FM Sudafix buck the trend

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

The recent quarterly economic survey conducted by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce indicated that businesses in the East Midlands had continued to experience the ongoing challenges brought about by the global economic downturn. The FM Sudafix Group is based in Nottingham but unlike other companies based within the region has continued to demonstrate strength throughout the period. FM Sudafix Group General Manager, Calum Heath, was interviewed by a local news programme to discuss the remarkable achievements of the company that continue to buck the trend both regionally, and nationally. Calum Heath told the website team, “I was pleased to be able to discuss our successes with the news crew; but I think I fell victim to some unfortunate editing, because I am sure I was more articulate than that for the rest of the interview!” Calum said with a smile.

http://www.itv.com/central-east/midlands-business-report51428/

Arabic unrest and its impacts on business

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

The unrest in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and Libya is concerning for British companies who trade in those markets, but not just for commercial reasons. FM Sudafix Group Strategy & Communications Director, Sean Elliott-Maher, was contacted by the BBC through their Radio Nottingham branch to discuss the impact that it was having on businesses in the East Midlands of the UK. Also joined in the debate by George Cowcher, the Chief Executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, Elliott-Maher highlighted that the whilst the Arabian markets were very important to ongoing business concerns that the most important aspect to consider is the humanitarian aspect.

One of the areas of discussion was what would be the domestic (UK) consequences if the unrest continued and expanded across to the Gulf States (GCC region); Sean Elliott-Maher stated that whilst he thought that it was unlikely to spread throughout the territory it could have a dramatic impact, potentially costing the company tens of millions of pounds, but that even in that worst case scenario every proactive measure would be taken to protect jobs and reassign staff to domestic projects, but that “difficult decisions” could not be ruled out; the website has asked him to elaborate:

“First and foremost I want to go on the record as stating that the FM Sudafix Group is most concerned, above anything else, with the human cost in the unrest because you cannot view these events at arms length; however that does not mean that we can sidestep the issue of what it could mean to the business performance and scope of operations for the company. Much of the current tone of debate is reactionary and almost alarmist when discussing the impacts on business caused by the events in the Arab world. We need to consider the root causes of what has generated the unrest. The people of the Middle East and Arabic countries of Africa share many of the same values as people in any other part of the world, and unrest is more likely in any society when you have concentrated centres of dissatisfied or disenfranchised poor, once these conditions are present then riots can occur and even transform into outright revolt, which is what we have seen.

“The FM Sudafix Group works in these countries, just like other international markets, on significant projects with a specific focus on power generation and transmission, telecommunication infrastructure and rail projects, which are the exact sorts of projects that require if not government funding then government sanction. A decentralised or disbanded government makes these sorts of projects difficult if not impossible, but they are necessary and as such will resume when stability is established. Will unrest spread throughout the GCC? I doubt it due to a higher standard of living and civically minded governments, which is an observation based upon inward investment, not a value judgment which would be beyond my limited experience. If it were to spread though, in a worst case scenario, on a purely business level it would cost the company tens of millions of pounds. Would such a situation result in company collapse? Not at all, we are not that dependent upon the market, but it would make things difficult.

“Also there has been an argument voiced that there is a moral question as to whether British companies should be working with these countries at all, which I think is such a narrow minded view and I believe during our discussion with the BBC George Crowcher addressed particularly well. The point is that Britain generates talented people and can provide specialist products and the people of countries all over the world can benefit from them. If British companies are helping to bring effective power, communications, safe water systems, effective transport and other vital services to the people of these countries. I am proud of our humanitarian efforts and the support we provide to developing countries, we very much consider ourselves a conscience and we always attempt to drive resources into the communities that generate our success. Businesses are run by people, and business is conducted between people, so the situation facing people in these regions is of paramount importance. I have friends and colleagues in these areas, just like everyone else in the company, and their health and wellbeing is essential. On a personal level I believe that no government should enact violence upon its people, wherever it is in the world and that wholly transcends any business issue. It is a moral responsibility for governments to act as a defender of its people, not as an aggressor, and that value should not be confined to judgements of the Arab world. I trust that recent unrest and responses offer lessons and reminders to all governments.

“In a worst case scenario we may have to take difficult decisions, but that would only happen after we had exhausted every opportunity to allocate human resource to other territories or domestic projects. The actual situation, as our team knows, is that we will continue to actively look to expand our team, so reducing staff levels could not be further from our ambition or business plan. Both internal and external parties need to focus on doing what we can to ensure a lasting peaceful settlement is reached and get back to providing our expertise and products to benefit these nations as soon as possible.”

