IN THE PIPELINE THE PIRTEK MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2017
Exciting times ahead in Cumbria! Customer service wins!
Getting into gear!
AND SO MUCH MORE INSIDE!
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CENTRE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE SPECIAL OFFERS VISIT YOUR LOCAL PIRTEK CENTRE TO TAKE ADVAN- TAGE
THESE GREAT SEASONAL SPECIAL OFFERS ARE VALID FROM: 1 OCTOBER 2017 - 31 DECEMBER 2017
£30/ € 36 PER PACK
£43.87 € 49.57
£10.70 € 12.09
£75.04 € 84.79
PIR-14225 2.5T GARAGE FLOOR JACK
PIRTEK SERVICE PLUGS PSP-MIX / PSP-STD
PIR-TOOL-719788 CAR CLEANING BRUSH AND HANDLE
PIR-STANDS STANDPIPE
£88.72 € 100.26
£8.56 € 9.67
£66.65 € 75.31
£5.47 € 6.18
PIR-TP69 VACUME OIL/FLUID EXTRACTOR
PIR-J8055/12SE UK TYPE GARAGE FUNNEL C/W FILTER
PIR-J8057/5N 5 LTR UK TYPE MEASURE C/W FLEX SPOUT
PIR-J1785701 GREASE GUN HIGH PRESSURE AIR OPERATED
8LTR £10.70 € 12.09
£215.45 € 243.46
£1.47 € 1.66
17LTR £17.28 € 19.53
Price is Per Cartridge
PIR-C2782 HI VIS SAFETY HOSE REEL
PIR-LEP2 LITHIUM EP2 GREASE BOX OF 36
PIR-DRP01 OIL/FLUID DRAIN 8LTR PIR-DRP03 OIL/FLUID DRAIN 17LTR
PIR-HVIS06-30 6.3ID X 11.5OD 30M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £12.82 / € 14.48 PIR-HVIS06-50 6.3ID X 11.5OD 50M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £21.28 / € 24.05 PIR-HVIS06-100 6.3ID X 11.5OD 100M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £41.01 / € 46.34 PIR-HVIS10-30 10ID X 16OD 30M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £20.40 / € 23.05 PIR-HVIS10-50 10ID X 16OD 50M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £32.84 / € 37.11 PIR-HVIS10-100 10ID X 16OD 100M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £65.39 / € 73.90 PIR-HVIS12.5-30 12.5ID X 18.5OD 30M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £22.12 / € 24.99 PIR-HVIS12.5-50 12.5ID X 18.5OD 50M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £37.03 / € 41.84 PIR-HVIS12.5-100 12.5ID X 18.5OD 100M HI-VIS FDA HOSE £75.04 / € 84.79
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03/10/2017 16:
There when you need us
In recent weeks, one major story has taken the spotlight and hogged the headlines: Hurricane Irma. The category five storm was the strongest the Atlantic had seen in a decade, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Thousands have been left homeless, millions without power and there are billions of pounds worth of damage. Now that the dust has settled, reconstruction is at the heart of every conversation. Despite the hurricane being thousands of miles away, Britain has responded at lightning speed, pledging £32 million towards recovery efforts and hurrying to be at the side of those facing a crisis.
‘ We waste no time in getting to customers in their hour of need ’
Here at Pirtek, we are not unlike Britain’s disaster response. As such, we waste no time getting to our customers in their hour of need, we make sure to provide exactly what is needed to fix an issue and, thanks to the many Pirtek centres, geography is rarely an issue. As we are the first to react, we make sure never to fall short of an effective and timely response.
That is why each of our centres carries a full range of hoses and fittings and is a base for mobile workshops manned by highly skilled technicians able to resolve problems in any location.
All this would not be sufficient without a timely response and we are proud to say that we manage all this with an ETA of within an hour of the customer’s call.
While we know our dedication to a smooth recovery cannot directly help the brave people who have faced Hurricane Irma, we like to think it can make a real difference for our customers facing a potentially business-halting failure.
