Welcome to 2019 from all at Midland Lead

At the end of 2018, we proudly reflected on the last 35 years and now we have our sights set firmly on the future. We are really excited that this year promises to be one of development, continued investment and supporting our customers growth.

We will be making some exciting announcements this year and wanted to take this opportunity to share four areas – let’s call them our Midland Lead 2019 resolutions – on what we want to achieve in 2019 and beyond.

Continued investment in our people

Last year we welcomed fourteen new people to the Midland Lead team, from apprentices to senior management team and everything in between. We also celebrated the 35th work anniversary for two people and welcomed back a retired employee who returned to us on a part-time basis. We take a keen interest in the well-being of our team and actively encourage people to move around the business and that’s why many of our staff have stayed with us for so long.

We have always had a really positive approach to supporting our workforce and, with the support of ACAS, we have been listening to the views of staff about what it’s like to work at Midland Lead and any improvements we can make to support their well-being and general working environment.

Sarah Loates, director at Loates Business Solutions agrees that Midland Lead is a really positive place to work; “Working with the Midland Lead team, we have been impressed with their ongoing dedication towards engaging with their employees and investing in the development of the team. It is inspiring to see an SME putting their people at the heart of everything they do.”

Customer focussed

We pride ourselves on having a flexible approach to customer requirements and working with such a broad range of clients across many sectors, we have developed really strong relationships over the years. Our dedication to understanding our individual customers’ needs means that we can support their growth into the future and deliver a personal service. We have built trust and loyalty because we stand by our promise and this is something that will never change.

Our excellent customer service is often something that sets us apart and we are always looking for ways to continue to strengthen this. In a few months time we will be making some exciting announcements about our new CRM system along with a few other surprises – so watch this space and thank you to all our customers for coming on this journey with us.

Stephen Watson, commercial contracts manager at SCS Group describes how Midland Lead worked with them to meet the demands of a recent project; “The project was challenging. Therefore, it was imperative that deliveries were planned, managed and controlled carefully. Midland Lead assisted by having the lead lined boards both palletised and shrink wrapped for a just in time delivery, together with clear labelling of the designated location along with material specification clearly noted on the packaging. This collaborative approach increased efficiency, reduced the risk of damage and ensured optimum production output.”

Support future skills

Earlier in 2018 the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) released a report outlining that there will be a significant skills shortage in the roofing sector that is expected to reach an all-time high within ten years.

Recognising this future skills gap Midland Lead developed an initiative to work with colleges throughout the UK to help encourage and support people on construction and roofing training courses. Since launching the initiative, we now work with seventeen colleges providing machine cast lead, tools and ancillary products free of charge.

Along with practical advice and supplying raw materials, we also attend a number of events and open our doors to our specialist manufacturing facilities so that students can see how the lead manufacturing process works.

Recently we hosted a tour with seven students arranged in partnership with Chris Messenger of, Leeds College of Building, and he explained how our support has made a big difference; “Midland Lead takes you on a first-class journey of the lead manufacturing process from plant to site. It makes students really get to grips with using such a long-lasting material. Starting these conversations early on is a fantastic thing for colleges to be able to do; it informs their learning and fully prepares them for the world of work.”

Championing #reallead

Lead is the most recycled product in the world and is 100% reusable, this is only one of the reasons that we champion this material for a wide range of applications. Nothing beats real lead and in sheet form, lead can be handled safely, is totally recyclable and, in our case, guaranteed for 60 years. It can last up to 200 years, if fitted and maintained correctly, before it needs to be removed and recycled again. By comparison, lead alternatives are only guaranteed for up to twenty years and are not fully recyclable.

We are passionate about minimising the pressure on our earth’s natural resources – all of the lead we process is sustainable and we are proud of our legacy and, importantly, the future of lead.

Lynn Street, marketing and sales manager here at Midland Lead knows how important sustainability is to the construction, radiation protection and heritage sector; “We are really proud to champion lead as a sustainable, durable and long-lasting product.”

2019

We work in three main sectors, namely construction, radiation protection and heritage.

We are so proud of what we have achieved, and we will continue to be ambassadors for sustainable manufacturing, supporting future skills, diversity and developing innovative ways of working. We are very excited about this year’s plans – as you can see from our Midland Lead 2019 resolutions – and we are pleased to take so many customers, suppliers, partners and staff on this journey with us.