NEWS
AVOVE ACQUIRES CO DOWN WATER & WASTEWATER SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST
Tucson Pumps, part of the Sanbra Group, has appointed Bill Barry as its new business development manager. He joins the team to help drive further growth and deliver outstanding value to Tucson’s customers. With almost 30 years of expertise in the plumbing and heating industry, and eight years of experience specifically in pump sales, Bill will be able to utilise Tucson’s dedicated testing and training centre in Dublin to showcase the brand’s full potential when developing new business opportunities. “I am thrilled to join Tucson with the goal of driving sales growth and accelerating the Tucson brand,” said Bill. “We want to deliver reliable plumbing and heating solutions for both trade professionals and end- users. “Tucson has a forward-thinking mindset and, since joining, I’ve been genuinely impressed by the team’s agility and responsiveness to customer needs. I look forward to contributing to shaping Tucson’s future and engaging with our industry partners and customers to provide exceptional customer service and products that truly meet their needs.” www.tucsonpumps.com TUCSON PUMPS APPOINTS NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Avove, a leading
infrastructure and engineering services provider,
has expanded into Northern
Ireland through the acquisition of water and wastewater solutions specialist Jacopa Ireland. Bringing its
expertise and cutting-edge
Avove’s team in Newry, Co Down.
solutions to a new market, Avove will
be working in a joint venture to provide service excellence to Northern Ireland Water. The acquired business, which will be known as Avove Ireland, complements Avove’s business in GB where it has established a reputation for delivering high-quality, environmentally-responsible water services. Jacopa Ireland has established itself as a trusted name in the industry with a skilled workforce of 30 people, a reputation for innovation and a commitment to sustainability.
Mark Perkins, Executive Chair, Avove, said, “We are delighted to welcome Jacopa Ireland into the Avove family. Their expertise, culture and passion align perfectly with our values and mark a significant milestone in our growth strategy. “With this acquisition we look forward to collaborating with Northern Ireland Water and combining the strengths of the Jacopa team with the experience and capability of Avove to provide a thoughtful approach and exceptional service.” www.avove.co.uk
55% OF PLUMBERS SAY NI & WAGE COSTS IMPACT HIRING APPRENTICES
More than half of plumbers are struggling to hire apprentices due to wage costs and national insurance contributions, according to new research from plumbing and drainage manufacturer Wavin. Half also find it difficult to find a suitable candidate, with 39% often not having time to properly train or supervise them. The new data follows the government’s recent pledge to create an extra 30,000 apprenticeships in the next four years as part of a wider effort to increase British workers’ skills and cut net migration to
the UK. When asked what changes would make it easier to support apprentices, almost half of participants in Wavin’s latest Behind the Pipes survey selected government subsidies for apprentice wages. This was closely followed by wanting to see greater flexibility regarding apprentice terms and contracts to make employment easier (47%). Dan Scott, VP of Northern Europe at Wavin, said, “Apprentices are vital to the future of our industry, and this new research shows that it’s time for real action to unlock this potential.” www.wavin.com/gb
Bill Barry.
PLUMBING & HEATING MAGAZINE | 49
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