Chris Stuckey Managing Director C
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THE PIRTEK NETWORK ACROSS THE UK 24/7 THE PIRTEK NETWORK ACROSS THE UK 24/7
ABERDEEN Tel: 01224 225 588 ASHFORD Tel: 01233 502 090 BASILDON Tel: 01268 522 633 BELFAST Tel: 02890 369 522 BIRMINGHAM Tel: 0121 327 8678 BRADFORD Tel: 01274 739 300 BRISTOL Tel: 01179 820 056 BURTON UPON TRENT Tel: 01283 545 666 CAMBRIDGE Tel: 01223 835 222 CLEVELAND Tel: 01642 611 111 CORK Tel: 00353 21421 0990 COVENTRY Tel: 02476 633 797 CRAWLEY Tel: 01293 571 707 CUMBRIA Tel: 01768 210 055 DERBY Tel: 01332 205 000 DOCKLANDS Tel: 020 7474 8197 DONCASTER Tel: 01302 881 115 DUBLIN Tel: 00353 1456 4822 DUNDEE Tel: 01382 819 988 EDINBURGH Tel: 0131 554 1445 ELLESMERE PORT Tel: 0151 357 3574 FERNDOWN Tel: 01202 087 777 GALWAY Tel: 00353 91 730 530 GLASGOW Tel: 0141 641 4422 GLOUCESTER Tel: 01452 881 861 GREENWICH Tel: 020 7237 8230 GUILDFORD Tel: 01483 454 546 HARLOW Tel: 01279 427 300 HULL Tel: 01482 217 222 IPSWICH Tel: 01473 688 288 ISLEWORTH Tel: 020 8847 5095 ISLE OF WIGHT Tel: 01983 528 000 KIDDERMINSTER Tel: 01562 753 770 KILMARNOCK Tel: 01563 521 166 KINGS CROSS Tel: 020 7700 1819 KINROSS Tel: 01577 865 855 LEEDS Tel: 0113 244 2700 LEICESTER Tel: 01162 547 745 LEYTON Tel: 020 8556 9500 LIMERICK Tel: 061 305569 LINCOLN Tel: 01522 697 698 LIVERPOOL Tel: 0151 933 9000 LUTON Tel: 01582 597 050 MANCHESTER EAST Tel: 0161 785 9100 MANCHESTER Tel: 0161 877 0000 MANSFIELD Tel: 01623 555 500 MEDWAY Tel: 01634 297 080 MILTON KEYNES Tel: 01908 565 500 MITCHAM Tel: 020 8640 6565 NEWPORT/CARDIFF Tel: 01633 868 655 ERITH Tel: 01322 350 400 EXETER Tel: 01392 499 030 FALKIRK Tel: 01324 611 444
NORTHAMPTON Tel: 01604 499 644 NORWICH Tel: 01603 744 544 NOTTINGHAM : 01159 850 081 OLDBURY Tel: 0121 552 3355 OXFORD Tel: 01865 711 323 PAISLEY Tel: 0141 849 0404 PARK ROYAL Tel: 020 8961 0333 PERTH Tel: 01738 635 555 PETERBOROUGH Tel: 01733 893 466 PLYMOUTH Tel: 01752 511 010 POOLE Tel: 01202 681 681 PORTSMOUTH Tel: 02392 382 221
SHROPSHIRE Tel: 01952 200 678 SLOUGH Tel: 01753 550 077 SOUTHAMPTON Tel: 023 8033 7737 STOKE Tel: 01782 206 206 SWANSEA Tel: 01792 310 031 SWINDON Tel: 01793 512 500 THURROCK Tel: 01708 869 696 TYNE & WEAR Tel: 0191 487 9996 WAKEFIELD Tel: 01924 365 300 WATERFORD Tel: 00353 5137 4000 WATFORD Tel: 01923 256 733 WESTBURY Tel: 01373 822 073 WIGAN Tel: 01942 230 111 WOLVERHAMPTON Tel: 01902 862 000 WORCESTER Tel: 01905 757 111 YORK Tel: 01904 693 866
PRESTON Tel: 01772 620 111 READING Tel: 01189 584 458 RUGBY Tel: 01788 494 003 REDDITCH Tel: 01527 521 933 SHEFFIELD Tel: 01142 493 666
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Perfect combination
Pirtek Cumbria (formerly Pirtek Penrith) is under new management.
satellite depot to help us cover the huge territory,” he said.
That management may be new to customers served by the dedicated hose centre based at Penrith Industrial Estate, but the change in ownership marks the continuation of a partnership well proven at nearby Pirtek Preston. The new owners are Mark Barnes, licensee at Pirtek Preston and his sales manager John Osborne. “Pirtek Penrith will benefit from Mark’s commercial expertise, while I will be bringing my sales experience and focus,” Osborne said. The change in ownership marks a return to what Osbourne describes as “the old fashioned Pirtek way”. “In the long term, I would like to see additional vans and maybe even a
“But to begin with, we will be concentrating on providing Pirtek Cumbria’s customers with a convenient and reliable local service backed by products and services at the right price.” Mark Barnes said, “In many ways, the change in ownership launches a homecoming for Pirtek Cumbria as the territory used to be owned by the same owners as Pirtek Preston, which I now own.” “I have wanted to add this important centre to our portfolio for the past six or seven years. When the opportunity arose, John and I leapt at the chance.” The joint owners are keen to confirm that all staff at Pirtek Cumbria will be retained and training will be delivered where necessary. The four mobile sales and service vans operated from Pirtek Cumbria will also be committed to delivering the familiar Pirtek service across a territory that stretches from Lancaster to Carlisle. That will be good news for customers served by the Cumbrian Branch, including BAE at Barrow and the Sellafield nuclear power plant. “Thanks to our experience and success at Pirtek Preston, we know the recipe for running a successful Pirtek centre,” concludes John Osborne.
at Pirtek Cumbria
“Our task now is to emulate that success at Pirtek Cumbria.”
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Pirtek Europe acquires Slangakuten
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Pirtek Europe, established in the UK in 1988, is Europe’s leading provider of emergency hydraulic hose replacement services. The company’s acquisition of Slangakuten establishes Pirtek in the Scandinavian market and strengthens its position as the number one provider in Europe. For Slangakuten, the acquisition provides the support and resources to accelerate its expansion programme. Alex McNutt, group CEO Pirtek Europe said, “I am delighted that Slangakuten is now part of the group and we all look forward to working with Stefan Fallenius as managing director to expand the business throughout the region. Slangakuten is a very well managed company and is a great addition to our European operations.” Stefan Fallenius, Slangakuten’s CEO and founder said, “I am extremely happy to enter into this partnership with Pirtek Europe, which will allow us to strengthen our position in the marketplace and drive the business forward.” “Over the coming months, Slangakuten will begin the transition to the familiar Pirtek branding and continue to deliver excellent service to Slangakuten’s new and existing customers.” About Pirtek Europe In 1988 Pirtek entered the UK marketplace and has grown to become Europe’s number one provider of on-site hydraulic hose replacement services. Pirtek Europe currently operates 185 service centres and has more than 725 mobile service
vehicles operating in Belgium, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Ireland and the UK.
