Winter 2013 Note from the editor. I can only apologise for the late release of eninews. The stories are slightly outdated now but still an interesting read nonetheless. The next edition will be more current!
These images are of our new pump servicing facilities at Four Ashes. More details inside.
!WORDS OF WISDOM by Adam
Since our last edi/on, we have con/nued to develop and grow. Now with more than 90 of us and increasing turnover to match we con/nue to look forward on our journey in growing to be the market leader in all that we do. As for profitability I think it is fair to say we are not enjoying the margins we once did perhaps 10 years ago, but we are managing to ‘wipe our nose’ so to speak. From talking to other businesses both within our industry and in totally unconnected fields the picture is the same – ‘we are all doing more for less’. This is obviously only one measure of a business, and a crude one at that, but I would be lying if I said it is not important. As someone once proclaimed ‘cash isn’t everything but its right up there with oxygen!’ On a more philosophical note what other measures can we use? The one that I really like is when I go to bed at night am I comfortable with myself or put simply, can I sleep with myself? I use this simple test regularly, such as when difficult decisions need to be taken or when I evaluate my own performance, I always ask did I try hard enough. As a business we should constantly be asking ourselves did we try hard enough. Could we have done more? If the answer is yes we did our best and I mean honestly we should all be able to sleep at night. If there is any doubt we only have ourselves to blame for a night of tossing and turning…. With this in mind, as some of you already know, I have signed up to push myself -‐ some may say to improve the quality of my sleep, to be a crew member on “New York” a 68 foot clipper yacht in the Fastnet yacht race. This is a non-‐stop race for 608miles from Cowes ,down the English Channel across to the Fastnet lighthouse off the Southern /p of Ireland and back to the finish line in Plymouth. The yacht I am on is expected to complete the course in between 4 to 6 days or 96 to 144 hours where we will operate on a 4 hours on 4hours off pa\ern for the dura/on of the voyage, if condi/ons permit. What this means is if it is rough or changeable weather where we have to change sail plans we would all be required, as the old saying goes ‘all hands on deck’ so sleep will become a luxury! So how will I evaluate my performance? First target to complete the race. Second target our posi/on when we cross the finish line. Third target to receive posi/ve feedback from the rest of my crew and skipper, we all like posi/ve feedback! But most importantly for me is did I do my best – sleep /ght!! Footnote….. Unfortunately the boat that Adam was crewing for had a fire on board on the day of the race and had to re;re. As you can imagine Adam and the rest of the crew were hugely disappointed but the one consola;on was that he got to meet Sir Robin Knox-‐Johnston who is the founder of the races.
! TENDER NEWS compost sampling -‐ R E A L REA are the Renewable Energy Association -‐ Organics Recycling Group. They run the REA Composting Certification Scheme for compost producers in the UK which ensures compliance with PAS 100 and the Compost Quality Protocol. enitial has b e e n s e l e c t e d t o c a r r y o u t independent sampling for the Scheme t o e n s u r e q u a l i t y a s s u r a n c e . Approximately 180 composting processes are certified by the Scheme and up to 15% are to be sampled by enitial during a 12 month period. We have selected a team of technicians for the work giving comprehensive coverage of the UK. Sites will be selected at random by REA who will instruct enitial to conduct ‘on the spot’ sampling visits. The team will assess the processes and products of the compost producers and report to REA. T h e w o r k w i l l d e m o n s t r a t e independence of REA’s Scheme, giving confidence to the members of the Scheme and users of composting products.
COMPANY NEWS pump servicing 1st July saw the start of a new pump servicing contract competitively tendered by Viridor’s Waste to Energy team. This contract is for the servicing of pneumatic pumps from condensate knock-‐out pots and gas wells. The contract covers all of Viridor’s landfill sites nationwide where active gas extraction for power generation takes place. To enable us to deliver this contract we have introduced 3 new service engineers (1 at head office and 2 based remotely in the South West) who have completed intense training prior to the contract start up. This has also meant a huge investment in time and money to extend our current service facility including the purchase of new equipment, developing new p r o c e s s e s a n d u p d a t i n g r i s k assessments and method statements to our portfolio.