You can listen to the interview below:

Managing change on Qatari rail interests

Friday, September 17th, 2010

The Qatari construction industry cultivates and develops an excellent domestic knowledge base whilst attracting some of the best experts from all over the world. A concentration of this standard of expertise has resulted in some of the most impressive construction achievements in the Middle East. The ability of countries in the Middle East, notably Qatar, to set new benchmarks and in many cases pioneer the latest technological advancements in the construction sector is a great motivation for companies to keep improving their capacity to support this market.

A vital and growing section of the construction industry is the light and heavy rail sector. These projects are essential for establishing, improving, and eventually determining the future for any country’s internal infrastructure, and their access to international markets. I have been involved with rail projects for decades and I must confess that whilst I have enjoyed all of the projects upon which I have worked, rail programmes are very close to my heart. Rail projects, of course, are subject to idiosyncratic problems that you would never encounter on any other sort of build programme, which is part of what makes it all so very interesting.

As Qatar has a vested interest in domestic rail performance and rail projects occurring in the wider Gulf region it is important for businesses to respond to this issue and support the country. My close friend, and Chief Executive Officer of the FM Sudafix Group, Steve Hutchinson has spearheaded the development and launch of a range of products specifically to support rail projects. Steve has made his hopes clear from the outset of the initiative: “We embrace new opportunities and a key issue for our organization is redefining ourselves in the eyes of the Qatari market. It is ironic in a way because we are long established and renowned in the rail sector in Europe, and have been very active both in terms of service and product provision on a number of significant rail projects such as the Manchester Metrolink (UK) and Dublin LUAS (Ireland). On numerous projects we are preferred suppliers of practical, easy to install products such as rail bonds, rail cable, VLDs (Voltage Limiting Devices), SPDs (Surge Protection Devices) and many others; all of them obviously meet the robust performance demands of rail projects.”

Issues that may challenge Qatari rail interests include creating safe earthing systems for substations, platforms, cubicles and signalling, whilst ensuring that a robust earth bonding design has been undertaken to mitigate the dangers in cases of unforeseen de-wirement of the overhead line. Earth bonding designs for rail applications should make provision for items that may fall within the potential de-wirement area, or the running path of a carriage, which in the rail sector is referred to as the DKE, or dynamic kinematic envelope. An essential consideration for any rail project is that of the hazards presented by stray electrical current.

Projects may refer to stray current in different ways, but essentially it is when electrical current leaks from the rails, usually due to poor insulation. When direct current discharges from the rail it will seek conductive materials in the ground in a comparable way that lightning seeks conductive elements. If stray current discharges through an underground conductive element it is likely to corrode that item; this can include foundations, bridge supports and many others, and the damage caused can be disastrous. On one project where I was brought in to identify and rectify stray current issues I discovered a twenty-four inch gas main was corroding due to stray current that was discharging over a kilometre and a half away; that could have led to an explosion that would have been a catastrophe. It was also completely avoidable.

Adapting to the demands of Qatari rail concerns is not easy and will be dependent on companies sourcing the appropriate level of experience. In all of the many projects with which I have held responsibility for the electrical safety of the installation team and every future user of a rail scheme I have learned valuable lessons and companies wishing to become involved with these projects cannot take the decision lightly; the consequences of making a mistake could be loss of life on a staggering scale so any company making the move to rail have to sufficiently resource their knowledge base. That is a broader point for any business leader whose company operates in the Qatari construction industry; to survive and thrive it is absolutely essential that enterprises respond to the ever developing market in a meaningful way. All companies make claims relating to continual improvement, making those statements are a vital part of obtaining and retaining ISO 9001 accreditation, but these statements need to be backed by conviction, and even more importantly, action and ensuring that an appropriate knowledge base is obtained.

Ultimately the proving ground for the various claims made by companies is what happens in the market place. Organizations that claim to innovate, to develop and improve have to be able to demonstrate that. Steve Hutchinson feels very strongly about this issue and recently gave a seminar in the UK about this issue. “Meaningful change, such as that we constantly see at the FM Sudafix Group, is not an easy process. Determining new opportunities to enhance any aspect of an organisation, whilst ensuring that business continuity is sustained, then managing the transition and delivering it to market is a challenging endeavour, but for a company like ours we see it as essential to our continual expansion in Qatar, the Middle East, indeed the global market. Because we put so much resource behind it at FM Sudafix, it is disappointing when other organisations make comparable claims but then do not do anything to commence and manage change.

