NORTHERNview
People are the strongest link for Lincoln fabricator
Next year , Sternfester celebrates half a century of trading , yet in the last five years it has vastly changed the way it operates , marking a new dawn for the Lincoln fabricator . We caught up with Nathan Court , sales and marketing director to find out how and why …
It ’ s usual when putting together a feature for the magazine to write about a product launch , investment , new starter , milestone anniversary , or maybe there ’ s an industry issue we need some insight on . But when talking to Nathan for our brand-new NorthernView feature , I explained we wanted to understand how businesses work , companies grow , and teams are built . As conversation flowed , the Sternfenster culture started to emerge and we discussed the recent ( within the last seven years ) changes that have been taking place at Lincoln . “ We ’ ve been investing in lots of different ways , since I joined Sternfester around six years ago ,” begins Nathan . “ But it ’ s our investment in people that has arguably been the most pivotal in shaping the company into how we want it to run and what we want it to be .
“ In fact , our Investors in People ( IIP ) accreditation is one of our proudest achievements recently . After becoming a silver partner before lockdown , we decided to start working towards the gold accreditation and in October 2022 , we met all the requirements needed for the higher standard .
“ There are around 50000 companies worldwide with IIP , and ( to our knowledge ) we are the only fenestration manufacturer with the gold accreditation in the UK . Now we have it , we want to progress to platinum , this is a tough ask as only three percent of all business achieve this . It ’ s the journey you go on , not the badge at the end that makes the difference .
“ The way we work here — investing in our people and setting a higher standard for our employees — is an investment into the future of Sternfenster yes , but we also want to better the sector as a whole , and UK industry . We look to see what other companies are doing to build their culture too — outside of fenestration — and work that into what we do .
“ In the past five years , we have had numerous NFA nominations and awards ; starting with taking home the Fabricator of the Year trophy in 2019 , and this year we are up for another four . We were listed in the Top 200 fastest growing family-run businesses in north and midlands . On our website news page and Linkedin , you can see all the accolades we have achieved and of course , we are really pleased with them , but they ’ re the icing on the cake to the everyday work we do here in Lincoln .
“ I think what really makes the difference is how we see every person as an individual and not a job role . We hear a lot — in all sectors — how companies invest in recruitment and training for a certain position but then lose that person , also losing the investment .
“ We invest our resources into the individual . We recognise and reward each
person and use development , training and coaching to make them a true member of the Sternfenster team . We find the right people with the right mindset , first and foremost . And , we have the confidence to look outside of fenestration to find the right people ; like myself ! With our training and development framework , everyone has the opportunity to join Sternfenster then progress and develop .
“ When a new member of the sales team joins , for example , their initial job isn ’ t to get that first sale across the line to impress us . They have weeks of induction , online training videos — tailored just for them — and office orientation . And , when it comes to management and promotion , we don ’ t automatically look to the person who ’ s been here the longest .
“ We ’ ve invested millions in machinery and operations too in the past five years . And , like many other companies this means ordering during an upturn but potentially waiting for a downturn to get them installed and running . We do this to make sure we have the right strategic systems and practical processes in place . But we believe it is our investment in people — time and money — that will always have the biggest payback .”
www . sternfenster . com
48 NOVEMBER 2023 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM