140-year-old family business hails further growth
WEST Yorkshire-based commercial painting, decorating and specialist coatings contractor the Bagnall Group (Bagnalls) has announced a strong performance in 2015, increasing turnover to £43.4m.
The business, which employs more than 600 staff and recently appointed accountancy firm Mazars, said it experienced growth of 11% in 2015.
As part of Bagnalls’ future strategy it has pledged a commitment to improving the skills of its workforce and the local community by joining The 5% Club – an organisation focused on creating momentum behind the recruitment of apprentices and graduates into the UK workforce. Bagnalls currently exceeds the target with 7% of its overall UK headcount employed on a formalised apprentice, sponsored student and/or graduate programme.
Bagnalls currently employ 49 apprentices and management trainees who, in addition to gaining hands on experience, are also being taught the skills of the trade via the firm’s training academy. In addition, the Company’s Management Trainee programme, designed for 18-24 year olds, teaches employees skills which will support their progression to more senior positions within the group.
Established in 1875, Bagnalls is one of the country’s leading painting, decorating and specialist coatings contractors. Based in Shipley the business operates nationwide offering interior painting and decorating, industrial coatings, refurbishment, building maintenance, infrastructure painting and commercial painting services.
Stephen Bagnall, managing director of The Bagnall Group, said: “We have enjoyed an exciting period of growth for the business which has been recognised with the recent Family Business United awards. Our addition to The 5% Club also demonstrates our ongoing desire to support the future generation and invest in the development of our business, as we have done since engaging our first apprentices in the late nineteenth century. It is a brilliant industry initiative and one we are delighted to be a part of. Apprenticeships not only benefit our younger generations but they are of real importance to the future of businesses, such as ours.
“By employing apprentices we find that our productivity and efficiency levels are boosted which makes a real difference to our bottom line and as we continue to strengthen our workforce we want to ensure that our staff are 100% committed and have the skills they need to get on in the world of work. We look to encourage inward promotion wherever possible. Many of our senior management team today has come through our management trainee programme, so we know this approach to training and development works.”