The changes to our service facility have also been dramatic. The team now operate in an extended workshop with the appropriate ventilation and lighting, purpose built inspection facilities and dedicated areas for the pumps during the various stages of the service process. These areas are also subdivided by customer and region. To support our service team we have adapted the pump servicing module within enidata to supply our clients with a comprehensive service report. John Rowse has developed a whole new end to end pump service application that will also be able to track parts fitted to pumps along with keeping a record of where pumps are located. The contract has given enitial the opportunity to finally put our plans i n t o a c t i o n a n d b u i l d t h e contemporary pump service facility we have aspired to for a while. The contract team comprises of Adam, who is currently leading the contract, supported by Macaila who has taken on the role of Technical Co-‐ordinator to support the team doing all the hard work in the Unit and on site Tony, Tom, Paul, Tony and Andrew.
NEW INITIATIVES compost sampling We now have four technicians trained to carry out PAS100 sampling (Adam Meaden, Edd Cracknell, Dave Ollif and Gareth Keeler). A 5th, Mark J is yet to be trained. This is a further area of monitoring where Viridor have seen value in using a professional and impar/al third party organisa/on (eni/al) to deliver an important service subject to regulatory scru/ny.
surface emissions One of our recent business initiatives is now beginning to generate some significant work -‐ Our “Surface Emissions Mapping Surveys” using the TDL500 laser methane detector is creating a lot of interest in the market place. Recent surveys undertaken by John Freestone include ones for Infinis, FCC, Viridor and Biffa. Read more about the service on our website
Investors In People assessment Thank you to all of you who were involved and interviewed in the IIP assessment in December. Thanks to you we have retained our standard and have been awarded the accredita/on for another 3 years.
university presentaIon Back in May, James Cole (a tech based in the South East) was invited to give a s h o r t p r e s e n t a t i o n t o t h e undergraduates from the University of Aberystwyth where he attended from 2005 -‐ 2008. Supported by Richard, James delivered a 45 minute presentation explaining his journey since leaving uni, what we do at enitial and his career so far as an Environmental Technician. A question and answer session then followed. In the following weeks we had several students approach us for both permanent jobs and work placements. If anyone has any other leads of this nature please get in touch with Richard
TEAM DEVELOPMENT Well done… Tony, Tom, Dave, Mar/n, Mar/n, Tony and Andy for comple/ng the breathing apparatus training. Dave O for completed his CSCS health, safety and environment test. Ian S, Tom R and Ian M have also completed the test and have CSCS visitor cards. Harry and Ali MacAulay for successfully completed their MPQC/SPA safety passport courses in recent months.
Introducing Ralph……….
Woof!
This is Ralph, the newest recruit to the enitial team -‐ our friendly office dog. He lives in Tina’s office and is very accommodating when it comes to fuss and attention! He is generally found with all fours in the air having his tummy rubbed by some poor passer by he has managed to attract! He has become a real star in the office, especially with the ladies and a talking point with clients and visitors. Next time you are in the office please pop and say hello, he loves a fuss!
!EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER The Employee of the Quarter goes to....... Paul McAleer -‐ Technician South West
Paul McAleer
!
Great with his data and communica;on I would like to nominate Paul McAleer. My reasons for this is that he is always willing to help out when needed and never complains about the work load. He never says no to anything. He has dealt with customers in a very professional manner and represents the company very well.
STAFF MOVEMENTS Well we’ve had a few changes ....
