Member Article

NE specialists see rise in work due to weather woes

Stone Technical Services Group (STS), in Darlington, has seen a higher-than-average demand for its weather-related, facilities management repairs.

Compared to the same period last year, the specialist maintenance company has seen a 30% rise in business resulting from weather damage.

Stone’s emergency repair team has been working extensively across the North East following the spate of heavy rain and high winds over the Christmas and New Year period.

In Newton Aycliffe, at Aycliffe Business Park, STS Maintenance and Facilities Management division carried out water-proofing and roof repairs to offices and in Newcastle city centre, the team completed a survey and masonry repairs to shop frontages on Northumberland Street.

In Darlington, Stone carried out a thorough inspection of the Cornmill Shopping Centre to ensure banners and signage were safe following high winds.

Stone’s experts advise people to carry out a basic weekly check- especially during bad weather- to walls and buildings, drains, gutters, waterproofing and roof coverings.

MD, Dave Stone, said: “The companies and organisations that we’ve been working with are incredibly proactive in carrying out checks after bad weather and, therefore, get any repairs or inspections carried out swiftly. Public safety is always a top priority and that’s why our team is on call 24-7. We’ve completed many projects of various sizes relating to weather damage at very short notice in order to keep structures safe and businesses operating without disruption.”

At the start of 2014, Stone Technical Services Group re-branded to allow its four divisions to grow independently- STS Lightning Protection, STS Restoration, STS Maintenance and Facilities Management and STS Conservation- and to help with expansion plans and the ongoing diversification of the business, making best use of its teams’ areas of expertise.

Managers at Stone reported a successful 2013 with turnover steadily growing to over £2 million. Five new jobs were created, taking staff numbers to 35. The company hopes to create around six new jobs in 2014 and boost turnover by around 30%.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison .