FEATURE
SCOPING OUT SUCCESS
Riverside Park – now home to Clear Scope Solutions .
Clear Scope Solutions offer a unique commercial and industrial site clearance and relocation service on Teesside and beyond
WORDS : JULIE BURNISTON
Finding a niche for your new business isn ’ t easy , but it ’ s something that has happened organically for Phil Dales and Adam McCabe , founders and joint directors of Clear Scope Solutions .
The Middlesbrough-based company specialises in commercial and industrial site clearances and relocation , alongside the purchasing of redundant assets and liquidated stock .
Sales platforms include live and online dispersal auctions , providing a range of services to commercial and industrial clients , with the aim of repurposing redundant or unused equipment , thus saving it from landfill .
Since lockdown , the company , which began as a hobby for Phil and Adam , has grown to such an extent that it boasts a 10,000-sq ft warehouse on Riverside Park and has plans to expand with extra staff and fresh new office space .
Friends for 10 years , the duo shared a passion .
“ Our hobby was buying and selling small industrial tools ,” Phil said .
“ We had a 10ft container on Teesside Industrial Estate and , in our spare time , we would purchase and repair a range of small tools and industrial equipment and sell them on eBay and Facebook Marketplace .
“ With our joint experience and knowledge , and using a group of local specialists , we decided to buy stock , prepare it and sell it back to businesses .
“ Working this around full-time jobs , we realised it was eating into all our spare time and something had to change . We either stopped the hobby or turned it into our full-time occupations – which we did after Adam completed his degree in mechanical engineering .”
By lockdown in March 2020 , Phil and Adam had two 40ft containers full of “ random stuff ”.
Almost overnight , the demand for tools soared as people did their gardens and DIY projects , but the pair were unable to access their stock as the container site had closed .
Finding a small window of opportunity , they moved the stock to Billingham , where they were allowed to trade . It quickly sold out .
Another big break during this period propelled them to the next level .
Phil explained : “ A well-known high street chain was closing and needed someone to clear out the in-store café catering equipment .
“ We used our vans and labour to do that in the allotted time and then I got a call from a representative explaining that the company they had appointed to clear further stores wasn ’ t able to do the job and could we clear three further sites ?
“ That progressed to seven , then 11 . And by the time we got to store number 14 , we knew we would get all 41 .”
Over three months , working seven days a week , using four vans and 15 contractors , they got the job done .
“ It ’ s sad when a business closes , but for us , it was a blessing ,” said Phil .
“ We moved the stock into a large warehouse in Billingham and took on a display unit so people could come and view the stock we ’ d prepared .
“ Over 15 months , we sold everything and this gave us the financial stability to move to a better location on Riverside Park in September 2021 .”
A year later , Phil and Adam used Q Design to rebrand the company as Clear Scope Solutions and Yellow Box Marketing is currently creating a website .
With clearance work for companies such as Frankie and Benny ’ s , Poundstretcher and independent liquidators under their belts , Clear Scope is able to offer a prompt clearance and collection service , sameday valuations , payment within 24 hours , expert advice and support , and a full range of tools and industrial machinery , commercial catering equipment , plant and vehicles and warehouse racking and equipment available for purchase . Their future is certainly Clear .
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