FEATURE
“ I like to use a local workforce , and having an apprenticeship scheme is a natural progression from that .”
Training – Group Industrial ’ s first apprentice , Lennan Jones , stands in between the firm ’ s engineering operations manager Jamie Burke-Hill and regional contracts manager Denis Wright . themselves – a recent contract to renovate tanks and other items at the Heugh Gun Battery Museum in Hartlepool is a case in point .
Its work on the MGT Teesside Power Station project continues to progress well . The firm has been one of the main contractors there for 16 months and , with the commissioning phase starting , it hopes to be part and parcel of the maintenance team going forward .
And its flourishing relationship with A & P Tees – part of global ship repair , conversion , and marine specialists A & P Group – is a perfect example of how Group adapts when new opportunities arise .
Mike said : “ The ships are coming in , the turnarounds are good and they ’ re happy with the service .
“ Things are getting busier on the river . There are still one or two little restrictions , one or two precautionary measures in place , but they are coming in at a rate of knots . And with it being the Port of Middlesbrough , there ’ s lots of activity on site .
“ It ’ s that time of year where they get the opportunity to come in from sea to get work and maintenance done . So that ’ s very much an ongoing relationship which is becoming more and more established .
“ Every boat that comes in , we get more experienced . There are lots of similar tasks , with it being predominantly access solutions with scaffolding , but in shipping , because the vessels are all slightly different , each job has its own challenges .
“ But the feedback we ’ ve been getting is good – as and when a vessel comes in , we are mobilised and organised .”
And it ’ s not only on Teesside where Group Industrial is spreading its net . One of its latest tasks involves rope access for electrical works for a major client in West Yorkshire . Mike explained : “ Rather than put the scaffolding up , as most teams do , we ’ re doing it with a team of rope access lads . It ’ s a lot more efficient and cost-effective .
“ Basically , they ’ re having a massive overhaul of the abattoir facilities . And even though it means we ’ re going a little further afield , it ’ s all Teessidebased rope access lads .”
So , with steady growth , new opportunities , the economy opening and even a new apprenticeship scheme , Group Industrial continues to demonstrate its commitment to Teesside .
And in case there was any doubt where Mike ’ s football allegiances lie , the company has also secured a Gold Partnership with Middlesbrough Football Club in what he hopes will be the beginning of a successful partnership .
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The voice of business in the Tees region | 81