines in the yard or responding to breakdowns out on site, as well as making various deliveries such as barrels of fuel or rock breakers. Meriel was answering the phone calls and managing the paperwork, and could even be called upon to do the odd delivery herself when needed. Their two daughters, Jacqueline and Gillian would often be found helping with the paperwork in the office which was run from the family home, and they were well trained from a very early age on how to answer the phone and take down any details for an incoming job! Adrian their son and the youngest would be out with Tom during the holidays and at every opportunity, playing and climbing amongst the machines, and always managing to cover himself in grease!

As the years went by Tom diversified the fleet and added telehandlers, dumpers, 2cx’s, and excavators ranging from minis to 13 tons.A new bigger yard was bought and a full time fitter and book keeper added to the staff.

Times got very hard during the recession in the Eighties, with a lot of the telecoms work drying up and contractors going bust and not paying.It was a struggle to survive, and the fleet was dramatically reduced down to just two JCB’s and Tom driving one full time again.

However it was not long before Tom started to build up the fleet again as the recession resided, but it took years before work picked up again.

FATHER TO SONAt the age of twenty one, having lived in Ireland for a few years, Adrian decided to head back to London and try his hand back in the game that he had grown up in.

“Dad was looking to ease back his workload a bit after years of working fourteen, fifteen hour days,” says Adrian, “I was landscaping in Dublin, but dad said if I had any interest in getting

involved back into the family business it was now or never, and so here I am today.”

Adrian started off like his father before him, out driving machines every day, and learning the basics off fitting and repairing machines.

“I had to learn to do it myself or how else could I ever gain the respect of our drivers or give advice to our customers on what would best suit their needs?”

Adrian passed his HGV test and bought a lorry so as to be able to transport their own machines. “The demand for JCB 3cx’s has dramatically fallen with mini excavators and dumpers having taken over. Most of our fleet now is made up off tracked excavators so it is important for us to be flexible and to be able to deliver and collect the machines at any time that suits the customer.”

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TODAYAs the business has grown, T. Mitchell and Co have employed an office manager, Dermot Wilson, and a full time fitter to help keep the business running smoothly.

“With the amount of paperwork involved these days it is vital we have an office manager on hand full time to tend to our customer’sneeds. On the rare occasion a machine breaks down we are usually able to have our fitter there within ninety minutes, so this too is important for keeping us one step ahead of the competition.”

T. Mitchell and Co.’s experience and excellent service has been vital in winning many contracts over the last few years. The company has had contracts with National Grid for over the last twenty years, winning a new five year one not too long ago. They have worked on many high profile jobs such as Westfield White City, Kings Cross and Sandown racecourse, and Adrian himself can claim to be the first man to put a bucket into the ground on the Westfield Job!

“We have won these contracts and supplied excavators for these jobs not just because of our first class service but also due to our excellent Health and Safety record,” says Adrian. “Our employees are all fully trained, and our machinery is modern with the latest safety features such as Zero Tail Swing, Cameras, travelling alarms and double locking fully automatic quick hitches. Keeping the fleet modern also helps environmentally with machines producing cleaner emissions and being more economical. Our newest models have up to twenty five per cent fuel savings on older models , which gives our customers huge savings on their fuel bills.”

It is because of these contracts and loyal customers that T. Mitchell and Co is thriving today in challenging times. “Keeping rates up is a constant battle as there is always someone willing to do it for cheaper, but our customers know the value we provide with good modern plant and an honest service based on family values.”

T. Mitchell & Co Plant Hire offer a full range of plant, from JCB backhoe

loaders, dumpers and mini excavators up to 30 tonne bulk earth movers. Machines can be hired with a CPCS qualified operator, or on a self-drive basis, with a wide range of attachments also available. Based in West London, T. Mitchell & Co are ideally placed to supply the South East region.

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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STRONG CORE PRINCIPLES LEAD TO SUCCESS EvEN IN THE DOWNTURNWHAT does it take to carry on succeeding in the construction sector during a recession? Well im sure there are many ways, but for TEC Construction Ltd it is very simple, stick to your core principles at all times and the rest will just happen, and so it has.

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TEC are celebrating their 20th year in the construction industry this year and showing the biggest growth in revenue since the company began back in 1992. Founded by Farther and son duo Terry and Robert Cracknell, during the 1989 recession, with the simple aim, set up a construction company that looked after the client and delivered the best quality product possible. “We set up a construction company, we may have only been doing small projects but we never considered ourselves as just builders” explains Terry TEC’s MD. With so many rouge traders in the lower end of the industry Robert and Terry decided upon 4 simple core principles that they would stick to no matter what and would later form the backbone of the company.

• Always be honest and put the clients best interests first

• Never take on a project that is beyond your capability

• Never sell yourself short just to win a project.

• Never become dependent on banks

TEC Construction Managing Director, Terry Cracknell explains “We wanted to be the best we could be and not fall in to the trap many builders find

themselves, its very easy to get carried away with winning work to survive that you end up making very little money which leads to rushed jobs and corner cutting causing the client lots of head aches all to the detriment of the company”

Not only were these principles introduced to ensure the client received the best possible service and product but also to protect TEC from the instability within the industry, some may say it was the prefect mix.

Like many young business’s TEC’s first ever contract came through a friend of the family and was the extension and refurbishment of a workingmen’s club

in Walthamstow, East London. It was on these very early projects that Robert learnt the fine art of every single trade and how to run building sites safely and efficiently, not that is was all smooth sailing, far from it, but these lessons in the unexpected taught Robert that preparing for every eventuality was key to running any project, no matter of scale, smoothly.

“In those early days I think I made just about every mistake possible, but I found I learnt the most from those mistakes. I have worked at every level within the industry and I feel that without all these experiences TEC would not have been so successful,”

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It wasn’t long before TEC’s four principles started to show signs that TEC really did stand apart from most other builders and that the clients were really pleased that they had been listened to and the work they had had done was carried out and finished the way they wanted it.

It wasn’t long before word of mouth started the ball rolling and before they knew it Robert and Terry were running bigger and bigger projects, from renovating Victorian Houses in Croydon, to refurbishing disused NHS buildings in to children’s day care centers, it was all carried out one step at a time, building the foundations of the business along with sticking to the core principles, project after project.

When the opportunity came along to be main contractor on a £3.6m care home project Terry and Robert knew they had all the skills and finances they needed to deliver the project without fuss and securing the companies future for a further 18 months just as the recession started, you could say this project came along just at the right time, as others started to feel the credit crunch kick in TEC were working with specialist care home architects DWA on TEC’s biggest project to date. Director John Stockill

said, “DWA consider TEC to be a very good Building Contractor dedicated to delivering a quality trouble free product”. It was this relationship with DWA that saw TEC Construction move from being builders to becoming a main contractor as they managed to secure care home after care home.

The company that Terry and Robert had started back in 1992 was now very different from the one they found themselves running, less hands on day to day and more planning and organising, they found themselves having to step back and this was incredibly difficult whilst still maintaining the high standard of output that had got TEC to this point.

While Terry did the majority of planning Robert maintained his presence onsite and it was this combination of Terry running the business and Robert running the projects that was to become the starting point of TEC Constructions company structure, enabling growth whilst maintaining the 4 core principles.

18 years in any industry is a long time and it soon became apparent that Terry and Robert had finally amassed a solid financial footing for the company without the need to deal with Banks (a lesson learnt from the last recession) and the pair had a decision to make, did they want to just keep going the way were, relying on word of mouth to lead to the next project or were they going to take the bull by the horns and push the company forward to grow and expand in the health care sector. “We could have just kept cruising along, but we wanted more, we wanted to provide our services to more clients, to grow the company into a recognized name within the Healthcare construction industry” says Terry. The choice was made and the journey to becoming the most reliable and trustworthy construction contractor building care homes in the UK got underway.

The first step on this road was to find

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some help, the pair could not do this on their own but they would need people that already knew the business and core principles that were so key to TEC. Luckily two of Terry’s other sons Christopher and David who had worked on the tools in the earlier TEC years became available after running businesses in both the travel and design sectors. It was discussed at length and agreed that Christopher would take on the management of the office and David would concentrate on getting the word out about TEC Construction.

The brothers started by re-branding the business and getting the look and feel of the company up to date with something that really represented what the business was about. Then came the development of the business plan that outlined every step of the journey and what needed to happen in order to achieve success. Every aspect of the business was looked at, to become more cost effective and efficient new systems were introduced and all designed around maintaining the core principles.

Marketing strategies were devised to help open dialogue with the new clients; project managers and architects that are key to seeing the plan come to fruition. One such new relationship was formed

with Brighton based architects Owen Powell “We are looking forward to working with TEC on a £1.2m Care Home project to start imminently and to date have been impressed with their professionalism, as well as the fact that they were the lowest bidder but they have also been very helpful in offering advice and the benefit of their considerable experience in Care Home works to offer suggestions for reductions on the budget and some improvements to the specification” Chris Powell.

During the process of developing the business it became very apparent that TEC’s core principles and company structure limited the quantity of projects that they can take on whilst still maintaining the hands on control

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that has been key to the company’s slow and steady growth, but with all the experience within the company at every level it also soon became apparent that no other contractor is like TEC. “Everyone who works for TEC all have some experience working on site at some level, we find it is these hand on skills, experiences and the lessons learnt that help us deliver and maintain the quality on every project” Business Development Director, David explains.

Although TEC can only take on a hand full of projects at once, the projects that they do take on are delivered in the same way the very first project was, by Always being honest and putting the clients best interests first, by never

taking on a project that is beyond your capability and now capacity, never selling themselves short just to win a project and definitely never becoming dependent on the banks.

