WE TAKE A LOOK AT LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF HOLIDAY HOMES AND LODGES IN THE UK
A STOP AT WILLERBY
Perhaps there are few holiday experiences more British than staying in a static caravan in a seaside town for the summer, whether it’s in Wales, Cornwall, Norfolk or beyond. It’s a trend that has practically become a tradition across the UK, and it’s one that’s seen something of a resurgence in recent times.
Willerby Ltd knows all about this, having been in the industry from the start.
“This whole industry took off shortly before the war,” explains Peter Munk, Willerby’s CEO. “Willerby is the biggest but also the only operator that’s been in continued business through that whole length of time. The market is a good market, driven by vacations. This generation is the wealthiest generation we’ve seen so far, and they’re investing their money in enjoying holidays in the UK.”
“WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN OUR ABILITY TO LOCATE AND ATTRACT THE RIGHT TALENT WITH A GRADUATE PROGRAMME”
Willerby has been able to lead this sector for 70 years through a combination of a strong brand and excellent people.
“Willerby has an extremely dedicated and loyal workforce to help us build these products,” Munk tells us. “That is extremely important because even though our manufacturing takes place on an automotive production line it’s all done manually. A chasse comes in one end and
a holiday home comes out the other within 13 hours. To produce the quality and attention to detail we’re known for it’s critical to our operation to have great people. We pride ourselves on our apprentice and training programmes, all the way to the cross-functional training of the workforce. It’s really, really critical for us to deliver that quality.”
A HOME FOR TALENT
Of course, finding that talent is a task in and of itself. Willerby Ltd is based in Hull, the caravan capital of the UK, and Willerby is a company that works hard to draw new talent into the region, and the industry.
“To produce the quality and attention to detail we’re known for it’s critical to our operation to have great people,” Munk says. “We pride ourselves in our ability to locate and attract the right talent with a graduate programme. It’s very active, it’s promoting not just the company, but the region, saying this is a very attractive place to work with a completely different cost of living.”
Attracting skilled people is a major priority for the company and it’s something Munk is passionate about pursuing.
“It’s about being very proactive with recruiters and the PR side just to get out of the industry and
Peter Munk CEO in Willerby Reception
2019 will be an important milestone for Lambson Building Products and Laminated Products, as they celebrate 50 years in business. The company has grown tremendously from its humble beginnings, as a small subsidiary of the Lambson Chemical group, into Britain’s leading independent supplier to the caravan and leisure industries.
Over the last five decades, the company has established an enviable reputation as an industry leader for timber-based decorative panels, moulded profiles, internal doors and furniture components. As a result, Lambson Building Products and Laminated Products are now a trusted supplier to some of the largest holiday home and caravan manufacturers across Europe.
Their philosophy is a simple one: to provide their customers with quality products, on time, at a competitive price, ensuring all requirements are met. To achieve this goal they have been forced to grow and adapt, in an extremely competitive market place.
The company have embraced new ideas and new methods, constantly improving their design and manufacturing processes. They have Introduced the LEAN Manufacturing Initiative, created a 3D design team, attained ISO 9001:2015 certification and recently undertaken a 10 year Component Development Strategy to modernise and improve their, Yorkshire based, production facility.
Yet there is no end in sight for Lambson Building Products and Laminated Products as they look ahead to the next 50 years. Further, ambitious expansion plans, are already underway, that will enable the company to grow their customer base even more, improve the services they offer and strengthen their position as industry leaders.
For over a century Belling has brought clever and innovative ideas to homes and holiday homes. Proud to be a long term supplier to Willerby.
www.belling.co.uk
Someone wishes he’d bought a fully galvanised ProTech chassis...
Buying your dream holiday home will be one of the most significant investments you’ll make.
You’ll want to enjoy your holiday home for many years, therefore it’s important that you choose the right chassis system, not only to protect your investment, but to minimise maintenance.
CHASSIS INNOVATION – BANKSIDE PATTERSON LEAD THE WAY
Since 1959 we have been supplying chassis for static caravans and park homes. Over the years we have worked hard to earn an enviable reputation, secure such a large percentage share of the market and forge relationships with the majority of the large manufacturers in the holiday and park home sector.
One of the catalysts for our success was the launch of our Fusion chassis. It became the marker leader in under one year and changed the holiday home market. This success was furthered with the launch of our fully-galvanised Protech chassis, which provides a maintenance-free foundation for holiday and park homes. The Protech range also provides additional benefits to manufactures from a build perspective.
Our growth has brought with it a need for continuous business improvement. Our customers are of prime importance to us. Offering them exceptional service is something we pride ourselves on and will always strive to enhance through strategic investment.
A large amount of money has been invested into all areas of the business over the past couple of years, including: an upgraded fleet to ensure our large customer network receives excellent service coupled with reliable and timely deliveries; the installation of state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment to aid product development and quality; and the development of the companies IT infrastructure to aid everything from manufacturing operations to the management and storage of vital pieces of information and data. As a result of such innovation and investment, we are now recognised as the industry’s UK’s leading fully-galvanised chassis manufacturer.
With Bankside Patterson’s revolutionary ProTech, you can rest assured the chassis of your holiday home is fully galvanised and guaranteed to protect against the elements for 10 years.
Visit: www.galvanisedchassis.co.uk
For more information, please visit www.galvanisedchassis.co.uk or call 01964 545454
MKM Leisure is a specialist distributor focussed on delivering excellent customer service levels to manufacturing customers in the leisure industry. With a superb range of top quality industry recognised components, MKM Leisure has everything needed to enhance your holiday home or caravan.
