Albion Valves (UK), a leading valve supplier to the building services and industrial markets, has seen its turnover more than triple over the past 10 years and the workforce at its base in Barnsley more than double.

The company attributes its success to having a loyal and highly skilled team of people supporting the business and its distributors. During the coming year, a third of its staff will have been with the company for ten years or more, with the original core founding team clocking up more than 20 years each in the business.

From a commercial perspective, Albion says its empathy with customers and its responsiveness to ever-changing industry needs has helped it to build a reputation as a preferred supplier. Whilst the team's expertise and product knowledge, particularly keeping abreast of new product development, has helped the business to grow and expand into new areas.

The company has also been quick to reinvest in the business. During 2016 it invested significantly into expanding its premises in Barnsley, enabling it to increase stock densities and improve stock availability to customers.

A new in-house test facility for testing and setting safety valves was also added, as was a staff canteen, and increased office space to accommodate Albion's growing team.

In recruitment, sustainability has been key in the growth strategy to help ensure the team retains exactly the right balance of skills to best service distributors. Last year Albion recruited dedicated managers in both quality control and marketing for the first time, to further support its sales and operations team.

Managing director, David Keys, said: 'We are very fortunate to have such a great group of people working with us. The team is always willing to go the extra mile for customers and continually strives to provide a first-class service. It is their skills and knowledge that really makes this business the success story it is today.

“To help us grow further and continue to offer the best possible service to customers, we are also keen to develop young talent and pass the skills developed by our senior staff onto the next generation.”

He added: “As a business, we have always offered apprenticeships and have a one hundred per cent track record of extending our apprenticeships into full-time employment. This year we will be recruiting again to fulfil another apprenticeship, as well as adding to our sales team.'