Pirtek’s mission is to provide the fastest and most convenient service available, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It offers a comprehensive range of products and services across many market sectors. About Slangakuten Slangakuten is a leading Swedish provider of emergency and routine on-site hydraulic hose replacement services. The company was established in 2009 in Stockholm and Gothenburg and has steadily expanded to cover the Malmö region, Skåne and Östergötland with 17 mobile service units. www.slangakuten.se Advisors Advokatfirman Vinge (Malmo) and Squire Patton Boggs (Leeds) acted as legal advisors and BDO (London and Stockholm) acted as financial advisors to Pirtek Europe. MAQS Advokatbyrå acted as legal advisor and KPMG Corporate Finance acted as financial advisor to the seller.
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Keeping the tracks turning
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The company’s distinctive mobile service vans have become a familiar sight on construction sites the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland and major national plant hire and civil engineering companies entrust the care of their equipment to Pirtek, regardless of where those machines happen to be working. Safety first Pirtek unveiled an exciting, safety critical product at PlantworX that will be of interest to plant owners, operators and fitters and anyone required to get hands-on with a machine’s hydraulics. The new Fluid Power Glove has been developed to combat the threat of fluid injection injuries that can occur as a result of hydraulic hose failure.
The velocity of fluid forced through a pinhole break in a hydraulic hose can be in excess of 250 metres per second – close to the muzzle velocity of a gun. Fluid released in a fine jet at this velocity is sufficient to penetrate clothing, including protective gloves. Skin penetration can occur up to 100 mm away from the fluid source and at pressures as low as 100 psi. The toxicity of the injected fluid leads to necrosis of the affected area, as well as compartment syndrome, which will require timely surgery. Compartment syndrome is caused when fluid under pressure enters the hand, causing nerve
On 6 June this year, Pirtek took its place among the elite of the construction equipment and plant hire sector at the PlantworX exhibition at Bruntingthorpe. From its inception nearly 30 years ago, Pirtek has been a staunch supporter of the UK construction and plant hire sector. Pirtek built its reputation on its unrivalled support for the construction and plant hire sectors. That commitment remains and indeed, continues to grow.
and tendon damage by over pressurising compartments, including those of nerves and
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Pirtek knows hose While the company’s display at PlantworX was centred on the new Fluid Power Glove, Pirtek’s support of the construction and plant hire sector extends way beyond that. An increasing number of plant hirers, construction and civil engineering companies are entrusting the maintenance of hydraulic and pneumatic hoses and couplings on their fleet to Pirtek via the company’s Total Hose Management service. Under Total Hose Management, a qualified and experienced engineer carries out a full inspection of a machine’s hoses and couplings, logging the specific items, labelling them with a colour and numerically coded cable tie for
tendons in the hand, which can lead to permanent damage. There is also a risk of blood poisoning and bacterial infection. Surgery to remove dead tissue and clean out the fluid from the wound is required in 100 per cent of cases and failure to act quickly may result in the need to amputate fingers and limbs. The risk of amputation significantly increases if the wound is not treated within six hours. The Pirtek Fluid Power Glove, with its unique hydraulic injection resistant technology, is the only glove that offers protection against hydraulic injection injury as standard.
EN388:2003, offers protection up to 700BAR (10,150 psi) and is the only glove of its kind on the market. During laboratory testing at the Health and Safety Executive laboratory facilities (HSL) in Buxton, the injection resistant technology used in Pirtek Fluid Power Glove demonstrated injection resistance at pressures up to 700 Bar (10,150 PSI) from apertures ranging in size from 0.05 to 0.3 mm using standard hydraulic oil. The lightweight design, pliability and sizes ranging from small to XXL make the Pirtek Fluid Power Glove a must-have PPE garment for all personnel working on or around hydraulic equipment. The Fluid Power Glove is available through your local Pirtek centre.
The Pirtek 4041P Fluid Injection Glove is tested in accordance with
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faster identification and replacing any items that are worn or present a threat of failure. Inspections are repeated at a time and frequency of the customer’s convenience, eliminating the threat of unforeseen and catastrophic failure and ensuring optimum equipment uptime and profitability. On the road The service is delivered by a fleet of around 350 mobile service vehicles, each manned by a highly trained and qualified mobile sales and service technician and backed by more than 80 dedicated hose centres across the UK and Ireland. Coverage extends the length and breadth of the country, making Pirtek the clear leader in the emergency hose replacement market and allowing it to consistently deliver on its service promise of Anytime. Anywhere. ETA one hour. Little wonder that Pirtek counts the likes of A-Plant, GAP Group, Plantforce and a multitude of industry household names among its customers. In addition to delivering emergency, on-site hose replacements for these and many other construction and plant hire companies, Pirtek delivers a whole lot more. The company now offers a product range that extends to more than 18,000 line items ranging from the obvious hoses and couplings, through the Fluid Safety Glove to the less obvious range of oil spill and containment kits, hose protection products, tools, pumps and motors and even fluids and lubricants.
