18 months after moving into a purpose built HQ in Tromode, Strand Group is actively looking to grow through acquisition. The Group comprises four businesses - Strand Facilities Services, Storall, Krypton Cleaning Services and Clean A Way - and it is looking to grow with businesses that compliment the Group’s activities.
It’s a business strategy that has worked successfully for the Group in the past. Krypton Contract Cleaners became part of Strand Group in 2011 when it was taken over from Clucas Plc. Krypton, which has specialised in all aspects of commercial cleaning for over 30 years, now focuses on hygiene and washroom services. Relationships with Clucas Plc and Strand Group go back over 27 years and Clucas Plc is the owner of Tromode Estate where the two Companies worked together on developing the new Strand Group HQ.
More recently, commercial refuse collection business Clean A Way was acquired from long-established family business Magee’s Haulage. With 30 years working locally in refuse collection, the business was considered a good fit and it became part of Strand Group in April 2014. Since then the business has expanded, with new bin wagons being purchased and the fleet of vehicles now numbers six. The new bin wagons have officially calibrated weighing systems with sophisticated software that can provide a variety of information to customers. ‘With a steady flow of new customers coming on board alongside the established business, Clean A Way has been a great success for us,’ said John Hellowell, Chairman of Strand Group. ‘We added a loyal and hardworking team of people and couldn’t be happier with how things have gone over the past two years.’
In both acquisitions employees stayed on and became valued members of the Strand team. Carol Gregory, who is now Human Resources Director for Strand Group, joined the team as part of the Krypton deal.
The other businesses in the Group are Strand Facilities Services and document management Company, Storall. ‘The facilities services market on the Island is steady but larger contracts are very price driven and it’s often seen as an area were costs can be shaved,’ said Mr Hellowell. 'Standards and service levels are being squeezed in the industry but we are determined not to compromise on quality,’ he added.
‘Storall benefitted significantly from the move to Tromode,’ explained Mr Hellowell. ‘Heavy investment in the new building allowed us to create a state-of-the-art document management system that is very impressive and of a significant scale. Everyone who sees it in operation is impressed and we’ve won new clients as a result. Our clients know that they have a secure facility that is totally unrivalled anywhere on the Isle of Man, with quick and efficient access to their documents whenever they need them.’
When asked if there was a particular type of business Strand Group will be interested in, Mr Hellowell said that there had already been a couple of meetings with Companies that had potential but that they remain open to approaches where there is a natural fit with existing activities.
Find out more about Strand Group at www.strandgroup.im.
Photo - Alex Thomson, Managing Director of Clucas Plc (the previous owner of Krypton Cleaning Services and developer and owner of Tromode Estate), with John Hellowell, Chairman of Strand Group, in front of the Group’s new HQ, Sailmaker House.
