The UK division of Heras – Europe’s leading end-to-end supplier of permanent and mobile perimeter protection solutions – has reported “much improved” trading for the first half of the year, with its earnings before taxes up more than 35% on the previous period last year.
The company has also seen its gross profit for the period jump to 14% following the introduction of a new structure for the business, a move to new state-of-the-art offices in Doncaster and the optimisation of its product portfolio of perimeter fencing, gates, turnstiles and barriers. Heras is also on a recruitment drive as the business looks to capitalise on its improved performance.
The improved figures are a reflection of the benefits brought about by these changes, according to recently appointed UK Country Manager David Owen.
“Now, we have much more clarity around what we offer our UK customer base, which means we are quicker and more agile,” he said. “This is great news for our customers, as we can get installations done quicker and more cost-effectively.
“While the figures are much improved and looking positive and healthy, the one thing that pleases me most is how the Heras team across the UK have embraced all the changes, are fully on board with the vision and the direction of where the company is going, and, most importantly, are focused on our common goal of looking after customers.”
David and the team are continuing with the implementation of new strategies that focus on Heras’s four core strengths in the UK, which are: supply and installation, material supply, servicing and maintenance, and perimeter intrusion detection systems (PIDSs).
Looking ahead, David is optimistic about Heras’s continued upward trajectory for the second half of the year and says that the company is set to benefit, as the market looks set to change.
He said: “There’s no doubt that market conditions will become more challenging for the second half of the year – but this only serves to our advantage, as we’re already seeing a rise in the number of landlords and site owners who are looking to review and upgrade their existing perimeter protection and entrance control.
“That’s because one of the potential consequences of the cost of living crisis may well be an increase in intrusions and break-ins on sites, where intruders are looking to steal anything they can get their hands on.
“As well as the obvious need to increase perimeter protection and access control to protect what site owners value, one of the lesser-known aspects is the duty of care that site owners and operators have towards intruders.
“There have been a number of cases recently where site owners have been prosecuted over the death or injury of intruders because they haven’t taken all reasonable steps to ensure their sites are secure. This is an issue that we’re all going to start hearing a lot more about.”
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Editor, Security Portfolio
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