As TEC Constructions Managing Director Terry Cracknell says “your only as good as your last job”

TEC Construction is looking for new projects between £1m - £5m that have start dates from September 2013. If you have a project coming up that you would like to Invite TEC to tender for

or are interested in finding out more about TEC Construction then visit www.tecconstruction.co.uk

Company Contact Info

www.tecconstruction.co.uk Phone: 01322 31 4810 Email: david@tecconstruction.co.uk

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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TIS - LEADING WORKWEAR SPECIALISTSWe had the opportunity this month to catch up with Emma Brierley, Marketing Manager at TIS Work Wear. Here is what she had to share...

CAN YOU GIvE ME SOME HISTORY AND BACKGROUND INTO TIS WORK WEAR?The Industrial Superstore are a leading independent Work wear, PPE and Safety Equipment supplier offering high quality work wear and uniforms, including waterproof outerwear, fleece jackets, polo shirts, sweatshirts and t shirts. We have been established since 1996 and have become one of the best known work wear suppliers around the country, with prices that outshine our main competitors.

We also have our own in house embroidery department so we can print or embroider any of your garments quickly and at low costs.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY TIS WORK WEAR?10.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT YOUR DAY-TO-DAY JOB ENTAILS?Marketing Manager:

• Responsibility of all our brands including Industrial superstore.

• Manage the marketing plan and budget for the year

• Manage all our brands websites including content management, SEO,

PPC, social media, design elements and online customers

• Review how all the sites are doing and look at ways to improve our online presence

• Review what our competitors are doing

• Manage all the offline Marketing activity, liaise with magazines and directories to ensure we feature in the right place for our target markets

• Manage the design and print agencies

• Write design briefs and check all artwork before print

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WHAT ARE THE CURRENT EXPANSION PLANS FOR THE COMPANY?Develop our online offering and reach out further to our target market, develop the shops we already have and get them inline with each other in terms of marketing strategy and stock.

We are also increasing our on road sales force from two to four so we can now service our current and potential clients more efficiently.

HOW MANY SITES DO YOU CURRENTLY HAvE? Two sites; one in Huddersfield and one in Dukinfield and online.

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT PROJECTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE AT THE MOMENT? Currently we are reviewing and updating our website and stores, new products and offers online and update of our catalogue which will be 48pp and will go out to our customers base of 3000+.

IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE KEY AMBITION OF THE COMPANY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? To be the number one supplier for work wear, PPE and Safety Equipment.

WHAT ARE SOME RECENT MILESTONES AND ACHIEvEMENTS OF THE COMPANY? We have just won a huge contract with Martin Brower to provide all their work wear, PPE and winter wear for the UK

and Europe including embroidery which we do through our in house embroidery department.

HAvE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE EXPANDING DURING THE RECESSION? TO WHAT EXTENT? We have had reasonable growth through the recession and managed to maintain a good level of business through our existing customer base and also acquiring new customers.

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU GET THROUGH THE RECESSION/HOW HAvE YOU COPED? Competitive pricing and excellent customer service.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THE ENvIRONMENT? Recycling of all our cardboard and paper waste, always looking at best ways to minimise the carbon footprint.

WHAT TRAINING AND BENEFITS DO YOUR STAFF RECEIvE?All our staff are given any aspect of training needed to ensure they can do their job, we also have members of staff in house who can support in aspects of IT, design and software.

We also review what our members of staff want to achieve from their working career and help them develop the right skills needed to do this, this can mean movement within the team to gain on the job training.

For more information visit http://www.tis-workwear.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/ pages/The-Industrial-Superstore /420198631366618?ref=hl

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ULTRASYNTEC - WELL PLACED FOR GOOD ACCESSIN 1996 Tom and Vicki Hoyle formed Ultrasyntec Ltd., Industrial & Commercial Resin Flooring Specialist Contractors. Both Tom and Vicki had spent many years in the flooring industry prior to setting up the business.

HISTORYAt first Tom just like any new business owner, had to carry out all the work himself from pricing to contracting, using sub-contractors when and where possible.

As the business became more successful with turnover increasing he were joined (in 1998) by Lee Sunderland, whose

knowledge of resins’ was considerable as he had worked in the Laboratory at a Resin Manufacturers for many years. At about this time Ultrasyntec joined FeRFA (The Resin Flooring Industries Trade Association) and have remained fully active members ever since.

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In April 2004 William Hoyle, Son of Tom & Vicki joined the business having spent seven and a half years in the Yorkshire Regiment gaining considerable experience of man management as a Corporal, having completed two tours to Kosovo and being based in Germany for much of his service.

As Tom began to take a backseat Lee & William have driven the Company forward with Vicki running the administration. Lee and William have each been Directors for the last four years and the company became CHAS Accredited in 2009 which is required by many large manufacturing & building companies where health and safety certification is a pre-requirement to being awarded a contract.

All Ultrasyntec’s operatives are fully qualified with CSCS cards’ and NVQ’s Level II In-situ Resin Flooring.

ACHIEvEMENTSOver the past five years Ultrasyntec have been presented with five National Awards these being:-

Project of the Year (2006) Contractor of the Year (2006) Trainer of the Year (2008) Large Project of the Year (2011) Small Project of the Year (2012)

THE COMPANY TODAYThe Company currently has six full time employees, as well as using experienced sub-contractors who all hold CSCS Cards and come from all parts of the UK.

They work from modern premises which are located within two miles of the M62 and being situated in Yorkshire gives us good access to travel anywhere in the UK.

Ultrasyntec are now well placed within the Industrial and Commercial flooring market and feel their success is down to their ability to understand their customers’ requirements and comply with these requirements with minimum disruption to their particular industry’s daily routines – this is born out by 80per cent of business being from existing customers.

Both Lee and William are fully committed to taking Ultrasyntec further by investing in new flooring solutions coming into the market place, expanding their customer base and new business flooring opportunities within the Industrial & Commercial sector. They are ready to expand where and when necessary and look towards the future with great interest and confidence.

DMD ad (ultrasyntec).indd 1 14/01/2013 15:43

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SCAFFOLDING: NOT JUST ABOUT SKILLS BUT CONDUCT TOOGOOD manners and excellent health and safety enforcement are at the core of business at ASA Scaffolding.

Founded approximately four years ago by Lee Tolan with just one lorry and a vision to stand out from the crowd, the company has seen unrivalled success despite the challenging economy.

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CUSTOMER SERvICEAccording to Lee, all members of staff are handpicked. Not only are their skills taken into account, but their mannerisms and conduct are just as important.

“I want my staff to treat the customers’ homes as they would treat their own homes, and I want them to treat the customers with respect”.

With every new job, ASA spend a lot of time planning in meticulous detail to ensure that the client gets the job done as quickly as possible and with as much savings possible without compromising on health and safety or quality.

“Prices in the industry are not what they were, and customers cannot afford as much as they could in previous times, so we work hard to ensure we lower the price for customers but do the job and make a profit so that we can keep running,” explains Lee.

The company has invested a lot into ensuring that workers are uniformed and their vehicles are kept clean and presentable at all times. Despite the cost, Lee thinks it is worthwhile, and the company has seen the benefits of this approach. Customers are always happy with the service provided, and leave good testimonials, often commenting on the excellent timekeeping, polite and well-presented staff who have their PPE on all the time, and spotless vehicles.

“We stand out from other companies because we genuinely care and treat our customers with the respect they deserve – and what we ourselves would expect if we were on the receiving end”.

“I run my company like military, people are often shocked at how much effort and attention to detail I have, but there are so many problems that we prevent just by taking care and planning ahead”.

Lee’s role is a very busy one, and most days he does not get home until between seven and eight in the evening. He places emphasis on ensuring that everything is done properly and health and safety is paramount. He also checks his vehicles and equipment regularly to prevent faulty materials being sent out. As a very hands-on director, Lee also meets with new clients, works on the company website and quotes and tenders jobs.

FINANCIAL HEALTHAlthough the company started trading during the recession, they have only seen

growth over the past few years, and they are expecting this to increase over the coming months.

“Money is tight at the moment, and if you have a choice between an old firm that doesn’t care and a new firm that does, who would you choose? Our company speaks for itself,” says Lee, explaining why the company has not been hit hard by a recession, which has seen many businesses in the same field going into administration.

ASA’s current turnover is approximately £750k, and Lee has weekly meetings with his financial controller Darren Peachey.

“People sometimes think I am wasting money by hiring someone to take care of the companies finances, but I do not see it as losing money because I am actually making money by taking care of my finances with the help of someone who knows what they are doing,” explains Lee. “I don’t really spend a lot of money on myself – the money I earn I put back into the company, and I have no doubt it will benefit me in the future”.

The company’s finances are so healthy that they have a credit agreement with the company they purchase their scaffold from. Although they do not use this allowance just because they can, it does mean that when they do have bigger jobs they can get the scaffold immediately and provide an efficient service.

EXPANSIONDespite being a relatively young company, ASA Scaffolding have worked with influential companies including MBS Contractors and British Gas. With the assistance of Neil Stevens from MBS, ASA initially won a contract for £3000, but subsequent work has seen much larger amounts up to £40k. This is a testament to their ability to complete jobs to the quality and timeframe

expected from large companies.

As a result of their enviable reputation, ASA has seen substantial expansion over the years and hope to continue expanding whenever the opportunity arises. However, as Lee emphasises, they will maintain a shrewd approach and only take on jobs that they feel they can complete to a high standard; they will ensure that they do not expand until they are sure that they can maintain their quality of service.

“I want gradual expansion, but if the last few years are anything to go by, it seems to happen very quickly! From one lorry just a few years ago we now have four, so yes business has been good,” declares Lee.