Welcome Adam Meadon Technician -‐ SW Anthony Cross Technician -‐ SW Anthony Scanlon Pump Engineer Paul Coxon Pump Engineer Andrew Robinson Pump Engineer Adrian Hammersley Technician -‐ NE Siobhan Mullen Technician -‐ NW
ALL CHANGE IN SITE SERVICES
Dan Higgins Liaison Manager
We are always looking for ways to keep “ahead of the game” with regard to connec/ng with our exis/ng and poten/al new clients. As such we have recently restructured our Site Services team to give the ac/vi/es we offer a focus for delivery and an opportunity to grow. The services now have been streamlined into; 1 Aqercare (Projects) -‐ headed by Roy Ball and which includes facili/es management and installa/ons projects 2 Service -‐ currently headed by Adam -‐ this team undertakes all aspects of routine service and maintenance, as well as emergency call-‐ outs. 3 Equipment and Automation -‐ equipment hire and automated monitoring services. This includes our low energy pump initiative which is being driven by our newly appointed Liaison Manager, Shaun Grainger. By giving our services and products a clearer identity and contemporary image we hope to generate the platforms from which our business activities can flourish in the market place. If you have any questions or thoughts don’t hesitate to get in touch with either Adam, Roy or Shaun.
Jordan Clarke Operations Support
The importance of FFLOWERS Over the recent months we have had more than one occasion to question the commitment to the weekly FFlowers checks. A fflowers check is a 5 minute important inspection that determines the general health of your Company vehicle. So much can be avoided just by carrying out these simple checks. The checks goes like this…. First Aid kit -‐ are all contents present & in date? Fuel – I’m sure you all keep a close eye on this. Lighting – Just a quick look round the vehicle to check all lights work; saves the embarrassment of the police pulling you over too. Oil Level -‐ MOST IMPORTANT please check your oil levels weekly and don’t wait for the light to come on…. We have had an incident recently where an engine has ceased without the light coming on. This is a really expensive problem and is unnecessary. Water -‐ is the engine coolant and screen wash topped up. Very important with the winter months on the way. Electrics – Do you have any flashing lights on the dashboard that you are not sure of? Please report all of these issues as soon as they occur. Rubber – Again another really important check is the windscreen wipers, tyre pressures and tread. The tyres are so important for the safety of yourself and others. Please do not leave until servicing. Screen -‐ Check regularly for stone damage as this can impair vision or distract attention. Minor chips can grow and crack the glass but many can be repaired by a windscreen specialist.
Megan Boerm Technician -‐ M Roy Ball Aftercare (Projects) Manager Alistair MaCauley Technician Scotland Matthew Gough Technician -‐ SE Melanie Andrusjak Technician -‐ SE Jonathan Reddy Technician -‐ SE
Brandon Morgan Quality Administrator
Shaun Grainger Liaison Manager Joscelin Baldock Technician -‐ NE Ibai Castezubi Liaison Manager Suzie Carter Aftercare Administrator Richard Cram Technician -‐ SE Andrew Lowe Technician -‐ M Jaime McGarrie Technician NW Jon Craig (welcome back) Technician -‐ M Harry Russell Technician -‐ SW
Movers and shakers Amanda Mannion Equipment Facilitator Macaila White Technical Co-‐ordinator Dan Higgins Senior Liaison Manager Seonaid Lafferty Data Analyst
Good luck for the future Joshua Stafford, Richard McCluskey, Fran Marsh, Michelle Norris, Henry Laing, Gary Trufitt, Mark Chapman, Dave English, Paul McAleer, Mary Cameron, Will Perry, Mark Tanner, Peter Lynch, Thanks to Matt Wood for sending in this great photo of some very inquisitive ponies at Harewood Whin site, a Yorwaste site in York . “Don’t forget the carrots next time!”
IT’S ALL ABOUT ME...
ARCADE PARADE
John Freestone is the latest victim of our interrogation
Jamie Oliver got hold of one of their tracks
A particularly big WELL DONE goes to Aleks; she hurt her ankle mid way through the walk but hobbled on for the last 6 miles. Good on ya luv!