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Driving customer service in the Dumfries area
Pirtek has once again met the high expectations held by its customers and itself by introducing a new van to the Dumfries and Galloway area. With the former Dumfries centre closing in January 2013, Pirtek’s Kilmarnock and Paisley centres have been covering the area in “acquired access” over the past few years. In order to keep up with customer demand the company, which holds the Investors in People award, has introduced a Dumfries-focused van that will provide around-the- clock coverage, living up to Pirtek’s promise of top quality service with an ETA one-hour response, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Seeking to reduce downtime and consistently provide top-quality service, Pirtek was looking for a Dumfries technician who was familiar with the town.
Andrew was well worth the wait due to his extensive local knowledge and an attitude that brimmed with determination and excitement – characteristics that Pirtek seeks in all its employees. Since starting at Pirtek, Andrew has been given thorough on-site training with the goal of making him as successful as all other Pirtek technicians. He will also be attending Pirtek’s national training centre in September to make sure this goal becomes a reality. With a technician bound for success, centre manager George Goodell says the Dumfries van is equipped to handle “any needs a customer might have”. The vehicle carries a wide range of Pirtek’s top quality products such as quick release couplings, hose protection and hydraulic oils, meaning it will be able to deal with any situation fast.
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In a fashion that is typical of Pirtek’s work ethic, vans from surrounding areas such as Kilmarnock, Paisley and Glasgow will be on call to assist the Dumfries van if the need arises. with the new vehicle successfully working with Dumfries and Galloway council and also executing ground-breaking work on the Jericho Bridge quarry. This attitude has already paid off,
to expectations. Pirtek’s desire to provide fast-acting responses, a wide range of services and top-quality work ethic will once again pay off.
With success stories like these and with no significant competitors in the area, the Dumfries van will no doubt live up
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Basildon bond
Work ethic It was not long before Colin May’s work ethic started to shine through. “Even when I was labouring, I wanted to be the fastest or the best,” he says. “I was never interested in competing with others. I have always just wanted to be the best at whatever I do, purely for my own satisfaction.” Vic Lane spotted May’s potential very early on and quickly promoted him to mobile sales and service technician (MSST), handing him the keys to the third van to join the growing Pirtek Basildon operation. “MSSTs are the public face of Pirtek,” says May. “Along with the vans, they are the most recognisable element of the business. And that brings with it a great deal of responsibility,” he says. “I must admit, I struggled as an MSST to begin with. It was a steep learning curve but with some additional training and the help of Vic and the rest of the team, I started to enjoy it.” But May’s journey up the Pirtek ladder was far from over. “In addition to Pirtek Basildon, Vic also owned two other Pirtek centres (Pirtek Harlow and Pirtek Leytonstone) and he was splitting his time between the three. He made it clear that he was looking for a centre manager to help carry some of the workload at Pirtek Basildon and I wasn’t going to say no,” May continues. “I became one of the youngest centre managers in the whole Pirtek UK network.” In 2003, Vic Lane sold his Pirtek Harlow business to his centre manager, Perry Tubb. Even though the sale of Pirtek Harlow provided undeniable proof that
Through a mix of hard graft, dedication and commitment, Colin May has risen through the Pirtek ranks from trade counter assistant to owner, much to his own surprise. “I never set out to own my own business. But Pirtek gave me that opportunity and I seized the chance,” says May, licensee at Pirtek Basildon. He left school “without direction” and had never even heard of Pirtek before he set foot in what would ultimately become his own business premises some 22 years later. May recalls that he was working for a Basildon-based company with links to the hydraulic hose world when he first encountered Pirtek. “A customer mentioned the fact that Pirtek was opening a centre nearby,” he says. “I didn’t know the name but I decided to check them out for myself.” Aged 19, May literally got on his bike after work and rode to the location of the as-yet-unopened Pirtek Basildon centre. “They were still setting up. The electricians were fitting the lights and hoses and fittings were still being labelled and stored,” he says. “I poked my head in and spoke to the then owner, Vic Lane, and offered him my services as a trade counter assistant. He called me the same night to offer me a job and I started work there a week or so later. I haven’t looked back since.”
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a centre manager could, and perhaps should, be an ideal licensee, the penny did not drop with May.
May’s ability to lead by example is the foundation of Pirtek Basildon’s success. Several members of his team have been at Pirtek Basildon almost as long as he has while another left to try his hand at another business only to return to the fold. And in a possible case of history repeating itself, May has taken on a young and relatively inexperienced trade counter assistant who might one day follow in his footsteps to the very top of the Pirtek career ladder. “Franchising and the Pirtek business model is not for everyone,” he says. “But it has provided me with a unique opportunity to own my own business and has helped me every step of the way.” Help and assistance That help comes in various forms and Colin May cites two specific aspects that have helped his centre better meet the needs of his customers. “The training regime at Pirtek is second to none. All of our staff are trained to the highest possible standards and that training is ongoing,” he explains. “In addition, Pirtek UK’s national training and health and safety manager, Martyn Smart, has developed a series of
“We had all seen how Perry had stepped up from centre manager to become the owner of Pirtek Harlow,” May says. “But it wasn’t until Vic told me he was thinking about selling Pirtek Basildon that I even considered making a bid for it myself.” Climbing the ladder With the encouragement of Vic Lane, the support of Pirtek UK and an understanding bank manager, May made a successful bid. And 22 years after he first walked through the doors at Pirtek Basildon to push a broom, he was walking through the same doors to push the business forward. May says his experience as a depot assistant, MSST and centre manager has influenced his approach as a licensee. “I would not ask any of my team to do anything that I could not or would not do myself,” he says. “And, if the need arises, I am still willing take one of the vans and carry out an on-site hose replacement myself. I don’t do it every day but I still enjoy it.”
