touchpoint Spring 2012 Welcome to the first issue of Touchpoint which will give you quarterly news on the TCL Group’s activities. There’s a chance to win £200 of Gardens by Covey vouchers in our competition – see the back page! TCL Play wins Barratt PLC play deal TCL’s specialist play business, Admiral Play has agreed a deal with Barratt PLC to design and build play areas for all Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ regional businesses throughout the UK. The largest play installation company in the country, Admiral Play has an impressive track record of providing play areas for a range of house builder clients all over the country and has gained specific experience of the key criteria which make play areas a success within residential developments. Simon Cashmore explained: “TCL had undertaken a number of projects for various regional offices, both for the Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes developments, and demonstrated that we could make tangible and worthwhile financial savings. TCL Group Chairman Richard Glover cuts a celebratory cake to mark the company’s move to its new head office in Denby, Derbyshire. With him are Matt Masters, Investment Director at Caledonia Investments plc, Mark Waghorn, Clean Estates National Accounts Manager and Charlotte Hopkinson, Clean Estates Customer Service Manager. New head office for Clean Estates Clean Estates has moved into a new head office to accommodate the additional staff it has taken on to service its growing number of clients. The commercial estates cleaning and grounds maintenance contractor moved into 4,000 sq ft premises in Denby, Derbyshire. Clean Estates has seen its staff grow across the UK from 80 colleagues to over 200 in five years as its reputation for professional, friendly, reliable, flexible and quality service spreads. Twenty five of these are based at the new HQ. touchpoint New fencing department will reduce cost and hassle for house builders TCL has launched a new fencing business to offer housebuilders a one stop shop when landscaping new developments and creating show home areas. The division will complement TCL’s existing landscaping service, reducing hassle, cost and time for developers. The service will include the supply and installation of site fencing, sales trap and play area fencing and decorative metal railings for town house frontages as well as security fencing, protective barriers and gates. It will also include specialist offerings such as newt and acoustic barrier fencing. Jon Cowley, Director of Bespoke Services at TCL Midlands explained: “It is a natural progression to extend our existing service to include fencing to all areas of new developments, as installation of landscapes and fencing often go hand in hand as vital components in the presentation of outside spaces.” Latest Admiral Play brochure is launched The new 2012- 2013 Admiral Play catalogue has landed! Available via the Admiral Play website it offers play options for children from two to teens and even equipment for outdoor adult fitness. Filled with case studies, example play combinations and details on how to maximise budgets, it offers inspiration, information and guidance for those planning a new scheme for a school, housing development or community. Huge rise in demand for Clean Estates’ FrostWatch service Clean Estates’ winter maintenance service FrostWatch saw a huge rise in business this year – despite the weather being far milder than in 2010/11. The salting and gritting service paid more than 2,000 visits to customer car parks, service yards, access roads and warehouse loading areas since the start of the year, a seven per cent rise on last winter when snow paralysed large areas of the UK. The increase is due to an expansion in Clean Estates’ overall customer base – many of whom decided to add the FrostWatch service to their general maintenance programme rather than opting for separate contractors for different services. Clean Estates FrostWatch Manager Christine Thompson said: “It’s been a great start to the year. Not only is our business significantly up on last year with more customers, more sites and more visits, but the quality of our work is reflected in the many positive comments we have received back from site facilities managers and their tenants.” Sporting prowess TCL North Operations Manager Steve Dick is competing in the 30th Belvoir Half Marathon in April to raise money for Hose Village Hall, near Melton Mowbray.! Steve claims to have been blackmailed into taking part in the event by school friends who assured him his fitness levels hadn’t decreased since his younger days despite the bathroom scales suggesting otherwise. Meanwhile TCL South East Maintenance and Construction Quality Supervisor Mark Church was officially named ‘worst ten pin bowler ever’ after his dismal performance at the staff Christmas party in Basildon. Next chooses TCL to launch new patio range High Street retailer Next Retail has teamed up with TCL to launch its new patio range this spring. The retailer is expanding its successful interiors division to include outdoor living – and has chosen TCL as its installation partner. David Wilson Homes and Redrow are first two takers for Clean Estates house builders’ cleaning service Clean Estates has launched a specialist three stage house cleaning service - with David Wilson Homes and Redrow becoming the first two developers to take advantage of the new offering. Clean Estates Managing Director Phil Chapman explained: “Finding cleaning providers is a major recruitment and management headache for housebuilders. Because of our excellent reputation for service and attention to detail, and the TCL Group’s long standing relationship with major house builders this is a natural extension to our portfolio” Dog walker foils digger theft A dog walker has been given a hamper of goodies as a thank you for foiling the theft of an £14,000 digger at a play area being created by TCL on behalf of Kompan in Hadleigh, Essex. The new Next paving range, launched initially at a trial store in August 2011, will offer customers a range of styles and finishes - from traditional York to contemporary beach pebble effect - along with installation, as a one stop shop package. “Next chose us to act as their official installation partners to create a completely hassle free package for their customers. Shoppers just choose the NEXT paving range preferred, and one call to TCL is all it takes to start the hassle free, fixed price installation service. “Next chose us because we are one of the largest independent landscape installers in the UK and offer a regionally consistent, reliable, cost effective and professional installation service.” The man spotted half a dozen or so ne’er do wells manhandling the 1.5 tonne excavator across the cricket field near the partly constructed play area at JH Burrows Park as he was taking his dog for his evening stroll one dark evening. TCL South East Director Jeff Thackeray explained: “He then ran to his friend’s house some 800 metres away, raised the alarm and the police landed on site within five minutes and recovered the earthmover. However, the chancers managed to escape leaving only the sighting of two white vans. The least we could do to thank such a community minded soul for thwarting this attempted larceny was to give him a thank you hamper of wine and chocolate.” Coffee Stop: fond memories of fish and chips Stacey McAlwane has joined Admiral Play as Regional Relationship Manager from Russell Play. With a solid background in the play industry, and many years with Wicksteed under her belt, her role will be to develop customer relations with housebuilders. We cajoled her into becoming the first member of staff to be interviewed for our coffee stop section, which gives us a little insight into the person behind the job! If you were seven again which piece of play equipment would be your favourite? It would have to be a roundabout of some sort. I used to love seeing how fast I could make it go. Where was your most memorable childhood holiday? We always used to go to seaside resorts – and Cromer was the one we went to most often. We went for walks on the beach, played crazy golf on the pier and ate good old fish and chips in our caravan. Which three words would friends use to describe you? Determined, enthusiastic, caring If you were an animal what would you be? Everyone would expect me to say a tiger or a lion but actually it would be an elephant – because I never forget anything! £500k seaside fun The team at TCL (South West) are putting the finishes touches to their exciting £0.5m Geopark play project in Paignton. For the full story and pictures see the next edition of Touchpoint. Competition! Guess the Location to win £200 Vouchers... Can you guess where the TCL team member is planting a tree? Win £200 worth of vouchers to spend at Gardens By Covey. Email answers to: [email protected] Closing date: 30th May 2012 tcl group Head Office: Pitsford Road, Chapel Brampton, Northamptonshire, NN6 8BE. t: 01604 821 843 | f: 01604 821 951 | Registered in England and Wales 4649316