For more than 55 years, PP Control & Automation has provided award-winning outsourcing solutions to machinery builders across the globe. Now, the company is applying that experience and offering advice on the importance of ESG, to ensure everyone has the right information to support a more sustainable future. CEO Tony Hague explained more, in an exclusive interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Established in 1967, PP Control & Automation quickly became one of the largest suppliers of control and automation solutions in Europe. Having maintained a clear commitment to ESG, the company is perfectly poised to help others sift through the resources available.
“Everyone in manufacturing has a clear responsibility when it comes to an organisation’s impact on the wider environment and associated communities,” CEO Tony Hague explained. “When discussing ESG, many people can relate to the environmental aspects, but are less aware of the social and governance elements. Perhap s this is due to the tangibility of environmental actions and consequences; but these areas are of equal importance.
“After all, it is proven that high-performing businesses have higher than average employee engagement and a culture of learning and development: so investing in your people is guaranteed to create a competitive advantage within the marketplace.”
Creating a great ESG strategy
Although there are a lot of helpful resources when it comes to ESG support, there are also companies ready to take advantage.
“There are some excellent and genuine organisations out there that can support the development of ESG strategies, but companies also need to be aware of those who are out to make a quick buck,” Mr Hague continued. “These so-called ‘ESG experts’ are on the rise and are drawing people in with their ‘wares’
relating to ESG dashboards and compliance strategies.”
This is not the only risk involved in the development of ESG. If companies are going to be successful in creating clear ESG strategies, then PP C&A believes that innovation is the way forward.
Of course, a lack of commercialisation can be a major cause for concern when it comes to ensuring the development of ESG innovation. Mr Hague pointed out a historic resistance to fostering innovation within the UK market, which has often led to loss of overseas investment.
“We have to ensure that the right companies receive the appropriate backing,” Mr Hague explained. “For innovators, the opportunity for early collaboration and support is so important, and there is a definite concern when it comes to the initiatives currently available. We have acknowledged this problem and sought to develop PP Plus as a solution.”
PP Plus is an easy access support network designed to help create a more sustainable future. The network seeks to support the development of technological innovations within the UK. At the very centre
“From a sustainability perspective, the key factors are best use of internal resources, people, streamlined processes and automation”
sits an ecosystem of partners that are there to support and encourage the growth of innovation.
Implementing ESG
Operating by example, PP C&A has worked hard to explore its own ESG potential. To kick things into motion, the company gained its ISO 14001 accreditation and slowly developed from there.
“We have invested a significant amount of money into solar panels for our factory roof; these now generate a large portion of our energy requirements,” Mr Hague said.
The company has also collaborated with Warwick Manufacturing Group as part of its net zero programme. This led to the installation of an ecomax voltage optimisation device, designed and manufactured by GWE Group (renowned for its high-quality, cost-saving products that help reduce energy consumption).
When it comes to social development, PP C&A has been incredibly proactive, dedicating the last 20 years to the training and engagement of its employees.
“We founded our own internal training school in 2002, and now we have an online learning platform called Bright Sparks University, where we develop both technical and processing skills, ” said Mr Hague. “We also developed STEP (Success Through Excellence Programme), which was a huge success.
“Someone once asked me ‘What if you train people and they leave?’ Well, what
if you don’t train them and they stay? Training is an investment, not a cost.”
Working with schools on a regular basis, the company also promotes engineering and other STEM subjects to young people, highlighting the exciting opportunities that exist in today’s market.
In 2022, PP C&A also produced a CSR Policy, which it will continually
review. According to Mr Hague, this was a proactive step to show all stakeholders that the company’s intentions are clear and sincere. Following this, PP C&A intends to create a more cohesive ESG strategy, which will highlight clear metrics to measure the company’s success.
Award winning achievements:
Tony Hague was recognised as ‘Industry Leader of the Year’ at the 2023 National Engineering and Manufacturing Awards, which he attributed to all the fabulous staff at PP C&A.
Originally an apprentice himself, Mr Hague was particularly proud of the company’s apprentice Sophie Young, who took home the ‘Rising Star Award’.
Supporting ESG
As an outsourcing specialist, PP C&A is eager to encourage businesses to look into the practicalities of subcontracting. The company has even designed its own guide to make this decision even easier.
“There are many factors to consider when looking for the right outsourcing partner, including size and location, markets and customers already served, and engineering and production capabilities,” Mr Hague continued. “To help companies better understand the benefits of outsourcing, we have developed our own ‘3D Guide’ which details the three key phases of discussion, decision and delivery.
“The step-by-step approach in the guide takes a closer look at the main considerations and should make an organisation much more confident when deciding whether to outsource.”
There are many elements to consider when it comes to formulating the perfect ESG strategy, and PP C&A believes that outsourcing is an increasingly important one to consider.
“From a sustainability perspective, the key factors are best use of internal resources, people, streamlined processes and automation,” Mr Hague explained. “So, outsourcing can help reduce the total cost of manufacture, ensure better use of space and resources, and help manage risk and waste within an organisation.”
Another trend that PP C&A has picked up on is the increasing demand for nearshoring. As companies across the globe focus more readily on what they can do to improve, localisation has become a clear option.
“The desire to seek outsourcing supply chain partners closer to home is an increasingly prevalent one,” said Mr Hague. “It ties back to the ability to support a wider ESG strategy – which isn’t possible if a supplier is on the other side of the world.
“In a post-pandemic world, many of us have seen supply chains severely impacted, with availability and lead times being hit hard, plus the rising cost of products and transport. All of this has led to companies requiring a stronger focus on total cost of acquisition and risk mitigation strategies within their supply chain plans.
“This can only be good for UK manufacturing, but investment is needed to ensure we have the skills, competency and capacity to meet the needs that exist, or opportunity will evaporate.”
With over two decades of experience working for PP Control & Automation, Mr Hague reflected back over the time positively: “I have been fortunate to work with some great people over the years. We have
successfully advanced from a small company of 22 staff and £2.5 million in sales to a whopping 230 incredibly supportive employees and an impressive £35 million revenue – so it’s been quite a journey.” n