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highly detailed “black boxes”. No matter what industry or application our MSSTs find themselves working in, they are armed with all the health and safety information they need to ensure their own safety, the safety of the customer and the safety of those around them.” Pirtek Basildon was also one of the pioneers of Pirtek’s recently introduced Customer Relationship Management software system and May is already a vocal advocate. “I liken running this business to filling with water a bucket with a hole in the bottom. You need to be constantly topping up the bucket to replace those that – for one reason or another – have fallen out of the bottom. The Pirtek CRM system allows us to do just that,” he says. “One of the key challenges of running a service- focused business is that you don’t always hear about a dissatisfied customer. They just move on and you never hear from them again. Using the Pirtek CRM system, we can follow up all our customers, make sure that we’re speaking to the right people at the right time and reinforce relationships at all levels within that customer.”
In his 22 years with the Pirtek business, May has seen many changes. The two-way radios used to keep the centre in touch with MSSTs have long since been replaced by mobile phones. More recently, the company has developed a highly sophisticated app that allows customers to contact the centre directly at the press of a button on a mobile device. He has also seen Pirtek grow from a company that was best known purely among its customers to a brand that enjoys a huge exposure as a result of its sponsorship of a British Touring Car Championship team. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is May’s work ethic and his belief in the Pirtek brand. “When a customer calls us, I want them to receive high-end, top-notch, reliable, professional, trained and safe service,” he asserts. “That’s what the Pirtek brand means to me and that’s what our customers expect.” May is too modest to admit it, but his drive and enthusiasm – evident when he was a 19-year old trade counter assistant – has helped establish him as another Pirtek success story.
“I am a big part of a small business that’s a small part of a much bigger business and that’s a nice place to be. I run a small business in Basildon but my company name is splashed all over a touring car that gets mass exposure on ITV,” he concludes. “I see nothing but positives from being a part of a franchise. Pirtek has been good to me.” To view an exclusive video of Colin May talking about his rise at Pirtek Basildon, visit: https://youtube/ E1O00E6fRtY
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Pirtek Ashford gets into gear
Great service doesn’t stop with your typical hydraulic machinery at Pirtek Ashford. It appears the centre provides around the clock service that covers a vast range of products, ranging from excavators to Porsches. When Paragon Porsche called in need of a repair for obsolete oil feed pipes on a 1976 Porsche 911, Pirtek Ashford saw the great opportunity and immediately got into gear. It is the enthusiasm of Pirtek that makes it the leading supplier of hoses, fittings and on-site repair. No job is out of bounds, making the service Pirtek offers “invaluable”. Having followed the Paragon race team and Paragon Porsche closely due to its “connection to motor sports via Andrew Jordan and Pirtek Racing”, the Ashford centre was “happy to help to return the oil
pipes to their former glory”. With the Porsche belonging to a “very, very good customer” whom the company “has known for a very long time and therefore knows he needs everything perfect”, the job needed to be done with speed and precision. Pirtek Ashford worked hard to make a tricky job flow easily and quickly. The pipes, essential to the oil feed but now obsolete, had to be manufactured to fit from the tank to around the engine, a “very tight space” that requires attention to detail according to Paragon employee,
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Peter. “The gearbox relies on the oil from the pipes so it is essential that we make sure everything is repaired without a hitch.” To Paragon, the job was not one to be taken lightly. The Sportomatic gearbox, introduced in 1967, is part
of the charm of the classic car. With Sportomatic 911s being a rarity in the UK due to them being imported in very small numbers, the oil feed pumps the Sportomatic relies on are priceless. Pirtek Ashford had efficiently collected, ordered in special parts, repaired and returned the pipes to Paragon within 48 hours.
at Paragon was extremely satisfied, describing the centre, its employees and their work as “superb and lovely”. “For us the work that Pirtek has done is invaluable. It’s such a classic car and desperately needed the pipes so it really is invaluable.” While Pirtek doesn’t like to toot its own pipe, it’s safe to say that the expertise and dedication of its centres make for a world class business.
Having needed everything to be “spot on”, Jason
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Pirtek Luton kicking up a storm!
Building partnerships is something Pirtek really enjoys, dedicating its services to charitable events, working with local communities and of course, developing exciting sponsorship deals. It is widely known that Pirtek sponsors the fearless Andrew Jordan through Pirtek Racing, but there are other exciting sponsorship deals going on and a big opportunity has arisen for Pirtek Luton and Luton Town Football Club. In an impressive new venture for the company, Pirtek Luton will be sponsoring the Kenilworth Road ground, creating greater brand awareness with its name emblazoned within the stadium. The exciting new partnership is set to boost Pirtek Luton’s community involvement and name recognition even further,
showing a communal front for the whole company.
Due to Pirtek’s reliable nature and its focus on the building of local relationships, fans of The Hatters will be seeing the Pirtek banner for the whole of the next season. And what a season it’s looking to be. Although currently in League Two, hats off to the hatters as their first game of the season saw an amazing 8-2 rout of Yeovil Town. This is fantastic news for Pirtek as, if Luton Town goes up, the brand goes up with them. It’s as if there is no limit for this partnership.