As part of their future plans for expansion, ASA are looking to employ young people with little experience, who Lee plans to train so that they learn the correct way of doing things right from the beginning. The company will only take on staff they can guarantee stability to as they do not want to be in a situation where their workers are left without work.

The business is very organised, and are set up and ready to take on bigger contracts. Together with Office Manager Natalie Vincent and Contracts manager Graham Ringwood, Lee hopes to take the company forward through the recession and out of it, staying updated on all current legislation.

HEALTH AND SAFETYHealth and Safety at ASA is of paramount importance, and Lee insists that all his workers are appropriately attired while they are working. With the help of their Health and Safety Advisor Peter Lodge from Lodge Incorporated, the company have an extensive Health and Safety policy, and are kept up to

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date with changing legislation. They carry out regular toolbox talks and training sessions, and highlight health and safety for each job.

At a recent meeting with Nick Game, Safety Officer at British Gas, the

company’s efficiency and forward thinking in the area were highlighted when British Gas took on board some of ASA’s health and safety policies to use themselves.

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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LEE BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION SUPPLIESWe are a family owned construction supplies company based in Wolverhampton, West Midlands. Lee Brothers first opened its doors for trading in 1896. Our mission statement is to serve the construction market and allied industries. Our growth to date has given us the opportunity of providing a service to large national companies and we have successfully achieved sole and preferred supplier status to some of the largest construction companies in the UK.

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WHY USE LEE BROTHERS• Our current range of over 32,000 stock items, plus specials is a true one-stop shop.

• You can order by telephone, email or fax.

• Trade counter open Monday – Friday from 7.30am – 5.30pm.

• Delivery is free of charge.

• Full catalogue with all our products. Bespoke catalogues can be produced for larger customers.

• Source specials

• No minimum order

PRODUCTSLee Brothers offer a vast range of products including contractors equipment, hand tools, janitorial, PPE, traffic management, electrical, health and safety, first aid and signage.

We can offer the latest products from leading manufacturers such as VTECH Footwear, Swiss-One Eyewear, Centurion, Deb, S&J Signs, 21st Century Signs and Reliance Medical.

We have strong partnerships with manufacturers and Lee Brothers were the first company to bring Inherent Hi-Visibility EN471 Flame Retardant clothing to the market.

We have recently been working with VTECH Footwear a leading supplier of top quality safety footwear.

Lee Brothers are now stocking Deb GrittyFOAM™, the worlds first and only heavy duty hand cleanser with scrubbers suspended in foam. GrittyFOAM™ is more than just effective by using less product, less water and less energy, it means savings for our customers in the long run.

QUALITYLee Brothers are continually looking to develop and improve our Quality Management System in order to increase customer satisfaction.

We are proud to be accredited to ISO9001:2008.

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ENvIRONMENTALOur customers are increasingly demanding more sustainable practices and as an industry we must ensure we are able to react to these demands.

We have recently invested in a compacter to cut down on 90% of our general waste, reducing our commitment to landfill.

We recycle all of our cardboard, plastics and paper.

We have recently enrolled on the Supply Chain Sustainability School, which is virtual learning environment that aims to help construction suppliers and sub-contractors develop their sustainability knowledge and competence, leading Lee Brothers to a more sustainable future and reducing our Carbon Footprint.

We actively source greener products to help reduce our Co2 emissions and help the environment. We are able to offer recycled plastic products, fair trade and ethical products, helmet and cone recycling and EcoCubes, to help reduce water useage. We can also offer FSC Timber products.

WEBSITELee Brothers new website has just been launched. www.leebrothers.co.uk

It features new products, news and electronic catalogues.

CUSTOMER SERvICELee Brothers pride ourselves in customer service. Customers have a dedicated internal sales representatives responsible for customer care and order processing. Our team handle orders efficiently and effectively. Our 52 members of staff have a wealth of experience and excellent working knowledge.

Lee Brother’s customers benefit from a national sales team with field sales representatives at their disposal. They can provide technical information, advice on legislation, tool box talks, training, information sheets and posters to help promote safe working practices.

CORPORATE IMAGEWe believe corporate identity is important as it is a reflection of your company. We have a corporate in house logo service offering things such as heat seal graphic printing, clothing embroidery and helmet logo printing.

OTHERWe can offer not only a competitive pricing structure but electronic invoicing, consolidated invoicing and site breakdowns.

Management reports and Key Performance Indicators can also be produced to requirements.

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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

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JCB INSURANCE – “TRUE SPECIALISTS WITH A STRONG BRAND REPUTATION

INSURANCE

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WE spoke to Michael Gregory from JCB Insurance on the company, their successes and their future plans…

CAN YOU GIvE ME SOME HISTORY AND BACKGROUND INTO JCB INSURANCE?JCB Insurance was established in 1984 to provide specialist Insurance Broking services to JCB Excavators customers as part of a ‘one-stop-shop’ concept; customers bought a JCB machine using finance provided by JCB Finance and insured it using JCB Insurance. It was a ground breaking concept that enjoyed immediate success with typical customers in the 1980’s which tended to be smaller operations.

