Maintaining Mega Contracts

July 17, 2019

United Utilities has moved away from its previous reliance on a single supplier with the award of the AMP7 maintenance contract to seven separate suppliers. United Utilities believe it will improve customer service and offer flexibility. But what are the other benefits? As one of the awarded suppliers, Sapphire, say: “the new contracts aim to bring efficiencies through innovative ways of working”. Yet, could it be that maintaining a mega contract is easier to manage if broken down into smaller parts and therefore the planning is more proactive and less likely ‘run-to-failure’?

There’s been an increasing trend of reactive maintenance where businesses operate reactively rather than proactively, and this is the case in water and wastewater as much as anywhere else. Taking the system and arranging it into smaller manageable sites is one approach that could make all the difference to successful maintenance and servicing.

This is encouraging and heartening to WES. As a company that’s worked with water and wastewater companies for decades providing chemical dosing solutions, we pride ourselves on being both flexible and innovative in our approach to each of our customers. We also pride ourselves on taking a proactive methodical approach to service and maintenance.

We have always been on hand to respond to a client emergency with WES’ Hire Service and units ready to be deployed with immediate effect. But it’s the maintenance and servicing of assets where we are able to add so much more value to the supply chain. It’s fair to say, that repairing is often trickier than manufacture or creation which is why regular servicing is vital. We have been involved in site-based mechanical installations for almost 30 years and remains a firm advocate of effective planning and site management as the key to the success of any site installation.

Whilst we are advocates of fully works built and tested systems, our service doesn’t stop at the workshop gates; Our fully trained engineers deliver, install, commission and service dosing systems in accordance with the requirements, as well as offering an emergency callout service.

When you’re managing a mega contract, having the service and maintenance planned from the outset means less likelihood of mains bursting, leaks and risk to customers and environment.

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Les Bunce

Hire Business Manager

Les Bunce is Hire Business Manager. He leads the WES Hire Business responsible for managing the supply of our Temporary Chemical Dosing hire fleet on both a planned and emergency basis. Les has over 25 years’ experience in the hire industry and fully understands our customers’ hire requirements.

Patrick Fisher

Projects Director

Patrick Fisher is Projects Director. He leads the business stream responsible for project management, design, engineering, manufacture and delivery of “Capital project” chemical dosing systems. A degree qualified engineer with over 10 years’ experience working in fluid delivery solutions to the water, general industrial, petrochemical, and food & beverage industries.

Bob Cook

Senior Proposals Manager

Bob Cook is Senior Proposals Manager. After completing a traditional engineering apprenticeship at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Bob was one of the original partners who started the business in 1986. Bob now applies his considerable experience to developing proposals & solutions to meet customer requirements, as well as providing technical support & passing on knowledge & expertise to colleagues across the wider WES business.

Ian Price

Dosing Products Business Manager

Ian Price is WES Dosing Products Business Manager, leading the business stream responsible for delivering a wide range of standardised chemical dosing packages, ad-hoc dosing needs and ‘off the shelf’ dosing products & solutions. A mechanical engineer with over 20 years’ experience in fluid handling solutions into the water, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food & beverage markets.

Jamie Cole

Operations Director

Jamie Cole is Operations Director. Jamie joined the business in 2018 bringing career long experience in a variety of operational roles – including service delivery to the property and utilities sectors. Jamie is responsible for the management of all operational activities of the business including the repair, maintenance & refurbishment business stream, and our site installation and workshop manufacturing teams. Jamie also forms part of the senior management team of WES.

Graham Ward

Business Development Director

Graham Ward is Sales and Marketing Director. His extensive experience includes a number of senior roles working for various SMEs and large organisations in the water, power generation, petrochemical, marine and food & beverage industries. As a qualified marine engineer, Graham has established his career in Sales and Business Development and is responsible for the business development, marketing and sales of systems, products and services across WES.

Carl Millington

Non-Exec Director

Carl joined WES as Non-Exec chairman following an appointment via the Business Growth Service to assist the business with growth strategy. A highly experienced Business Mentor, Coach, Managing Director & Non-Exec Chairman, having led product, manufacturing, contracting and service provider businesses for nearly 30 years. A strong track record of market, sales and profit growth within a diverse range of sectors.

Core competencies include business growth strategies, board & business leadership, strategic planning, sales & marketing management, P&L & balance sheet management, acquisitions, divestments, outsourcing, TUPE transfer, mentoring & coaching.

Kevin Wheeler

Managing Director

Kevin Wheeler is Managing Director. Kevin trained as an Engineer at the Royal Aircraft Establishment and joined the business in 1989. Kevin now leads the Board of Directors setting strategy and defining priorities to meet the business objectives & growth aspirations whilst adding experience to technical issues where required.