JUDGES’ COMMENT


“This entry ticked all the boxes. They have high levels of client satisfaction, have invested in staff development and have clear ambitions to grow the company through diversifi cation”


Building Services WINNER CROFTON DESIGN


Crofton Design, a 35-strong building services contractor, recently worked on Ashford Gateway Plus, a £5.9 million civic building commissioned jointly by Kent County Council, Ashford Borough Council and Ashford Futures. The three-storey building


provides library services, adult education, social services, council housing and benefi t advice and a new civil wedding ceremony venue. Ceiling voids in the building


had to accommodate a signifi cant amount of mechanical and electrical ductwork to support the building’s ventilation system. Extra ventilation was required to service the high-ceilinged, open-plan building. To keep the depth of this


services zone to a minimum, ductwork was run through holes of various diameters in the steelwork frame of the building. This required careful coordination with the design team to keep voids as small


www.cnplus.co.uk


as possible and to ensure the structural integrity was not compromised. With seven separate


stakeholders due to move in to the completed building, there were a signifi cant number of design changes, particularly for electrical services. Crofton chaired a series of stakeholder meetings to facilitate this process, off ering advice for the most suitable location of CCTV and access of control equipment. The company invests heavily in


staff development and a number of staff undertook company-funded postgraduate qualifi cations this year. Staff in the company regularly take part in charity cycle rides and have raised more than £10,000 in the past three years. More than 75 per cent of


engineers have relevant professional membership and in the past year alone, the number of staff has increased by 17 per cent and turnover has increased by 16 per cent.


FINALISTS


GRAINGER ELECTRICAL SERVICES MABEY HIRE SERVICES PLASTIC SURGEON WILO UK


Crofton has deliberately


targeted a range of sectors, helping to keep a strong balance through the recession. It aims to continue to diversify to grow the company. A recent survey of 170 clients and contacts revealed that 94 per cent were satisfi ed or very satisfi ed with their relationship with Crofton, with 69 per cent of clients off ering repeat work. The consultancy encourages


good relationships with clients by hosting events throughout the year, from technical to corporate networking.


FOCUS BARRY HENSON


Building services director Barry Henson believes that being an integral part of the construction process at an early stage, as well as investing in training, are key to Crofton’s success. He says: “By engaging early with the project team, we build strong relationships with our clients so we can deliver to the highest standard possible. “Our staff are our most important


asset and invest significantly in their development – we fund postgraduate qualifications for younger engineers and senior members of staff. Over half our staff have been with us for more than five years, which has ensured we’ve continued to perform well in the current economic climate.”


Crofton worked on Ashford Gateway Plus, a £5.9m civic building in Kent


5 April 2012 | 43


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