Member Article

Rising staff numbers at high flying County Durham business

Darlington specialist repair company, Stone Technical Services (STS), has begun its period of recruitment by adding to its ever-growing team.

Andy Hatton joined STS as an on-site trainee engineer in 2012 and, having impressed managers with his skills, experience and enthusiasm, the company then created a new role of junior manager in the lightning protection division for him. Since then, the 30-year-old, from Billingham, has consistently grown in his role, which involved assessing and creating CAD Drawings, engineer reports, works programs, estimations and liaising with clients, and has now been promoted to contracts manager.

In addition, STS has recruited another lightning protection engineer. Adam Batley, from Darlington, joins STS with over a decade’s experience working for various organisations including the Army.

STS is a leader in the specialist field of lightning protection and is one of the most highly accredited in the industry as a member of the Association of Technical Lightning and Access Specialists (ATLAS), Lightning Conductor Engineers and also of the Steeplejack Training Group Association.

STS, whose HQ are on Kellaw Road in Darlington, provides specialist lightning protection installation to help prevent damage to buildings caused by lightning strikes and the costly repairs associated with them and also to ensure that systems are compliant for insurance purposes, with clients including St Paul’s Cathedral, York Museum’s Trust, the National Trust, English Heritage, Darlington Council and Newcastle City Council, amongst others.

As well as these two new positions at STS, the company is now actively recruiting several new positions including an estimator and quantity surveyor.

Staff numbers have now reached 37 with plans for this to top 40 before the end of 2014.

MD of STS, Dave Stone, said: “We only ever recruit the best and put our team through a thorough training and induction process to add to their skills and experience. We also place a lot of emphasis on promoting in-house staff who have shown dedication to our business so we’re really pleased with Andy’s progress and are keen to see him develop in his new role.”

Earlier this year, STS announced its most successful first quarter of its 15 year history after achieving £1 million in new contracts during the first three months of the 2014, which it’s hoped will boost the business’s turnover by around 50% over the next 12 months.

STS is now well ahead of financial projections for 2014 and has already achieved half of last year’s £2 million turnover.

As well as its Darlington HQ, the company has offices in Edinburgh, central London and Cheshire.

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