With the end of the financial year approaching Albion Valves (UK) Ltd, a leading UK valve supplier to the building services and industrial markets, has reported phenomenal business growth over the last ten years, with the company having more than tripled their turnover during this period and the workforce at it’s base in Barnsley growing by over 100%.
Albion attributes the secret of success to having a loyal and highly skilled team of people supporting the business and its distributors. During the coming year, one third of Albion staff will have been with the company for ten years or more, with the original core founding team clocking-up over 20 years each in the business.
From a commercial perspective, it is Albion’s empathy with customers and their responsiveness to ever-changing industry needs that has helped them build a reputation as a preferred supplier. Whilst the team’s expertise and product knowledge – particularly keeping abreast of new product development has helped the business grow and expand into new areas.
The company has also been quick to reinvest in the business. During 2016 Albion invested significantly into expanding its premises in Barnsley, enabling them to increase stock densities and improve stock availability to customers.
A new in-house test facility for testing and setting safety valves was also added as was a staff canteen and increased office space to accommodate Albion’s growing team.
In recruitment, sustainability has been key in the growth strategy to help ensure the team retains exactly the right balance of skills to best service distributors. Last year Albion recruited dedicated managers in both quality control and marketing for the first time, to further support its sales and operations team.
David Keys, Managing Director, Albion Valves UK Ltd commented:
“We are very fortunate to have such a great group of people working with us. The team is always willing to go the extra mile for customers and continually strives to provide a first-class service. It is their skills and knowledge that really makes this business the success story it is today.
To help us grow further and continue to offer the best possible service to customers, we are also keen to develop young talent and pass the skills developed by our senior staff onto the next generation.
As a business, we have always offered apprenticeships and have a one hundred percent track record of extending our apprenticeships into full-time employment. This year we will be recruiting again to fulfill another apprenticeship, as well as adding to our sales team.”
Albion currently stocks over 5000 lines of commercial valves, suitable for applications predominantly within the process, water, building services and HVAC industries, all available from its distributor network.
