Clearview National December 2016 - Issue 181 | Page 28

Annual Review GROWTH WITH EXPANSION Birmingham-based Skyview says 2016 has been its biggest year, which saw new products launched as well as expansion of its existing range. »»THE BUSINESS, WHICH OFFERS frames, glass, roofs, doors, conservatories and orangeries, has continued with ongoing investment in manufacturing machinery ever since moving into a new purpose-fitted factory close to central Birmingham in 2009. It has since then increased product ranges and reduced lead times. The workforce at the factory has increased by 15% with new employees joining in several areas of the business. The company now employs 25 workers. Skyview offers brands such as Synseal Warmcore, Synerjy, Shield, Artisan Wood grain collection, Thermoseal, Kolorbond, and Skyframe – a product designed and manufactured at Skyview. Directors are John and Lynda Sewell. John said: “We had new machinery fitted in March as part of an exciting and exclusive launch to expand the Warmcore product range, cementing Skyview as the UK leading fabricator.” Skyview has regarded Warmcore as an exciting new addition to its range of products this year, and says it has been very well received by customers with orders increasing week on week. John explained: “2016 has been our biggest year. The last quarter of 2015 saw a 21% increase in sales compared to the same quarter in 2014. “Warmcore has been the buzz word within the industry and is one of Skyview’s best selling product ranges. 2016 has seen the range increase.” He added: “Trading over the past nine years has continually seen a significant upturn for the business and 2016 has been very exciting indeed. “With heavy investment in both machinery and additions to our fleet of delivery vehicles, we are working to a very strong and clear marketing plan, which will see our turnover double by the end of 2017.” He said that customers bought from Skyview over the competition because of the company’s quality of service, ease of ordering, fast lead times, range of products and competitive pricing structure with big savings when ordering multiple products per order. “We are one supplier for everything,” he concluded. www.skyviewroofs.co.uk PREPARING TO SHAPE UP FOR 2017 »»WITH RECORD BREAKING SALES for much of this calendar year, leading arching and shaped frame specialist, Universal Arches, have already set their eyes on a 2017 training and recruitment plan, as they look to continue their pattern of strong growth. The skills required to make a specialist shaped frame to the standards set by Universal Arches are considerable and more akin to those found in the joinery sector, with each frame manufactured by hand and on a working bench. It takes around 12 months to fully train a production operative and for the last three years the company has gone to their local job centre in St Helens each January, eager to find a number of new recruits. January 2017 will be no different, as they look for a further six production operatives to put in place, as the personnel resources required for anticipated future growth. Standard PVCu frame manufacturing is far more capital intensive with the adoption of quad welders and sophisticated cutting and 28 » DEC 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M machining centres and a far cry from the methodologies used at Universal Arches, which is carried out within their ISO 9001:2008 remit. Recruitment and training are run in tandem at Universal Arches, with staff encouraged to further their on the job training, both on the shop floor and within the office environment. With an incredible level of employee retention, it’s also a strategy that is proving highly beneficial to the business and their customer base, which can be counted in the thousands. Leon Day, Managing Director of Universal Arches, commented: “Staff are critical in this business, given the nature of the products we manufacture. So not only do we have to carefully train them, but we must retain a corporate environment that makes them want to stay with us for the long-term. He continues: “We’ve been experiencing strong growth for a number of years now and our prospects and those of the arching and shaped frame sector, look strong into the medium-term.” www.universalarches.com, or follow @universalarches on Twitter