“A lot of the times the reason for the disparity between those claims made and actual performance is due to their marketing departments or public relations partners. These people have to say something and frequently they make throwaway statements that sound impressive but are ultimately misleading or at least not fully substantiated. In truth the most frustrating thing to witness in business is watching long established companies, who have grown and expanded over many years and whose customer base is largely sustained through project buyers following habits, decide that they would like to see an improvement in their business prospects but then do not do anything to change it. Change does not come about through repeating the same process and expecting different results. There are some big players guilty of this, but thankfully we are not one of them,” Steve Hutchinson recently commented.

Making the move into the rail sector is likely to be a rewarding experience for any organization, but I would encourage business leaders to fully evaluate the environment and challenges that face rail projects. With my career’s worth of experience, whether gained through direct responsibility for electrical safety from the outset of a project, or on occasions when my team and I have been brought in to undertake remedial design and re-specification to get a technical aspect right where others have underperformed, or more sadly when an active rail system has failed due to poor performance by others and we are brought in for immediate problem identification and rectification, I have always taken my responsibilities seriously. Qatar demands the best, and companies have to deliver this.

GMB Panthers now part of the team

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

The FM Sudafix Group is enormously proud to announce its sponsorship of the Nottingham GMB Panthers. The sponsorship deal will see the FM Sudafix logo emblazoned above the name-bar on the playing jerseys of the team for the 2010-11 season. The Challenge Cup Champions have come to represent the very best that the Elite Ice Hockey League has to offer which makes them an obvious choice to partner the FM Sudafix Group. Gary Moran, the General Manager of the GMB Panthers, stated: “It is always great news for the club when we can attract and welcome new business partners. The club enjoys the biggest sales of replica shirts in the league and that means we will have around two thousand walking adverts for firms like FM Sudafix in addition to all the media exposure and other profile. The information about the new logo to be added to the shirt designs for next season is already winging its way across the globe.”

Shortly after signing the deal Sean Elliott-Maher, (FMS Strategy & Comms Director), said: “The ever growing profile of the Panthers made this an easy decision for us. The sport is fast, exciting, and entertaining with more and more fans each season. Panthers have a strong market share and are very well thought of in the business world. We in turn will be spreading the word about the Panthers worldwide. Being born and raised in Nottingham means that I’ve always held the Panthers in the highest possible regard and their reputation on and off the ice makes this alliance all the more meaningful. The passion and commitment of the players, backroom staff and importantly the fans puts the other teams in the Elite League in the shade, and that is an ethos FM Sudafix holds in our sectors of operation. Let’s go, Panthers!”

The GMB Panthers website can be found at: http://www.panthers.co.uk/

FM Sudafix at the 2010 Middle East Electricity Exhibition

Friday, January 29th, 2010

FM Sudafix will be attending the 2010 Middle East Electricity Exhibition at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre between 9th to 11th February. It is with considerable pride that FM Sudafix announces that it is now partnered in enterprise with Ducab, and will form an integral part of the Ducab Connect range. Some important members of our team, including Group Chief Executive, Steve Hutchinson, will be situated on stand #7F10, Hall #7 on the stand of our esteemed partners, Ducab. Please come along and meet some members of the Ducab, Ducab Connect, and FM Sudafix teams.

FM Sudafix Catalogue

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

The FM Sudafix Group is proud to announce the publication of its catalogue. Contained within the pages of the catalogue FM Sudafix presents its most comprehensive range ever assembled. With insights from Steve Hutchinson, the Group CEO, advice on best approaches to creating safe earthing/grounding systems, how to apply lightning protection measures and much more the new FM Sudafix Group catalogue is certain to prove useful. Sections of the catalogue include familiar entries such as earthing, lightning protection and exothermic welding, but new entrances such as Britclips spring steel fasteners, Ezifix adhesive solutions and the rail range will be of interest to new and existing customers alike. You can order a copy of our catalogue through the website or view our online FM Sudafix Catalogue.