By getting very close to their customers, JCB Insurance quickly learned their immediate needs which were competitively rated, comprehensive cover for their Plant, including travelling on public roads and Public and Employers’ liability cover tailored to suit their industry.

As a result of this knowledge, exclusive insurance facilities were arranged to support this unique and specialist service which formed the building blocks of the business. These facilities have been so successful that they remain in place today.

JCB Insurance experienced significant growth and quickly established itself as a Specialist Construction Insurance Broker outside of the initial facilities. Their growing reputation attracted more and larger clients with broader and more sophisticated insurance needs which were well served by JCB’s specialist knowledge of the construction industry and the leverage it has with insurance companies.

Today JCB Insurance looks after the insurance and risk management needs of over 5000 construction clients from owner operators to large national businesses.

As a subsidiary of the JCB Excavator Group, we share the passion for innovation and are continually exploring new and different ways to protect and support our customers whilst offering the best value for money.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY THE COMPANY AS A WHOLE?The JCB Insurance Team is currently around 35 people

Operating from our Staffordshire Head Office we have a team of around 30 people supporting our clients.

Our customer service team is responsible for small to medium sized customers who need the right product, at the right price, packaged in a fast and efficient service. The team is extremely customer focussed and as a result of this and the products we offer, we enjoy industry leading levels of customer loyalty.

The Key Account Teams provide a full service to medium to large businesses. Clients have a dedicated contact for everything from renewals and administration through to claims. JCB Insurance don’t have a separate claims department because it is their belief that the time you have a claim is not the time to start dealing with someone you don’t know and who doesn’t have a full understanding of your business and its insurance arrangements.

Our Key Account handlers in the office are the same people who will meet with clients to review and help manage their insurance arrangements and provide risk management advice and support. We do this because it builds stronger relationships with our clients and also

enables us to gain a deeper understanding of our client’s business. It is also beneficial to see much of what needs to be insured first hand. This is far better in our experience than doing everything by phone and email – it has an important place but there is no substitute for meeting face to face and seeing things first hand.

Our Key Account Handlers are structured in small teams so that each has a good understanding of each other’s clients – this ensures that there are no drops in service for our clients if someone is away from the office.

We have a dedicated Sales Team internally providing support and advice for new customers and again, this personal approach pays dividends for both JCB Insurance and our clients because we consistently convert almost 50% of all enquiries into new clients. This tells it’s own story in terms of service, product and price.

JCB Insurance also has a Team of 5 Account Managers based all around the country so we can always honour our commitment to provide a high level of personal service – anywhere in the country. Recognising the need for flexibility in today’s busy world, our Account Managers are happy to meet at a time and place to suit the client – if that’s at 7.30am on a building site – that’s fine – our aim is to ensure our clients are100% satisfied with everything JCB Insurance does for them.

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WHAT IS YOUR ANNUAL TURNOvER?We have an annual premium income of around £15m

WHAT PRODUCTS DO THE COMPANY OFFER, AND HOW IS THIS PARTICULARLY RELEvANT TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?JCB Insurance are an Insurance Broker focussed on the Construction Sector. In addition to this, we also have a specialism in Waste & Recycling.

Our expertise in this sector enables us to more deeply understand our clients businesses, the processes and activities they undertake and the risks these present. Having a greater understanding helps us support our clients more, not only by arranging insurance that is closely tailored to their needs, but also to work in partnership with them towards a risk management programme of which insurance forms a part.

From an Insurance perspective, construction is seen as something of a high risk and not all insurers are willing to provide cover. A key part of our role is to work with our clients to develop a risk management strategy that can be demonstrated to reduce the risk of accidents and losses and therefore reduce insurance premiums in the long term.

JCB also partner with a number of experts in their field to also recommend and ‘trusted partner’ to our clients if they need. From Health and Safety policies to in-vehicle CCTV, we can help.

In the past, the insurance market has been particularly volatile with significant increases in premium – this may well happen again and JCB continues to work with clients to protect them from this volatility by ensuring losses and accidents are kept to a minimum thereby helping them accurately budget long term.

Advising clients regarding insurance is another key part of our role as the environment and legislation changes.

Issues such as Corporate Manslaughter or Environmental impairment are very relevant to most of our clients and we will recommend the right types of cover to ensure that not only are businesses themselves protected but also those working within in.

JCB Insurance’ new Management Liability Policy provides cover for Directors and those working in the business against costs and expenses if a case is brought against them personally for any alleged wrongful acts or omissions. When you consider that you are ten times more likely to have a so called ‘Director’s and Officer’s liability’ claim made against you than you are to suffer a fire, this brings the risk into sharp focus. In addition the policy provides cover against employment tribunals. As the number of tribunals continue to rise, there is a helpline to guide you through the HR minefield but whether you use the helpline or not, any claim will still be met. This is quite unique in the insurance market.