The sponsorship will also see the centre’s name touching a wider demographic, as Keith at the Luton branch sees this venture as extremely beneficial for the centre’s marketing throughout the whole of the UK. “The main thing is that Pirtek will be shown to people travelling to the grounds, getting the Pirtek name out not just for Luton but all across the country.” The sponsorship came about due to the centre already being popular among small businesses in the town. Wanting to develop further relationships, Luton Town FC sought the help of “sporting ads” in order to get successful small businesses on board. Of course Pirtek Luton was on the list.
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Total Hydraulic Management
Pirtek is constantly seeking to widen the range of products and maintenance needs it can service. The company hopes to accommodate customers’ requirements by providing resolutions for a vast number of issues and routinely implementing new techniques. It is therefore no surprise that Pirtek Tyne and Wear is introducing Total Hydraulic Management. The new system, which will be offered at the centre on a full-time basis, sees to oil cleanliness, pump analysis, flushing and cleaning, and hose management. Now with ten on-site hose repair vans and three highly qualified hydraulic engineers conducting routine and in-depth monitoring of hydraulic systems, the Tyne and Wear centre will analyse and record oil cleanliness, track the efficiency of hydraulic pumps and monitor system performance. This will enable the centre to foresee system failures, reducing downtime and contributing to a healthier and longer lasting hydraulic system. All this is in line with Pirtek’s promise of a timely, precise and effective “complete one stop service”.
The monitoring of hydraulic systems is not something that the centre has previously been involved with, but Tyne and Wear operations director, Kevin Monaghan, sees THM as the obvious next step. “Every day of the week we work with hydraulic systems and we think this will be a huge step in the right direction because it will offer a wider service.”
In an exciting new venture that poached a great deal
pump analysis, will be distributed throughout Tyne and Wear.
of business from competitors, the centre recently purchased £30,000 worth of exclusive machinery from a competing business that went “bump again”. Pirtek Tyne and Wear will now “have a good portion” of assets that it was previously unable to grasp, filling a gap in the market calling for focused hydraulic maintenance from highly trained technicians. To get the word out and gain a larger client base for the centre, Pirtek Tyne and Wear has been busy working on a tell-all leaflet that highlights the importance of THM. The leaflet, which covers important elements of Total Hydraulic Management such as proactive hose management and
Although the centre has “a lot to learn” in terms of marketing the new service, Kevin sees the leaflet as a necessary step for the growth of THM. “I think that once we get it properly up and running we will see the difference. The leaflet will also be accompanied by e-shots that will hopefully get out to a wider client base and combat competitors.” With the centre challenging the competition, offering three new vans with highly skilled technicians and marketing its impressive new service, it really is an exciting time for Pirtek Tyne and Wear.
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Flushed with success
Pirtek_hp_0216.qxp_Layout 1 14/03/2017 09:19 Page 1
It seems that Total Hydraulic Management could be the next step for the whole of Pirtek, but this progressive move from the Tyne and Wear franchise did not emerge from nowhere. Pirtek Birmingham has been offering the service for almost two years. Since its launch, THM has grown business enormously, as the
Flushing Service Now available from Pirtek Birmingham
Flush hoses on or off site as required Clean hoses/system, certified to NAS 1638 and ISO 4406 standards Dedicated, fully trained hydraulic engineer
Design, create and install hydraulic systems Follow up with Total Hose Management programme Gold standard service from conception to installation
0121 327 8678 info@pirtekbirmingham.co.uk www.pirtek.co.uk/birmingham Unit 5, Boultbee Business Units, Nechells Place, Birmingham B7 5AR
centre has been able to build relationships with well-known companies such as Tata steel and EMR metal recycling. The successful venture enabled Pirtek Birmingham to provide a wider service, making its work much more successful and paving the way for centres such as Tyne and Wear. The Birmingham centre’s franchisee, Andy Connell, decided to introduce the service having realised “it was a business they were missing out on” when he received a great deal of requests for hose cleaning and maintenance from customers.
hydraulic maintenance made sense. “The main point of a large order would be to get the hoses to a specific cleanliness level and after calling around and finding it hard to locate someone that was able to do that I realised there was a gap in the market – almost no nearby competitors.” Since day one of THM, the centre has been getting more and more praise for its work, even landing an article in Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine. The article praises Pirtek Birmingham’s work carrying out a complete hydraulic installation with European Metal Recycling (EMR), the UK’s leading recycling
company and underlines why EMR saw Pirtek Birmingham as the “best company for the task”, getting the word out about the centre’s THM success story. Along with the article in Hydraulics & Pneumatics, the centre has also placed an ad that runs in the magazine monthly. With the constant effort that has gone into both the marketing and executing of THM from Pirtek Birmingham, it is no surprise that other centres around the country are beginning to introduce the service. It will be exciting to see how far this venture can go.
He underlined why the move into
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Quality, inside and out
Centres across the country like to impress through their work, their people and the appearance of their workplace and Lee Tubb’s Pirtek Thurrock franchise is no different. The centre recently recruited long-time Pirtek manager, Kevin Kearney. While he has only been at Thurrock for a few months, Lee says it feels as if he’s been a member of the team for years. Liam Askew has also been taken on as a trade counter assistant. As well as expanding its workforce, the centre has been given a facelift. New paintwork, graphics, and shutters mean the bright blue entrance is now so inviting that it would be almost impossible for a potential customer to resist.
inside that counts, a good first impression never hurts and Pirtek Thurrock certainly gives that.
Business Centre, RM20 3FH, now shows off the brand in style. While we know that it is ultimately what’s
The centre, at Unit 10, The Glade
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Pirtek Thurrock – never a bridge burned
It is Pirtek Thurrock’s enthusiastic and hard-working attitude that sets it apart from its competition. Because of its wish to go above and beyond for the customer, the centre is first on the list when crisis hits local companies with unusual requirements. The centre has quite literally been raking in business by the armful. Pirtek Thurrock’s dedicated nature was amply demonstrated when loyal customer Brian Doogue Haulage Ltd called with a serious problem that needed to be solved quickly and efficiently. One of the company’s trucks had hit a bridge on the M25, resulting in all the hoses in the arm of the excavator it had been transporting being damaged. As it was due to board a boat in Tilbury the following day, the company needed trustworthy, dedicated and timely support. When the Thurrock centre received the call for help, it immediately got its highly trained staff into action. Typically for a Pirtek engineer, although he was due to be released at midday after working on stock take and call-outs until half-past eleven the night before, Matthew Ho did not hesitate to head out and assist. Within the hour he was working in conjunction with Brian Doogue Haulage’s fitter, quickly identifying the hoses and fittings that would need to be supplied by Pirtek so that an order could be made. Having stayed behind to await the order, Pirtek’s network support team member, Tony Spencer, had the process up and running in no time.
Pirtek team members working together to go above and beyond for the customer meant Thurrock’s engineer had removed the damaged hoses and successfully made up new ones just three hours later. This could not have been achieved so promptly had the 20 metres of 420 bar 1” and 20 metres of 420 bar ½” not been ordered and delivered so efficiently. By only half-past-eight that evening, the customer’s large machine, which had been in an extremely dire situation that morning, was up and running, ready to begin its journey once again.
All this was thanks to Pirtek Thurrock’s “stirling effort”.
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Need for speed
The Cowes-Poole-Cowes offshore powerboat race, one of the most distinguished and challenging powerboat races in the United Kingdom, took place on 27 August. The thrilling race, which has up to 20 contenders and covers 200 miles, is thought to be one of the most testing a powerboat racer can face. Having been held for 57 years, the race and its participants are widely recognised and respected both in and out of the powerboat world. One particularly prominent contender this year was the Vintage Torque, a 1000 BPH speedboat that can travel in excess of 100 mph. The “mean machine” is owned and operated
Frank knows exactly what he needs for a successful race, which is exactly why he and his team relied so heavily on the Pirtek Isle of Wight centre, trusting in Pirtek so much that a sponsorship deal arose. The relationship was established over the last year when the Vintage team began using the centre’s services, regularly popping in for parts and relying on them to make This successful work resulted in a package deal that saw Pirtek Isle of Wight supplying hydraulic steering hoses in return for the Pirtek name on the side of the boat. This was an opportunity that “couldn’t have been better” for all involved. Frank, who throttles the boat during races, described Pirtek’s involvement with the boat as invaluable. “I entered sure the boat ran as fast and efficiently as safely possible.
by Frank Rose, an extremely experienced and dedicated
powerboat racer who has competed in the Cowes powerboat race since 2003 and grabbed numerous gold medals in races in the area.
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the race the two years before this and broke down both times. But this year the work that Pirtek has done with us really paid off, making it a fantastic weekend. The time we were able to do it in proved the quality of the boat and the hard work that had gone on it.” The work that was put in by the outstanding Vintage team and the Pirtek centre really did pay off, with the boat being the fastest by three and a half minutes at an average speed of 79mph and a peak of 104mph. Unfortunately, due to there being too many spectators near the Bournemouth area, the Vintage Torque, along with three other racers, was unable to see the turning point around a buoy and was penalised by 15 minutes. Still, the Vintage Torque raced without hitches and came in a very respectable third place,
a brilliant result compared to what might have been.
Centre manager, Rob Gale, underlined the importance of attention to detail for the sake of safety. “It’s really important to get the boat in order so that accidents don’t happen. There have been fatalities in the race, five that I know of, so we have to ensure that everything is in perfect order.” The centre did this and more. Rob explained why the job meant a lot to him. “I grew up on the Isle of Wight so as a young man I used to go and see these races. The drivers aren’t paid for what they do so it really is a labour of love. And one that’s extremely expensive. Before they were coming to us they had to send parts off to America to get fixed. So, we made a plan to make some parts up for them in return for a free advertisement on their much-seen boat. One that we thought would benefit everyone.”
Frank underlined the importance of the work Pirtek had done for him and his boat. “We had a look at the engine and while we were doing that decided to look at the steering hoses that have been in there since the boat was made in 1989. Thank god we did. They were about to break down and the boat would have turned if we hadn’t replaced them. Pirtek supplied 12-metre stainless steel hoses made at a right angle that are much better and will last a lot longer.” Powerboat racing is something that cannot be taken lightly, with those operating the machine having to sit in a safety cell with a breathing apparatus built-in in case of a “turn”. An understanding of the equipment from skilled technicians was key, making Pirtek the perfect fit.
Congratulations Vintage Torque!
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A royally good job!
