Strand Facilities Services has appointed Ricardo Amaral to the board. Originally from Portugal where he worked in the automotive textiles industry, he joined Strand Facilities Services in 2002 as a cleaner and he worked for the Company’s clients in offices and businesses throughout the Island. He was quickly promoted to team leader, then supervisor, followed by senior supervisor and in 2011 Ricardo took over the role of Operations Manager.
Strand Facilities Services is part of Strand Group alongside Storall, Krypton Cleaning Services and Clean A Way and has a team of over 130 across the four businesses. The Group has a strong commitment to promoting from within. John Hellowell, Chairman of Strand Group explains how Ricardo Amaral joined the business. ‘We were having difficulty in the early 2000’s recruiting people who matched our values and work ethic and we extended our recruitment drive initially to Scotland then even further afield. We ended up bringing 20 staff over from the Basque Country and Portugal on six-month contracts. It was quite a commitment on both sides and several of the people who joined us then are still with us now including Storall’s Operations Director, Lourdes Otxoa de Alda, who also came over at that time.’
Ricardo is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the busy facilities management arm of Strand Group. He organises the deployment of over 100 people, ensuring that they are where they need to be, either for regular contracts or for the unscheduled jobs that crop up most days. He is also responsible for training. The Company has been a member of the British Institute of Cleaning Sciences (BICSc) for over 20 years. Ricardo took on additional duties when the businesses moved into its new purpose-built premises, Sailmaker House, in Tromode at the end of 2014 and he now becomes a board member. ‘In the past 14 years Ricardo has proved his dedication and capability many times over and we are pleased that he has accepted the Directorship. It helps future-proof our long-term plans for the business,’ said John Hellowell.
Ricardo Amaral says, ‘It was a leap into the unknown when I moved with my wife to the Isle of Man but right away I could see that hard work and loyalty was rewarded and I quickly gained promotion. I particularly want to acknowledge the support of my wife Lilia and my daughter Kiara who is seven. There have been lots of antisocial hours and certainly we’ve had to sacrifice some of our family time together so that I could go the extra mile for clients and do a good job for the Company. I also want to mention my colleagues in the office, the supervising team and all the cleaners who do such a great job for us day in and day out. These are the people who have helped me progress in the Company, and the good working relationships and friendships we have built over the years have certainly contributed to my success. I’m very proud to have been appointed to the board.’
Strand Facilities Services has built a wealth of knowledge and experience in over 28 years of contract cleaning and facilities management within the Island’s commercial property sector. Clients include major financial institutions, the Isle of Man Government, commercial, retail and leisure outlets. A flexible approach and commitment to the highest levels of quality and service have earned the Company an enviable record of client retention. It holds ISO 27001:2013, an information security standard ensuring that adequate controls addressing confidential
