Issue Six - July 2013
Power Electrics Inside Magazine
Inside: + Bristol Family Business of the Year 2013 + Departments News + HR Updates
50 Years
1963 - 2013
www.powerelectrics.com
In the issue..
4
Family Business of the Year 2013
7
Google Maps Project
12 2 Power Electrics
Another Life
HR Updates
Exhibition Highlights
6
10
Dear All There has been a lot of developments at Power Electrics since the last Newsletter in March. Firstly, we are delighted to say that we have won the Family Business of the Year with the Bristol Post - winning it for the second time, last time in 2007. You can find out more about this excellent achievement on page 4 of the newsletter. Along with the usual busy summer period for the Rental department with events such as Goodwood, Queens Tennis Tournament and various festivals there has also been the awarding of a new 3 year contract with Western Power Distribution. The new contract includes the South West, Wales and part of the Midlands area. The newsletter is also filled with other department and company news. If you would like to see something in the next issue and have a suggestion, please contact Leigh Griffiths in Marketing at leighg@powerelectrics.com Enjoy the summer and the sun!
50 Years
1963 - 2013
3 July 2013
Power Electrics Annouced as winners at the Bristol Post Business Awards We are proud to announce that we have been awarded Family Business of the Year 2013 at the Bristol Post Business Awards. Power Electrics won both Family Business of the Year and Business of the Year in the same event held in 2007, although since then we have posted strong financial results year on year, moved to a new 7.5 acre headquarters and opened the Bridgend Depot in South Wales to name a few achievements. The shortlist included Williams Automobiles, Britannia Windows UK, Nailsea Electrical and Whitehall Printing. Held at the Passenger Shed at Temple Meads station around 500 guests attended the event which was presented by TV personality Valerie Singleton and keynote speeches from some of the most prominent members of Bristol’s business community including the city’s elected major George Ferguson.
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Sarah Pullen, Managing Director of Bristol News and Media, said “Power Electrics is a great example of a successful, family-run business. We all know the economic environment is incredibly tough at the moment but Power Electrics is a great example of a firm pulling together and proving thatyou can still be successful in the current environment.�
5 July 2013
Another Life By Shelia Dickinson 2013 is Anniversary year, Power Electric (Bristol) is 50, it’s 60 years since the Queens Coronation, and a few other here and myself were born 60 years ago. As a Scouser and proud, we adopted Bristol as our home in 1986 and I’ve never regretted it. I love going back to see my family but I’m proud of Bristol too. It wasn’t until I did some work on my family tree a few years ago that I discovered that when we moved down South we had in fact come “home”. I was born on 3rd February 1953 in Mill Road Hospital, Liverpool. It was after the War and there was still some rationing. My parents lived with my Mum’s mum and Ginger, her cat, for a few years until they got their own place. Dad was 3rd child of a family of 17. His mum was a Dorset lass, her father and brothers were all coal miners in Somerset and South Wales. Further back on father’s maternal side most of his family came from the Radstock area. My Dads father was of Scottish and Irish decent. A land mark anniversary is a good time to take stock and make changes. I took up swimming again as I’d like to live a little longer for my grandchild’s sake. Being 60 also makes you ponder on the past a little. I marvel at the way that, in just a few generations, life in Britain has changed so completely. I’ve written down all my memories for her and maybe other babies, who may be interested what it was like when Nan was little, just in case I don’t live to see her grown. My beautiful almost 4 year old, granddaughter is so competent in every way and not the least in all things technical. My Nan was born in 1887 and she lived for some years with her sister in a convent, her mother having died in childbirth. It was a form of workhouse where orphaned girls were taught skills to enable them to go into service. She taught me to knit and cook. The only electrical item in her house when I was little was a “wireless”. Her “irons” for pressing the laundry were made of iron and were heated on the fire. Nan’s was a tiny rented tarrace with “2 up and 2 down” and a tiny kitchen, built by my Dad, stuck on the back. The white washed back yard gleamed and the tin baths hung from a nail on the back yard wall. There was also the outside lavvy and a coal shed. The door in the yard led to the back entry and the only grass for miles grew in that entry. As a child it seemed to me like a secret grassy place but my Nan and Mum said it was horrible and full of rats. It seemed quite magical to my juvenile eyes. We were bathed every day as kids, at the water being boiled in a large “Copper”. My Nan, all 4ft odd of her would lift it off the Gas stove with my Mum who was 5ft. Even if Dad was home he would not be asked to do it “that sort of thing” was womens work. At home Dad was waited like a lord by my Nan or Mum or us girls (not my brother). Things are so very different now it seems like another life and a different world! Instead of a backyard we have a garden and an allotment too! My electric bill is also huge but I wouldnt change any of it. The life we had only makes me appreciate what we have now.
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GOOGLE STREET MAP PROJECTject Our vehicles and generators get around... Below are some of the locations and places that our equipment and vehicles have been spotted on the internet.
