Houghton International continues business expansion with multi-million pound Railway contract.
In February this year, the company paved the way to tender for the GWR contract by announcing they had retained their Rail Industry Supplier Approval Scheme (RISAS) certification.The RISAS scheme provides a benchmark for quality in safety critical repair for the industry. It covers multiple product groups including: AC and DC traction motors, Motor Alternators, transformers and inductor coils, gearboxes, and oil pumps.
On securing the contract, Michael Mitten, CEO of Houghton International, commented: “Following a competitive tender process we are delighted to have been awarded the contract to repair and overhaul the HST alternators for GWR.
“We have significant experience in this area, having carried out a repair for GWR last year which led to improved performance of the alternator.”
Prior to the contract win, Houghton International had already seen a steady growth in business, recently investing in plant and machinery, recruiting three new apprentices, three trainees and three additional members to its management team.
The multi million pound repair and maintenance contract starts this month and will see 108 alternators being overhauled over a two year period. To service the increased work load, Houghton International will be expanding into a new operations facility and be investing in more new machinery.
German engine manufacturer MTU, who secured the contact to overhaul the engines that work alongside the alternators, will be working closely with Houghton International.
Having worked in the Rail industry upwards of 10 years now and having won this contract, the company is now looking to invest in the range of specialist services it can offer its customers. By making good use of the expanding plant machinery and past experiences will help them to create innovative solutions to customer problems and improve the performance of electro mechanical equipment.
The company is positioning itself for further growth and have plans to achieve a £20million turnover by 2020. Chris Robson, who joined the sales team in 2014, is responsible for the sales in the Rail services division, which has delivered a number of multi million pound projects.
Following the GWR contract win, it has been decided that Chris Robson be promoted to Sales and Marketing Director of Houghton International. Chris joins the board of directors following 10 years at the company in various roles, and brings a wealth of experience in both engineering and sales.
Michael Mitten supports the decision: “Chris has been an integral part of the business for several years. Since taking on the Rail sales role Chris has consistently delivered results and has earned the respect of our customers.
“I'm confident Chris will drive the sales team forward and support Houghton International’s continued growth. I’m equally proud that all three of our executive directors started out on our shop floor and have risen through the ranks to become leaders in the business. This is a fundamental element of our culture and gives customers the confidence that we fully understand their needs, are capable of solving their problems and have the experience to be a truly innovative company.”
As Sales and Marketing Director Chris will lead the team to grow sales both with existing customers and by expanding in to new markets and new sectors. He comments: “Having worked as an electrical fitter myself I have a real appreciation for what our customers and the industry need and pride myself on delivering this.
“I’m delighted to have taken on this new role and I’m confident that with support of our experienced sales team, backed up by our operations teams who consistently deliver a first class service to our customers, that we will continue to grow the business to meet our 2020 targets and beyond.”
