SIMON WORSLEY, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, BLOK ‘N’ MESH
Fencing business with global client base remains committed to finding and training new talent across Liverpool City Region.
Blok ‘N’ Mesh has provided temporary fencing for clients and events around the world, but its heart and soul remains very much in the Liverpool City Region.
The firm, which has its operational head office in Runcorn, manufactures, supplies and installs a range of barriers, hoardings and perimeter fencing and has worked on projects as diverse as the Tokyo Olympic Games and the High Speed 2 rail development.
Its exponential growth over the past 10 years has seen it win the prestigious Queen’s Award for innovation, reach turnover in excess of £100m and develop a manufacturing and supply network that now comprises 36 distribution depots, five factories and 85 vehicles spanning the UK and Europe.
With plans for further international growth, it would be easy to assume the firm has its sights set well beyond the local area, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Blok ‘N’ Mesh employs more than 200 people in the Liverpool City Region and it is currently working with a local college to develop a training programme that will help to create pathways into a variety of career disciplines.
Simon Worsley, Chief Operating Officer, explains: “Our growth as a business means we have a very real opportunity to positively influence the lives of young people by developing their skills and giving them a meaningful insight into the potential world of work.
“We hope to set up an apprentice model whereby college students can come to us to train in a variety of disciplines, from welding or labouring to finance administration, purchasing or transport management, effectively every part of our business.
“I know from personal experience that high-quality initial training can set the foundations for professional success later in life, so it’s important that we return those opportunities to the next generation however we can.
“In times gone by, industries like manufacturing would have been generational, with two or three family members all working together. I would really like to see us build those kinds of community and family legacies within our business.”
It is not only younger talent that is benefitting from Blok ‘N’ Mesh’s determination to find skilled labour and maximise their potential; Simon and the team have also set up a welding academy at HMP Altcourse, where eight inmates now work for the company on a regular basis.
Simon continues: “Our staff visit Altcourse to train inmates in welding and other metalwork and manufacturing skills. We then send the necessary materials into the prison, where they have an incredible workshop facility, and the inmates make some of our products.
“In return, they receive a salary which is deposited into their savings accounts. When they are released from prison, they leave with extra money to support them and help to rebuild their lives on the outside. They are also welcome to apply for jobs with us if they wish to and we do our best to make that work. For us, it’s all about developing skills and opportunity and making a positive impact on the future.”
Sustainability and innovation are also central to what makes Blok ‘N’ Mesh so successful on so many levels. The firm has its own dedicated recycling plant that recycles up to 50 tonnes of plastic waste each day. Much of that material is generated and then reused within the group’s operation to create new products.
Simon explains: “Our determination to maximise our sustainability comes from both within the business and also from the demands of the market. We want to do all we can to ensure our business leaves only a positive footprint for future generations.
“As our client businesses across various sectors begin to understand more about the climate emergency and the need to be more environmentally conscious, they rightly expect us to join them on that journey, which is why we try to stay ahead of the curve.
“We have also launched a new range of recyclable plastic fencing called GOHOARD, which is proving popular among schools and other local authority locations. This is part of our strategy to manufacture highly-reusable products which can be recycled at end-of-life.
“In addition, we have also developed a low-carbon concrete block and a fence foot made from recycled plastic and we continue to look for new ways to engineer innovation and sustainability into what we do.”
Having already established itself in Europe, Blok ‘N’ Mesh has designs on expanding its footprint even further, as well as maximising its UK business.
“We’ve been working closely with the Chamber for the past four months and it has already reaped rewards in terms of business development. We’ve been able to grow our local network and we hope that by nurturing some of those new relationships we can find mutually beneficial ways to share further introductions with each other. The Chamber’s international trade team has also introduced us to a senior contact at an overseas embassy and the potential for future growth is tangible.
I know from personal experience that high-quality initial training can set the foundations for professional success later in life, so it’s important that we return those opportunities to the next generation however we can.
“As a Patron of the Chamber, we hope to have an extra dimension of impact and responsibility, by helping the Chamber to lead the conversation on important topics such as sustainability, skills or being a responsible employer.
“We have continually invested in upskilling our staff and upgrading our technology to include semi-automated machinery and robotics, as well as a new fleet of vehicles and several new distribution depots in the UK, Ireland and France. This will continue to reflect in our approach moving forward, but underpinning our expansion remains the sense that we have the opportunity and responsibility to be a force for good in our local community.
“I am hopeful that the new training pathways will be open to students by the beginning of 2023 and that we can not only train new emerging talent, but also learn from them and use their creativity and enthusiasm to further develop our own business and build something truly special. It is great to think that today’s students could one day be our future team supporting an Olympics or Commonwealth Games halfway around the world. That is certainly our ambition.”