Firm lands health and safety brief with £28m turnover manufacturer

An HR, employment law and health and safety firm has won a two-year contract to provide consultancy to the UK’s largest specialist manufacturer and installer of folding and sliding doors.

Howarths, based in Cleckheaton, has been appointed by Leeds-based Express Bi-folding Doors to work alongside the firm’s operations director, Chris Smith, to help reduce operating costs and develop the company’s health and safety culture.

Express Bi-folding doors employs 230 people across its four UK showrooms and Leeds head office, with an annual turnover of £28m.

Chris Smith

Smith said: “As a growing business with teams located across the UK, we are committed to developing our safety first culture to ensure everyone from our show room staff to our head office managers is aware of the key role that effective health and safety practices play for both our staff and customers.

“We have invested heavily in health and safety training for employees recently, including an IOSH managing safety course.

“Working with guidance and support from Howarths, we will further develop our safety management plan while also evaluating and evolving our current schedule of risk assessments and standard operating procedures.”

Gavin Howarth, managing director of Howarths, added: “The robust management of health and safety is crucial for any business, but particularly manufacturing businesses.

“Procedures must be constantly updated and reviewed as the business grows to ensure legal standards are being met.

“We are looking forward to working alongside Chris and the team at Express Bi-folding Doors to help develop a safety-first culture across the business and promote health and safety practices as the company continues to grow.”