50 year old DIY firm celebrates birthday with new training academy

HOME improvement business Passmore Group, which started out as a two-man plumbing business in 1965, is celebrating its birthday with ambitious growth plans and is planning to open a training academy.

The Beeston-based business run by Brian & Kathleen Passmore now employs 50, and has diversified into a home improvement specialist celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Now managed by the founders’ sons Tony and Steve, the company has survived the recession and has 2,000 sq ft headquarters and showroom in Wortley, 15 more members of staff than before the economic downturn, and at least 10 additional employees set to come on board by the end of 2016.

Currently a £5m turnover company, managing director Mr Tony Passmore also has ambitious plans to grow the business by 75% over the next three years.

He said: “The recession was long and deep, and there was no disputing people were much more careful with their spend.

“However the ‘move or improve’ mind-set – and the fact that we are seen as a trusted supplier – saw work continually come our way.

“Homeowners concentrated on making the best of what they had, striving to turn their bathrooms into places of relaxation and sanctuary. This meant our reputation, and our bottom line, continued to grow despite the downturn.

“So, whilst we will carry on spreading the word about Passmore, it is not our forward order book that worries us.

“The real challenge, moving forward, will be finding the right people to join the business as we further our expansion. There is a widely recognised skills shortage within the trades sector, which has proven a barrier to growth for many firms.”

In a bid to overcome this, Passmore plans to open an on-site training academy for apprentices and employees, an idea currently in the pipeline and earmarked for investment in late 2016.

Mr Passmore continues: “Our company has stood the test of time because we are so committed to quality – rather than using subcontractors we have always employed our own multi-disciplined staff with the same ethos as us, so that we can offer a comprehensive solution and safeguard the standards delivered to customers.

“The training academy will enable us to protect this business model, whilst nurturing future talent and maintaining the quality of service delivered to customers in a 60 mile radius.”