JCB can also boast that the Plant and Public and Employers’ liability schemes which were set up at the origin of the company are still going strong - testament to the product innovation. Revitalised and re-launched this year, our Plantmaster policy for single machines or small fleets, with optional road risks cover is, in JCB’s opinion, the best in the country in terms of cost and breadth of cover.

Adaptable Insurance

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HOW DOES JCB AS A COMPANY MANIFEST YOUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY SERvICE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?JCB is first and foremost a customer service business. Our clients are genuinely at the centre of everything we do. We believe this is demonstrated by our commitment to visit any client who wants to see us, anywhere in the UK, at a time to suit them. Many of our competitors refuse to visit clients unless they pay over a certain premium threshold.

In addition, every customer, no matter how small, receives a courtesy call from one of the team on the run up to renewal to ensure that any changes in the business are correctly reflected in the insurance renewal and that the business is correctly protected.

As part of our on-going commitment to customer service we undertake regular spot check of outgoing mail to ensure a consistently high quality in our correspondence and all reports are independently checked for errors before they are presented to a client. Our external Account Managers are periodically observed during meetings to ensure the quality of the advice and service is consistently high and for the same reasons, we randomly monitor telephone calls to clients.

JCB hold quality in such high esteem that every quarter a Customer Satisfaction Survey is sent to a cross section of clients who have had any sort of interaction with us in that month. JCB Insurance consistently score very highly on this and investigate the, albeit rare, negative comments to ensure they learn from the experience. The true measure of customer satisfaction is that over the past 3 years, 99.6% of clients surveyed stated that they would be happy to recommend JCB Insurance.

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF (QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE ETC)?I started my career in banking with NatWest (please don’t hold it against me) in the late 1980’s but as the 1990’s recession bit, the career path within banking became less clear so I took the opportunity to go to University.

Graduating with an Honours Degree in Business Management and Psychology I joined a very professional Insurance Broker in Leicester where I was fortunate enough to receive an excellent grounding to insurance thanks to a fast-track graduate training programme and a very good mentor.

I joined JCB Insurance in 1998 and having followed an Account Management and Sales route through the business I was fortunate enough to be appointed as Director and General Manager in 2008 having previous led the Sales Team.

CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AND WHAT IT ENTAILS?My role is similar to many business leaders in that I take overall responsibility for both the strategic and operational direction of JCB Insurance. Reporting to the JCB Group, I am required to prepare regular reports for both my own board and JCB’s Executive and ensure that we remain on plan.

With much of my career having followed a sales and relationship management route, this is part of the role that I particularly enjoy as I retain a portfolio of clients and will involve myself in new business development throughout the year.

I am fortunate that I have a strong operational team and whilst I need to keep continuous focus and energy on many vital aspects of the business, I know they share my passion and energy and that I can rely on them to uphold the core value of the business.

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WHAT ARE YOUR PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANS?In addition to doing what we have always been good at, we invested heavily last year in a new website www.jcbinsurance.co.uk with full quote and buy capability for a suite of seven insurance products – all aimed at the Plant and Construction sector. This has ramped up our level of new business enquiries by over 25% such that have had to increase our resources in the new business team. This has been a very successful project for us that we intend to build on in 2013 as we are currently converting 51% of all enquiries received on-line into new customers. In addition to that, we have implemented other aspects to our digital strategy harnessing social media to raise brand awareness of JCB’s Insurance broking business.

As part of the JCB Group we have many opportunities to find new customers who already have relationships with other areas within the group. In this respect we have a distinct advantage over many other Insurance Brokers.

We will continue to innovate new products such as our HireMax product which allows Plant Hirers to hire plant out ‘with insurance’ similar to a collision damage waiver on a hire car. We are delighted to have become a ‘Member Services Provider’ to IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) for this product in recent months.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANS?We consistently work to an aggressive rolling 5 year growth plan in order to fulfil our ambitions. By working to strict plans and budgets, it helps keep everyone within the business fully focused on our goals that will

be achieved by building on our core strengths of customer service, specialist insurance broking expertise and product innovation.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE COMPANY IN FIvE YEARS?We consistently work to an aggressive rolling 5 year growth plan in order to fulfil our ambitions. By working to strict plans and budgets, it helps keep everyone within the business fully focused on our goals that will be achieved by building on our core strengths of customer service, specialist insurance broking expertise and product innovation.

IF YOU HAD TO NAME ONE KEY AMBITION OF THE COMPANY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?My one key ambition for the business would be to become the Number 1 Choice for Construction and Plant insurance in the UK. We already have a strong reputation in our sector and several of our products, particularly our short term hired in plant product have already achieved this position. I would like to achieve this for other areas of our business.

WHAT ARE SAME MAJOR MILESTONES AND ACHIEvEMENTS OF THE COMPANY?A major achievement was when we won the Insurance Times award for the ‘UK’s Most Efficient Broker’. In a competitive market place, we were very proud of this industry accolade.