MKM Leisure Division is pleased to be a supplier to Willerby Holiday Homes.
For further information, please call 01964 545454, email sales@bankside-patterson.co.uk or visit bankside-patterson.co.uk
The
reach people,” he says. “We need to show them it’s an industry you can have a career in. We’re role models and spokespeople for the industry, and the region.”
WILLERBY HAS BEEN ABLE TO LEAD THIS SECTOR FOR 70 YEARS
Achieving the team Willerby needs is not just a question of bringing in the right people. It’s also about keeping those people, and building on their talents.
“In the last year and the year before we did a major productivity project in the factory.” Munk remembers. “We want to show people that if you’re willing to educate yourself and make the effort you can move forward in the company and make a better living. We’ve invested a lot in individual people’s development but also teamworking.”
As well as offering their staff opportunities for development, Willerby is also putting into
“WE’RE ROLE MODELS AND SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THE INDUSTRY, AND THE REGION.”
effect ways that allow their staff to more directly see the link between their hard work and the way they are rewarded.
“We have family days, Christmas events, last year we had a competition to build the best Christmas tree from recycled materials and people got really into it. The kids helped select the winner! We also have pie days occasionally. It’s just about making sure we’re paying back as well, and we’re engaged. We’re really, really trying to break down barriers. I’ve seen often in British companies a big difference between directors and workers, we’re trying hard to break that down with newsletters, communication meetings, helping people get wherever people want to get to.”
BEST OF BRITISH
All of this is part of a sense of pride Munk clearly has in the capabilities and potential of British industry, but he also believes British industry needs to do more with what it has.
Waverley, Willerby holiday home
Specialist knowledge and expertise
A market leader in the supply of bespoke timber products to manufacturers and stockists, we can provide softwood: planed, profiled, cut to length, drilled, shaped, notched, trenched, scribed, beveled and mitred. We can also add treatment, priming, coating, staining, labelling and stamping.
We are specialists in the supply of kitted components into the holiday home manufacturer, we can reduce total cost for our customers, reduce waste and stock footprint, whilst increasing efficiency.
Whether you want straight forward packs of decking, arbour parts, pre finished cladding or kitted components our ability to match product and manufacturing solutions is undoubted.
For more information:
01482 633388 sales@bayramtimber.co.uk
bayramtimber.co.uk
GRP Building and Shower Solutions Ltd are privately owned business specialising in GRP (fibreglass) Composite Mouldings. Our team has over 25 years’ experience in the processes of GRP working closely with major players in the UK’s and European Leisure Industry. GRP Group offer clients varied portfolio of products implementing advanced innovative manufacturing techniques, provide cost effective and unique solutions for all types of buildings and leisure development. We have in house design, model and pattern making department, manufacturing mould tooling and prototyping newly developed components.
GRP Building Solutions ltd specialises on both exterior and interior components like branding System, external and internal decor panels, splashbacks, bath surrounds, fire surrounds, roofing systems.
GRP Shower Solutions ltd are proud of successfully developed own range of one piece leak free shower pod in various size, colour and design. GRP Shower Solutions pod is easy clean, solid unit with walls integrated into walls.
We have an enviable reputation for quality and pride ourselves on our customer service ethos and aftercare programme, we ensure we go the extra mile to make sure our customers are 100% satisfied.
t: 01482 891998
“MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN,” MUNK ADMITS. “WE BUY FROM UK COMPANIES BUT THE MATERIALS COME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE UK, AND THAT’S MORE CONCERNING THAN ANYTHING ELSE”
“There needs to be more confidence in British industry,” he says. “It doesn’t all have to be exports. Having worked in international businesses, I know you can’t just take an existing product and hope someone else will buy it. You have to understand the market. UK manufacturers, for instance, didn’t get a lot of business in the Dutch market, but we’ve developed a product to sell to the Dutch market and it’s doing well.”
However, as proud of British achievements and industry as Munk is, he is sceptical about the consequences of some recent British decisions.
While Brexit has lead to rising costs in foreign holidays, and so something of a boon to the British holiday market, there are also other knock-on effects to worry about.
“My main concern is the supply chain,” Munk admits. “We buy from UK companies but the materials come from outside of the UK, and that’s more concerning than anything else.”
Beyond that, however, Munk is optimistic about Willerby’s path moving forward, and he’s excited not only to keep building on Willerby’s core business, but to look into future businesses as well.
The Willerby Showground, Hull
“TO PRODUCE THE QUALITY AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL WE’RE KNOWN FOR IT’S CRITICAL TO OUR OPERATION TO HAVE GREAT PEOPLE.”
“I think that there’s two things that are going to happen. This is going to be our core business for many years to come. We’re moving into residential park homes, which is a much more bespoke business with a much more engaged consumers, so we see a future where we can’t just be a manufacturing company,” Munk says. “We need to build bespoke for the consumer which takes us to where we’ve been in the past, model or factory-built housing. We have the capability to build model houses, we’ve built for
Merlin for their accommodation for their big theme parks. There’s a very strong future in this market using our skills in a different environment, and that will keep the company growing.”
Ultimately, as it always has with Willerby, it all comes down to customer experience, as Munk points out, “We need to make sure we offer a great experience. At the end of the day it’s the customer’s money. It has to start with the customer for your business to know what is needed in the market place.”
The Rowan, Bespoke Lodge by Willerby