Catalogue Layout

Online FM Sudafix Catalogue
Order the FM Sudafix Catalogue

FM Sudafix Group: Achievement in International Business Award 2009

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

The management of the FM Sudafix Group foster a multi-cultural approach to their business operations and encourage every member of staff to conduct themselves as citizens of the world with a view to better support their clients and customers. This approach contributes to the ongoing successes of the FM Sudafix Group, which currently operates in over twenty countries, and the impressive business performance was recognised by the Nottingham and Derby Chamber of Commerce. The FM Sudafix Group was shortlisted as a finalist for the award prior to the final judging to determine the overall winner of the category. The nominated companies were evaluated by the judge of the award, Alex Mauser of Midlands Enterprise Europe (http://www.een-midlands.org.uk/), and the verdict was that the FM Sudafix Group had demonstrated the best performance amongst the nominees. The award ceremony, held on Friday 25th September 2009, was a tremendous event and the members of the team fortunate enough to attend were delighted with the evening. FM Sudafix Group CEO, Steve Hutchinson, provided the following comment, “It is an honour and privelege to receive this acknowledgement from the business community and I offer my sincere thanks. I think it is important to recognise the most important contributor to the overall performance of the FM Sudafix Group, and that is the customers who are devoted to quality and high performance who return to us with every new project, we thank you for the opportunity to support you.” For further information please refer to:
http://www.thisisbusiness-eastmidlands.co.uk/news/Notts-firms-shine-chamber-
awards/article-1373676-detail/article.html
and refer to the third award category on the page.

Award Winners 2009

Alternative solution saves money and lives on global rail projects

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Traditionally the most used material in any earthing/grounding system is copper. There are a few attributes which make copper appealing to designers: the electrical conductivity of the material, and familiarity.

Using copper as the main method of creating safe earth/ground systems costs rail infrastructure projects, indeed the wider construction industry, billions of dollars a year. Copper is a high cost item and is attractive to criminals who steal the valuable components. The true cost of copper theft extends beyond replacement elements.

After theft occurs it takes time to discover the event and undertake remedial action; this period without protection exposes the project, facility or zone to potentially life threatening hazards. Fortunately copper, or other metallic components, are no longer the only materials which can be used to create safe zones. The British company, FM Sudafix, provides earthing/grounding solutions to address any issue so we posed the problem of copper theft to Technical Director, John Maher: “The theft of metallic components has always been a problem facing earthing/grounding and lightning protection systems.

Fortunately copper, aluminium or stainless steel materials are not the only available methods of earthing/grounding fault current, and even when they are utilized it is entirely possible to offer theft protection to them. “One of the materials exclusively held in the FM Sudafix product range offers superior earthing/grounding opportunities making substantial quantities of metallic components redundant; that compound is called Conducrete. “The theft prevention properties of Conducrete ensure that materials contained within Conducrete remain where they were installed, providing the protection needed.” Steve Hutchinson, FM Sudafix CEO, was recently asked about Conducrete: “The versatility of Conducrete is changing a number of industries. It is a unique product that solves problems in numerous sectors. We are still discovering further applications. We have to keep substantial stocks due to the enormous demand.” Conducrete is approved on projects throughout the globe. It has been approved for use on the Dublin LUAS light rail system, amongst other infrastructure projects, and by utility organizations all over the world. Other options for earthing/grounding include items of cathodic protection; FM Sudafix host AEL Anodes and the environmentally friendly EnvirAnode™ either offering extended life systems designed specifically for each project. FM Sudafix continues to demonstrate why it is the superior manufacturer.

New developments in lightning protection and earthing/grounding systems in Qatar

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

Protecting developments from lightning or fault currents is often complicated. Such safety systems appeal to thieves who seek to steal the components. One British company operating in Qatar, FM Sudafix, creates effective safety solutions that are theft resistant utilising cutting edge technology and the highest performance materials. Fast gaining a reputation as “the consultants’ choice” FM Sudafix offers a full design, support, specification and material supply service in earthing/grounding, lightning protection, cathodic protection and stray current management. FM Sudafix Technical Director, John Maher, explained the company philosophy: “We have built up the highest performing product range in the sector, which enables us to use fewer resources per compliant design. It’s cost effective and provides enhanced protection. For example we provide the best conductive concrete in the world, which out performs any other comparable product available. Our material is called Conducrete and we are thrilled to know that our customers are benefiting from this product; their buildings are now safer than those using lesser quality materials. “Another key facet of our capability is the powerful software that we utilize. No other industry player has invested the same level of resource behind technical elements.” Like other emirates, sultanates and kingdoms the Qatari construction industry is burdened by out of date specifications which cite obsolete standards. FM Sudafix helps constructors and governing bodies rewrite these to ensure effectiveness and relevancy. FM Sudafix also runs seminars and training sessions for clients. Steve Hutchinson, the CEO of FM Sudafix, commented about a recent visit to Qatar: “FM Sudafix has gained huge momentum. Having received awards for our product, service and technical superiority I decided it was time to catch up in person with our customers on some of the most significant projects in Qatar. It was important to back up our claims of technical dominance so I brought along our Technical Director, John Maher. John demonstrated his knowledge and familiarity with the local Qatari industry and also conducted training sessions. We proved that even more established companies cannot rival FM Sudafix’s performance and popularity. The trip was outstandingly successful and affirmed to all of the key players in Qatar that the specification should always demand FM Sudafix.”