A less formal, but every bit as satisfying achievement was when we helped Police crack a multi million pound plant theft ring.

One of the gang had tried to buy hired-in plant insurance from us so he could fraudulently hire equipment. Because of his experience in this industry, the potential customer’s questions and answers just didn’t feel right to JCB’s New Business Team Leader. Further probing proved his suspicions right but he kept a cool head and managed to get enough information for PANIU (Plant and Argicultural National Intelligence Unit) division of the Metropolitan Police to find, arrest and charge several members of the gang, recovering hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of stolen plant in the process. That was a great achievement based on construction industry knowledge.

WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM OTHER COMPANIES IN YOUR FIELD?Many Insurance Brokers claims to be specialist but we are true specialists with a strong brand reputation to uphold. Our passion for customer service, our true national reach facilitated by our regionally based Account Managers and our expertise are key differentiators.

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WHAT HAS THE RECESSION MEANT FOR JCB? HAvE THERE BEEN ANY NOTICEABLE CHANGES IN THE BEHAvIOUR OF YOUR CLIENTS?Our clients found it tough in the recession with Construction being arguably the hardest hit industry in the UK and we went on that journey with them. Whilst they were finding it difficult and having to downsize and cut costs, insurance was obviously an overhead that needed to be considered. We worked hard with our clients to ensure that they received the optimum balance of cost and insurance protection through those difficult times.

Many clients pared down their insurance spend to the bare minimum and we supported our clients in that by arranging ‘budget’ covers for them.

JCB Insurance did however remain true to their core values and went to great lengths to maintain high levels of customer service. Often it is in tough times that clients need you the most and we were sure to be there for them when they needed it. If that was in terms of advice around which risks they could afford not to insure and take on themselves, or in support managing a claim, our priority was to ensure our customer came first.

Having lived through that experience, clients want excellent value for money and we believe we offer that. Some clients are still cautious about taking what may be considered ‘luxury’ insurances in order to keep costs down but we have open, frank and honest discussions and give advice accordingly to make sure our clients are comfortable with their exposure and that their business is not put at unnecessary risk.

WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE TO YOUR ABILITY TO GET THROUGH THE RECESSION AND REMAIN STRONG?Our strengths lie in the Brand, our ability to get the right deal for our client and our passion for customer service. This combines to give us good customer loyalty and strong new business performance which helped us weather the storm very well.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THE ENvIRONMENT?We run as close to a paperless office as we possibly can. All of our documentation is held in a scanned document repository which interfaces fully with our back office system. In addition to this we are moving away from printed media in favour of email and our website provides a secure document storage area for clients such that they may never need to print them out. All of this not only saves paper but also reduces our carbon footprint.

WHAT TRAINING AND BENEFITS DO YOUR STAFF RECEIvE?As our Team is the fundamental element central to our business we undertake a genuine commitment to them in terms of training and continuous professional development. In addition to various formal training sessions, tailored to the needs of the individual on Insurance subjects, we also run regular monthly training workshops on a wide variety of subjects from ‘soft skills’ to plant and site security. This not only develops the individuals personally but in so doing, this continues to increase the experience and quality of the staff within the business.

We are also very fortunate as part of the JCB Excavator Group to have a wide range of facilities available to our team ranging from a social club, sports facilities including 5 a side courts, cricket and football pitches and a gym with classes each evening to an on site Doctor, Dentist and Physiotherapist .

Overall we have a great team and it is them that make the difference

INSURANCE

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Our Contractors Plant product includes cover for:

• Owned Contractors Plant

• Hired in Contractors Plant

• Hiring out of Plant

• Own Surrounding Property and Goods Lifted

• Immobilised Plant

• Theft from Unattended Vehicles

• Multiple Lifting Operations that comply with BS7121.

With an option to include:

• Inventory Plus Cover

• Indemnity to First Hirer

• Plant Hirer’s Condition.

DID YOU KNOW THAT EVERY YEAR OVER £400 MILLION WORTH OF PLANT IS STOLEN IN THE UK?

Designed for a broad spectrum of businesses working within the contracting and construction industries, RSA’s Contractors Plant policy provides multiple cover solutions to meet the evolving requirements of contractors plant and equipment operators.

With UK and global underwriting expertise and through our work with PANIU – the Metropolitan Police specialist stolen plant unit – we can assist our policyholders in reducing instances of fraudulent hire, which has been the biggest growth area for claims in recent years.

For further information please contact your local JCB Insurance Broker representative.

RSA CONTRACTORS PLANTTHE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOBRSA CONTRACTORS PLANTTHE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB

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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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HUSQVARNA CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS UKTel: 0844 844 4570

www.husqvarnacp.co.ukEmail: husqvarna.construction@husqvarna.co.uk

Copyright © 2012 Husqvarna AB (publ). All rights reserved.

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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.