KDE fired up for growth
CHESHIRE-based electrical, plumbing, heating and bathroom specialist KDE is on course 26.4% growth in revenue to £4.3m.
The family-run company headquartered at Sutton Weaver has spent up to £175,000 extending upgrading the converted house it has occupied since 2007.
It’s all a far cry from the day 27 years ago when the company was launched by Keith Darlington as mainly an electrical contractor from the garage of his home in Frodsham.
Now, the company employs about 50 people, including office staff and contract managers, and its range of services now also include plumbing, heating, bathroom and kitchen fitting, fire alarms and extinguishers.
Included in the workforce are Darlington’s sons, former Grant Thornton accountant Lloyd Darlington, 28, and Matthew, 23, an electrician by trade.
KDE has also recently recruited three electricians, four apprentices and an extra pair of hands in the office.
The company managed to survive the downturn of 2008 and has kicked on since then.
“We are a funny size,” said Lloyd, who joined the company only weeks ago. “There are companies which have one to 10 people and others who have up to 80, but we are in the middle of that category.”
But according to Matthew, the compactness of its staff gives it a unique selling point when it comes to doing business.
“The customer service we provide is second to none,” he said. “It is something we try to instil in all the people who work for us.
“Our customers can have access to the people who run the company, which is very important to us. At the end of the day, people buy off people.”
And the Darlingtons are keen to run a happy ship. Staff retention averages up to 14 years with Martin Wainwright taking the accolade as the longest serving member of staff.
Another key to KDE’s success is its geographical position. “We do a lot of work in Flintshire and Chester,” said Lloyd. “We can also be in Liverpool in 30 minutes and Manchester in 40.”
That mobility was emphasised recently when the company added 10 new vehicles to its fleet.