‘Grace’ and asked if he could use it in one What was your first job? of his videos on his ‘Foodtube’ Youtube ELVIS’O’GRAM! Civil Engineering Technician Channel, since the video’s release at the beginning of July its had almost 105,000 What do you like about your job? Back in June, Jan (the lovely lady that pays views!! Mainly working outdoors, also enjoy the wages) was harbouring a secret, but all the flexibility The band were back in the studio in was let out of the bag when her partner October to record two new tracks and then What is your toughest challenge? and daughters decided to change the band name, so from Keeping on the right side of arranged for an Richard!! Arcade P arade t hey b ecame ‘ Young Braves’ Elvis’o’gram to (the name inspired by a history lesson on What is your favourite food? c o m e t o t h e the American West!). Chicken Madras, Keema Rice, Garlic o f f i c e t o Naan, pint of Kingfisher The first track ‘Youth’ was released in serenade her. October as a free download and its Who is your hero – and why? W i t h t h e definitely their best work to date John Candy (deceased), loved every assistance of the h\ps://soundcloud.com/young-‐braves/ film I saw him in, Karl Pilkington aka office girls a plain youth An Idiot Abroad comes a very close clothed Elvis was second The track has had really good reviews smuggled into especially in America where a radio sta/on How do you relax? the building and after a quick change in in St Louis, Missouri made it ‘Song of the Spend /me at home with the family, the downstairs ladies loo, Jan was shocked Day’, they are also scheduled to be played enjoyed watching The Ashes and Tour de France by a couple of sta/ons in New York soon when informed that someone famous was here to see her. He entered the room too. What book was the last are you singing one of his famous songs to her in They have also been contacted by a couple read? Rebus – The Naming of the Dead of r ecord l abels in the last couple of weeks front of all of the team. and a major music publishing company too What is your favourite TV (on the back of them hearing the track), programme? Currently – Luther, all which is pre\y exci/ng. /me favourite – Minder (the earlier Hopefully another busy year ahead, they the be\er) are back in the studio again in April/May What one thing would you change about the waste/recycling industry? /me to record another couple of tracks, they (hopefully) will be playing at a fes/val Consistency – why is one method/ at the LG Arena in March which they prac/ce/rule acceptable in one part audi/oning for on 23rd January and they of the country but not elsewhere have plenty of gigs booked. and vice versa (is that a bit controversial?) You can check them out at the new Facebook and Twi\er pages below If you weren’t in waste, what would h\ ps : / / w w w.fa c e b o o k . co m / you want to be? YoungBravesUK Always fancied being a footpaths h\ps://twi\er.com/YoungBravesUK officer or forest officer type role – get to walk round all day so I OFFICE GIRLS DO IT FOR THE KIDS suppose not too dissimilar to what I do now – just without a FID and PDA! What would you do if you won the lo\ery? Straight to Stratstone Noungham for an Aston Mar/n DB9 What is your favourite song? No brainer, The Farm – All together now If you had a super-‐power, what A very big WELL DONE goes out to Aleks, would it be? Amanda, Macaila and Mary for completing The ability to take back what I have a g r u e l l i n g 1 3 m i l e wa l k a ro u n d just said without anyone hearing it – Wolverhampton. The walk was in aid of a I have a big foot in mouth problem local children’s charity and the girls If you could have a drink with one collectively managed to raise over £100 famous person, who would it be and They wore t-‐shirts printed with the enitial why? logo that were kindly donated by our PPE Boris Johnson, just looking at him supplier Highviz.net.
After much embarrassment on Jan’s side and a few giggles from the team she the had to spill the beans and announced she was to be married by Elvis in his little white chapel on her forthcoming trip to Las Vegas. AHHHHH……. It certainly cheered up an otherwise dull Friday morning in the office.
ANYONE FANCY A DATE?
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WITT WOO! This stunner was heading out for a night on the town when this photo was taken. N o t s u r e h o w t h e evening ended but it looks like she was up for a bit of fun!
Thank you to all that purchased tickets for the raffle back in December. Matt Miles, the lucky winner, was over the moon with his tablet after never winning anything before. :-‐)