The Queensferry Crossing opened on 30 August, kicking off an epic week of events celebrating the completion of the new £1.35bn bridge over the river Forth.
bridges lies the iconic 19th century Forth Bridge, which carries the railway across the river. The first vehicles travelled over the Queensferry Crossing in the early hours of 30 August and by the morning rush hour it took more than an hour to clear the bridge in both directions due to the large number of drivers crossing for the first time. On the evening of 28 August, a procession of vintage, modern and electric vehicles drove across the bridge, marking the symbolic handover from contractors to the Scottish government. It was followed by a light show to celebrate the completion of the biggest infrastructure project Scotland has seen in more than twenty years. The Queensferry Crossing was closed on the weekend of 2-3 September to give around 50,000 members of the public a “once-in-a-lifetime” chance to walk over the new bridge. The bridge was officially opened by the queen on Monday 4 September, 50 years to the day after she opened the adjacent road bridge. Pirtek is extremely proud to have played its part in making these events run smoothly.
and will replace the Forth Road Bridge as the main road route between Edinburgh and Fife, carrying 24 million vehicles a year. The existing road bridge, built in 1964 and beset by maintenance problems, will continue to be used by cyclists, pedestrians and eventually buses but will no longer be burdened by general motor traffic. Just downstream of both road
According to Michael Martin, the man behind the Queensferry Crossing over the Firth of Forth is “one of the world’s great bridges”. Pirtek, which assisted with emergency hose replacement, is extremely proud to have played even a small part in the state-of-the-art project. The new 1.7 mile publicly-funded crossing is the biggest infrastructure project Scotland has seen in a generation
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PIR-FORMance at its best
Pirtek is launching an exciting one- of-a-kind product, the PFM Pir-Form MSHA Anti-Abrasion cover. The abrasion resistant sleeve for hydraulic hoses will see them last up to 10 times longer than when a standard EN ISO 6945 is used. The cover can withstand extreme weather, is waterproof, UV and ozone resistant and flame retardant. All this promises much higher operational efficiency through reduced downtime and ensures a longer working lifespan.
The cover is available in an assortment of different sizes and ranges and is accommodating to a broad variety of pressures and temperatures. Pirtek really have thought of it all, wanting to supply its customers with the best and most efficient hose protection and all at affordable prices.
Anti-downtime; Anti-extra costs; Anti-Abrasion cover!
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Taking flight
When Pirtek Swindon’s Mark Gresswell was injured in a motorcycle accident almost two years ago, the Wiltshire Air Ambulance service helped save his life. As a thank you, Gresswell’s colleagues decided to raise £5,000 for the service. To this end, the Pirtek Swindon centre ran a huge charity fundraising raffle in June. As well as being fellow inhabitants of Wiltshire, Pirtek Swindon and the air ambulance service share a bond. years ago and the rapid response and intervention of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance crew literally saved his life,” explains Pirtek Swindon centre manager John Kordula. “Since then, we have been looking for a way to help repay them for saving the life of our colleague and friend.” “One of our team was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident almost three
Operated as a charitable trust and providing helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) in Wiltshire and the surrounding counties, Wiltshire Air Ambulance (WAA) began operating in March 1990. Since then the helicopter and crew have flown over 16,000 missions. WAA is available up to 19 hours a day, 365 days a year and attends an average of three incidents a day. These include road traffic collisions, cardiac arrests, strokes, child-related emergencies and horse riding accidents. The service currently uses a Bell 429 helicopter, the only one of its kind used as an air ambulance in the UK. The aircraft has a top speed of 155 knots (178 mph) and a cruising speed of 150 knots (173 mph) allowing it to reach anywhere in Wiltshire within 11 minutes. The helicopter also flies some
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missions in neighbouring counties such as Somerset when required, especially at night as it is one of only three air ambulances in the south-west that fly at night. It costs the charity £3.25 million a year to keep the air ambulance operational, equivalent to
Touring Car Championship jackets and a BTCC race day for four people at the world-famous Silverstone circuit. “We are so grateful to Pirtek, their support is greatly appreciated. They worked so hard to source incredible
prizes and sell tickets for their raffle” explains the charity’s partnerships coordinator, Valerie Whistler. “We are funded almost entirely on public donations, so the fundraising support of the public is absolutely vital to help keep us flying and saving lives.”
£8,900 a day, and the charity relies almost entirely on public donations to keep flying.
Together with colleagues at Pirtek Westbury, Pirtek
Swindon’s John Kordula called on friends and suppliers to help put together a dizzying array of raffle prizes. These ranged from vouchers for a meal for two at a local carvery, cash prizes of £50 and £100 through a fully-equipped toolbox right up to British
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Open for business
Pirtek Poole’s satellite centre
on the Ferndown industrial estate is open for business
Pirtek Ferndown opened its doors to the public on 7 July, marking its launch with a busy and exciting open day. The centre pulled out all the stops, bringing in Andy Jordan and Jamie Caroline with their Pirtek BTCC touring cars and hiring a burger van to tempt visitors with free food. The event made a big impression on customers both old and new, who had a field day posing for pictures with the cars, getting a free burger from the snack van and then checking out what the centre had to offer. Franchisee Neil Sherwood couldn’t have been happier with the day, saying that it had “attracted people from all kinds of local companies; with engineers, mechanics and plant hire workers attending the event”. Talking of the impact the racing drivers had on the day’s visitors he said, “People were impressed by the touring cars and once they’d had a look they came in to the centre to see what we had to offer, which was a really great result.”
Ferndown and showing local companies the exciting things it has in store for them.
Up, up and away Since its opening, Pirtek Ferndown has gone from strength to strength. Strategically positioned next to the A31, the centre is in a prime location to service a wide range of customers throughout the area. Neil talked about the new satellite centre and its success at bringing in new customers. “In the short time since we opened we’ve gained a lot of new customers and it’s really helping us grow the business.”
The open day got the centre off to a really great start, gaining a lot of recognition for Pirtek
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