University announces two-year partnership with Westdale Group

MARKETING experts at Leeds Beckett University have teamed up with Doncaster-based Westdale Group to help the company meet the increasing demand for home energy efficiency projects crucial to the Government’s net-zero plans.

The project is a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK. Academics based in Leeds Business School will work closely with the Westdale management team with the aim of helping them to achieve sustainable growth in their existing, and new markets – including investigating opportunities to diversify their expert services.

Westdale Group is a provider of whole house refurbishment services – such as external wall, cavity wall, and loft insulation – through a group of companies. The companies specialise in projects for local authorities, housing associations and contractors for both social housing and commercial properties, as well as designing and manufacturing their own insulation products under the brands Structherm and ArtBrick.

Dr Catherine Ashworth, senior lecturer in global and strategic marketing at Leeds Beckett University and KTP project lead, said: “Westdale is well regarded in the industry and this project will support them in leveraging this reputation to increase market share to grow both turnover and profit. By embedding advanced strategic marketing and new branding capabilities, we will improve Westdale’s position in the supply chain and procurement frameworks, realising their ambition to bid for larger and more prestigious contracts.

“Through this partnership, we will address a complex set of challenges, creating a more sustainable platform for onward growth and embedding a business model across the group of companies, that is more dynamic and agile.”

Westdale will have the opportunity to work with research academics across Leeds Beckett University, including experts in construction materials and building energy efficiency based in the Leeds Sustainability Institute and School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing. Leeds Beckett students will have opportunities to benefit from the collaboration through student projects and learning through real-life case studies.