QUEENS TENNIS CLUB, LONDON
ANCHOR ROAD BRISTOL
ur e of o n o n ee s you s or vehicle e v a H ators on tv? r e n e g e or onlin
QUEENS TENNIS CLUB, LONDON
7 July 2013
New Staff at Power Electrics Lee Williams Fabricator / Welder
Richard Cleverley Engineering/Electrical Yard Hand
Joined: 14th April 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Joined: 15th April 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Samuel Duggan Electrical Yard Hand
Jim Hewett Regional Sales Manager
Joined: 22nd April 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Joined: 29 April 2013 Location: Remote Sales - Wales
Jonathan Little LGV Driver
Victoria Tantram Rental Adminstration
Joined: 29th April 2013 Location: Various
Joined: 29th April 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Jordan Williams Labourer
Ben Burgess HR Admin
Joined: 13th May 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Joined: 20th May 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Lindsey Grafen Service Desk Supervisor
Richard Dean Regional Sales Manager
Joined: 10th June 2013 Location: Bristol Depot
Joined: 3rd June 2013 Location: Remote Sales - Midlands
Gareth Roberts Regional Sales Manager
David Goodyear Driver
Joined: 8th July 2013 Location: Southampton
Joined: 17th June 2013 Location: Various
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Department Updates RENTAL WPD Contract Renewed
COMPANY Speaker Spot for Healthcare Seminar
Power Electrics has signed a new three year sole supplier agreement with Western Power Distribution (WPD). Power Electrics will supply a range of rental generators and equipment which includes static sets from 15kVA to 500kVA which can be lifted with crane, containerised sets (750kVA - 2000kVA) on artic trailers and mobile sets (15kVA - 100kVA) as well as providing a complete 24 hour call out service.
Geoff Halliday, Head of Sales, was selected to be a speaker at this years Healthcare Estates Conference. After submitting a paper on Generator Sizing for the Healthcare Industry, Geoff’s paper was selected to lead a seminar within the Engineering Session at the event in Manchester.
WPD are the electricity distribution network operator for the Midlands, South West and Wales, delivering electricity to over 7.7 million customers over a 55,500 square kilometres service area.
TRANSPORT Continued Investment in the Fleet Power Electrics has recently purchased two brand new lorries to add to the existing transport. Both are 8 wheeler and wagons and also come with drags.
9 July 2013
HR Updates
Below are some of the recent employment law changes: WHISTLE-BLOWING The UK Parliament - Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill 2012-13 includes a provision to clarify that, to be protected against automatically unfair dismissal, whistlebowers Maternity, paternity, and sick pay. increase: must make their disclosureadoption “in the public interest”
The Government has announced the following incr
An The amendment to of the bill was introduced which removed standard rate statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay will incr thefrom requirement for aStatutory disclosure “infrom good faith” 1st April 2012. sick to paybewillmade increase £81.60 to. £85.85 However, where a disclosure is not made in good faith, the employment tribunal will be able to reduce compensation by up Minimum to 25%. Wage Rates increase from 1st October 2012 to
* £6.19 - the main rate for workers aged 21 and over
Qualifying for unfair dismissal claims for political * £4.98 -period the 18-20 rate opinions to-be * £3.68 theremoved. 16-17 rate for workers above school leaving age but under 1
* £2.65 - the apprentice rate, for apprentice under 19 or 19 or over and in
The two year qualifying period for unfair dismissal will be removed where the dismissal is due to the employee’s political opinion or affiliation. Revised Employment Tribunal Rules
The new rules will ensure effective case management, simplified and streamlined procedures for preliminary hearings and withdrawing cases. A stand alone rule will give employment tribunals and judges a clear mandate to encourage and facilitate the use of alternative forms of dispute resolution at all appropriate stages of the tribunal process.
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Charging fees in Employment Tribunals Claimants who wish to bring a claim to the tribunal or appeal tribunal will have to pay a fee. An initial fee will be paid to issue a claim and a further fee will be payable if the claim proceeds to hearing. There are two levels of fee which will depend on the type of claim.
reases:
School leaving age to rise to 17 years
rease from ÂŁ128.73 to agreements ÂŁ135.45 per week Settlement per week from 6th April 2012.
o:
The proposals seek to make it easier for employers and employees to have open discussions with each other where the employment relationship is not working out, without the concern that this could be used against them in the event of an unfair dismissal claim.
18 n the first year of their apprenticeship
11 July 2013
marketing updates exhibitions Power Electrics have a couple of excellent exhibition opportunity coming up in the next few months. Exhibitions give us the opportunity to create brand awareness in defined market places and introduce our products and services to new customers. Later this month we are exhibiting at the National Plant Exhibition, organised by Network Rail. This will be a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrator our products and services to the rail network. Taking place on the 24th and 25th July 2013 this will be the first time we have exhibited at this event and a change to break into the rail market.
Also upcoming are two one day exhibitions entitled Water Sewerage & Waste. Taking place in September at both Exeter and Reading the show will allow Power Electrics to introduce our services to companies within these areas of the UK. We have already exhibited at one Water Sewerage & Waste show in Portsmouth and gained excellent leads which are now being followed up by relevant sales people. If you would like any more information about the shows that we exhibit at please come and see the marketing department where we would be happy to answer any questions.
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