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Happy New Year…

Wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous 2013. I’m looking forward to meeting old and new friends this year with as ever a busy schedule!
A recent news article kicking us off to a great start to the New Year in the Portsmouth News

Havant firm marks year end by notching up a record turnover.

By Emma Judd
Published on Wednesday 2 January 2013 08:00

A FIRM is a force to be reckoned with after unveiling record turnover in 2012.

Straightpoint, which designs and manufactures devices to accurately measure loads and forces, has seen a 60 per cent increase in turnover and, as a result, is expanding its number of staff and doubling the size of its UK head office in Havant.

Straightpoint director David Ayling said he believed there had been a number of factors which added together made the company so successful in 2012.

He added: ‘We took on a number of additional distributors including a major player in France, launched new hire and offshore services, launched a new world-exclusive wireless centre of gravity system, and our reputation seems to be increasing for our robust products, speedy delivery and friendly, efficient customer service.

‘Although business from some countries has slowed a little due to the economic situation, we have balanced this by gaining additional business from countries with booming economies.

‘With our enhanced team in place and double-sized head office ready in 2013, we’re aiming for another record year by providing fantastic products backed up with excellent customer service.’

As a result of the increase in business, Straightpoint recently took on new business administration and calibration engineer apprentices.

In addition, UK sales manager Steve Woodhead and technical sales engineer for the US office John Molidor joined the team.

Straightpoint’s most recent head office addition is calibration manager Wayne Chant.

Mr Ayling praised the skills of his new staff.

 

BSI Accreditation, new staff, more epansion and an exhibition…

As usual, there is a lot of news to update you on from gaining a new accreditation to expansion (we welcome a key new addition to our team as well as expansion of our head office building); and what to expect when you visit us at Liftex in a few weeks’ time.

Straightpoint is Now BSI Accredited

In my previous Mr Loadlink, I mentioned that we’d just passed a stage 1 audit for the UKAS-accredited BSI (British Standards Institution) that will meet virtually any international, European or British standard.  I’m delighted to update you that we’ve now fully passed and achieved the ISO9001:2008 accreditation, with not one single non-conformance noted!  The accreditation confirms our quality management system for the design, manufacture and sale of force measurement, load monitoring and suspended weighing load cells, including repair, testing, calibration and hire services.  We’re delighted with this accreditation, although we’re not resting on our laurels – we’re aiming to add the 17025 UKAS calibration house accreditation to our belt by this time next year, the top level and most difficult accreditation in our industry to achieve.  Watch this space!

bsi-and-ukas accreditationExpansion

Work has started on the expansion of our head office unit.  All work should be completed by 2013, which will give us more capacity for our expansion.   Our delivery times are already super-quick, but in 2013, they could be even quicker still as we’ll have more stock at-the-ready in our larger space!

straightpoint expandstraightpoint expand

In addition, we welcome Wayne Chant as Calibration Manager to the team.  He’ll play a pivotal role within the company; with his UKAS laboratory/ signatory experience, he’s superbly placed to help us work towards achieving the 17025 UKAS accreditation in 2013.  No pressure then!

straightpoint new manager

Exhibition Success

One of our distributors, Pieter van Duijn from Van Gool in the Netherlands, recently took along one of our 120t wireless loadshackles to demonstrate at an exhibition in Holland.  Pieter reported it an extremely successful exhibition with lots of interest for our loadshackle.

straightpoint  shackle-at-exhibition
And finally…

Travel-wise, I’m off to the Straightpoint US office in December for our end-of-year meeting  (incidentally, our US office has also had a record year!).  As for next year, I’m putting together my travel schedule shortly – if you’d like me to come and visit you, please do get in touch soon.

Lastly, don’t forget – if you’re coming along to the LiftEx exhibition on 29/30th November, come and visit me and some of the team on stand 54!  You’ll see a demonstration of the world’s first off-the-shelf wireless centre of gravity system of its type, plus you can pick up our free goody bag (to reserve one, please email your name and company name quoting ‘LiftEx’).

LiftEx Bag Sponsors 2012

Have a great month!