Fusion Group
Kevin Raine, Group managing director, 48
Type of business: Supplier of plastic-pipe jointing systems
Location: Chesterfield
Employees: 520
Turnover: £70m
Investment plans: Expansion of Fusion’s export business is top of
Raine’s agenda, following the opening of a factory in Egypt in October to
satisfy demand in the Middle East for fittings that join plastic pipes. The
company already has two factories in China and wants to acquire another
manufacturer in the region. It also needs additional investment to install
specialist tooling at its new joint venture factory in Canada.
Raine, who has worked at Fusion for 20 years, wants to expand the product
range, which he believes is a key ingredient if he is to meet his target of
doubling the firm’s size within a few years. “As a company we remain
incredibly ambitious,” he says.
Torque Tension Systems
Gerald Vineberg, Co-founder and managing director, 55
Type of business: Manufacturer of bolt-tightening equipment
Location: Ashington
Employees: 17
Turnover: £4m
Investment plans: Since 1999 the firm has developed and patented seven
products and two software packages to help engineering services companies
tighten bolts in potentially dangerous industries such as oil and gas,
construction, wind energy and subsea.
Vineberg, a chartered accountant, wants to build larger premises in Ashington
and establish two overseas bases, in the Middle East and in the Caspian
region. TTS has had a presence in Australia since 2003 and Malaysia since
2005.
He also aims to increase investment in the company’s rental equipment and
negotiate more licensing deals for its bolt-tightening management system
software.
Corporate Document Services
Ian Southall, Co-founder and MD, 56
Type of business: Publishing services
Location: Leeds
Employees: 200
Turnover: £25.1m
Investment plans: From modest beginnings in 1994, the company has
expanded from a team of 57 journalists, graphic designers, print managers,
marketing consultants and online experts to a staff of 200. They work from
11 locations across the UK, and Southall hopes to open larger offices in
London and establish bases in Scotland and mainland Europe.
CDS has seen sales grow by 75% in the past three years, thanks particularly to
the success of its internet solutions and print logistics divisions. Its
clients include the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Work and
Pensions, but Southall knows CDS needs to invest in its digital printing
facilities if it is to win larger public-sector contracts.
“Over the next 12 months we will concentrate on customer service and
publishing and printing contracts, as well as investing more in recruiting
IT staff with specific skills in new technology,” he says. “They are always
at a premium.”
Kelkay
Antony Harker, Founder and owner, 38
Type of business: Supplier of products to garden centres
Location: Pollington, East Yorkshire
Employees: 60
Turnover: £8.5m
Investment plans: Harker spent £500,000 launching a new company called
Mystone in October to supply his Kelkay business with decorative paving and
edging. For the first time since the firm was formed in May 2001 he is also
considering acquisition. “We have a hit list of companies within our sector,
and we expect to make our first purchase before March,” he says. “Over the
next few difficult months there will be plenty of good companies that need
investment.”
Kelkay’s location is crucial to Harker’s plans. The nearest large town is
Selby, while the business is only about 20 miles from both Leeds and York.
“We are well positioned and have enough land at Pollington to grow to a £30m
business on this site.” He also has plans to open an office in China.
Harker is not afraid of a challenge and has even begun to sell sand to Dubai.
“The region has plenty of sand but you cannot do much with it because the
grains are too small. We supply stockists there with play sand for garden
sandpits.”
Lanes Group
David Nutton and Wayne Earnshaw, Financial director and joint managing
director, 52 and 45
Type of business: Drain cleaning
Location: Leeds
Employees: 850
Turnover: £65m
Investment plans: The company, which trades under the Lanes for Drains
brand, has a broad customer base, from Tesco to London Underground, and
wants additional funding to expand its 21-strong branch network through
acquisition. “We are now looking at South Wales and at further opportunities
in Scotland,” says Nutton.
Lanes is aiming for a turnover of up to £80m in the next 12 months, and
estimates that the UK market for drain cleaning, repair and maintenance is
about £1 billion. “The economic downturn won’t have an impact. The potential
is immense, especially as the water companies are under pressure to invest
significantly in regenerating their drains,” claims Nutton. “Some of these
are cast-iron, very old and in a poor state.”
The company also wants to invest more in new technology. It costs £65,000 to
put a van on the road installed with the latest camera equipment.
