The LFI management team - R&D Manager Graham


Ridley, Operations Director Darren Smart, Commercial Director Andy Ferris and MD Ben Foster.


“We actually stayed open in the lockdown. 80 percent of the factory and most middle managers were furloughed, apart from the R&D and maintenance managers,” says Ben. “We were hoping to complete a few projects while we were quiet. However, within a week or so there was a flood of requests for aluminium products. I think because one of our competitors had closed completely, but also because of the demand from DIY jobs.


“We had started to use the ‘dropship’ business model, as I didn’t want all our eggs in the same basket. But when the lockdown came, and our drivers were furloughed, all of our business came this way. There was so much demand for certain product lines that we needed to put a night shift on - and so did our aluminium supplier.”


Safety first


Ladders have been around in one form or another for around 10,000 years. Does the increasing popularity of powered and push-along access equipment, and mobile scaffold towers mean that their time has finally come?


so we all contribute to discussions about the code of practice, and making sure we have a full range of training courses available.”


Model behaviour


LFI has launched eight new products in the last couple of years, which shows that there’s plenty of scope for new ideas in ladder manufacture. What drives such innovations?


“A lot of it is adapting our core product ranges to fill gaps in the market competitively,” says Ben. “The innovation there is limited, in the sense that we try to make the best use of what we’ve got, using the same profiles and parts as best we can.


“There is innovation in the manufacturing equipment itself, which we designed to help streamline productivity and improve quality. There is also innovation in special products, such as the non-ferrous platforms we manufacture for Siemens and the carriage maintenance equipment we make for the Great Western Railway. We currently have four new products ready to go, two about to go into manufacture, five being prepared for production and seven at the concept stage. All of this means that our R&D Manager is always busy.”


Looking ahead


Finally, with a relatively new management team, a mind on manufacture and the gaps in the marketplace, and the ability to adapt to specialised customer requirements, where or what is next for the company?


R&D Manager, Graham Ridley doesn't just develop new products for LFI, he can build them too.


“This has been the story for many years,” says Ben, without a hint of exasperation. “As far as the HSE is concerned, ladders have their place for short duration tasks. Powered access equipment has contributed to user safety in many circumstances, but, when used properly, ladders are still quicker, more cost-effective and safe.


“Education is key, so we set up ‘OTJ Training’ around 10 years ago, which provides training in the safe use of all access equipment. We do Ladder Association-certified courses, as well as IPAF, PASMA and some first aid courses. We very much promote this to our customers, and, to be fair, they’re very safety-minded too.


“We are involved in the Ladder Association on several levels - I sit on the council, Commercial Director Andy Ferris is on the marketing panel and R&D Manager Graham Ridley is on the technical committee,


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“The key thing for us now is to become a legitimate alternative to some of the big players out there,” says Ben. “So we have focused on recruiting the right people, and we’ve set up the night shift to ensure we have the capacity. We are investing in new equipment too, so that we can get another production line in the factory and build in a contingency if we need it.


“As I've said, LFI is well-known in the construction sector. However, with our new and vibrant branding and a growing product range, which offers the mix of equipment that our current and future customers need, we see LFI as a credible alternative to the brands that you will typically see in the trade and professional markets. There have been quite a few staff changes in the last few years, but now we have the right team and skillsets in place to drive the business forward.”


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