Metpro Insights: Recent Episodes
Metpro LTD
Product quality, the value of service throughout the supply chain, and product innovations within construction are all important factors in ensuring that our industry continues to grow and evolve.
Another key factor in this is communication at all levels of the supply chain. Understanding the needs, frustrations, and what's important for contractors, wholesalers, manufacturers, and end clients, is essential for us to work better together.
We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Steve Humphreys and Andrew Duffen from NAPIT for a conversation which covered product quality, the driving factors in product selection, innovation, and more. It's these types of discussions that allow us all to better understand one another and work in a way moving forwards that is to the benefit of the wider industry.
This was a really enjoyable episode and we hope you enjoy it. Be sure to follow NAPIT on YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
2024 has been a challenging year for the construction industry.
Following the resurgence of activity post-Covid, output for the sector has been projected to fall since 2023 and this is absolutely the case.
With a myriad of hurdles to overcome such as the Red Sea/Suez Canal situation, rising living costs, political unrest and more, it's no surprise to have seen things slow down over the past several months.
However, Park Electrical, a North East-based electrical wholesaler, has been bucking the trend this year.
Focusing on diversifying their service offering, promoting innovative products, and expanding their operation into new territory, 'slow down' is not the terminology you would hear from their team this year.
Quite the opposite in fact.
To better understand how Park Electrical have been enjoying a successful 2024 and their plans for continued growth into 2025 and beyond, we sat down with Ian Aitchison, Managing Director, who gave us some fascinating insights.
Discussing USPs, an industry shift to ensuring only high quality products, Park's ability to be flexible and dynamic, and much more, this discussion was a very welcome one indeed and it certainly puts a positive spin on an otherwise disappointing year so far.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Our industry talks about quality being a vital component in the products we manufacture and install.
But just how important are British Standards across the board, and how can we ensure that compliance to the standards is checked and managed?
We sat down with industry celebrity, Darren Staniforth, to discuss this topic. During this conversation, we also touched on innovation, BIM, the Golden Thread, and much more.
Darren is a former electrician who later travelled the UK delivering Tech Talks for NIC/EIC. Now holding the position of Head of Technical Solutions at CEF, Darren continues his travels, delivering the latest information to the industry nationwide.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Mental health is a challenging topic and a particularly poignant one within the construction industry.
With male construction workers nearly four times more at risk of death by suicide than the national average as reported by charity 'Mates In Mind', there is no denying that we have work to do.
Our industry is not great at talking, especially on the subject of mental health. However, conversation is arguably one of our greatest assets as we seek to destigmatise these types of issues.
We recently welcomed Kate Adamczyk, Director of Marketing & Business Development at The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC), to provide her insights into the current state of mental health within construction, if we do enough as an industry to support those suffering with these issues, what can people suffering do to support their recovery, and much more.
If you are working or know of someone within the construction industry who is suffering, The EIC helpline is open from 9am-5pm on Monday to Friday. The team can be called on:0800 652 1618
Alternatively, you can send an email to the below address at any time:support@electricalcharity.org
For more information on The EIC, the work they do and how you can get involved, head over to:
https://electricalcharity.org/ or give the team a call on 020 3696 1710.
You can also keep up to date with The EIC's work via their social media channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/electricalcharity
X: https://twitter.com/electriccharity
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/electricalcharityuk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-electrical-industries-charity/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDFGYktwkecLXQ4Tu_ailCg
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Quality is a word often used in the construction industry but is it used correctly & sincerely?
We sat down with Ian Wright, Commercial Director at AT&T GB Ltd, to discuss what quality means and how we can truly recognise it in our daily activities.
Do we do enough to highlight inferior or non-compliant products? What are the impacts on the wholesaler and contractor of using poor quality products? How easy is it to introduce non-conforming products into the UK market? How important are the British Standards and how do AT&T select the manufacturing brands they're willing to work with?
Ian's thoughts on these questions and more were incredibly interesting to understand, and AT&T's approach to business in our current digital age offered an encouraging view of the future.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
The UK construction industry is not renowned as one of cross-supply chain conversation.
Manufacturers are manufacturers. Wholesalers are wholesalers. Contractors are contractors. Our industry tends to run in these clearly defined groups without much mingling, and all the while we voice our frustrations about each group.
One key piece we seem to have forgotten is the people, the human element that operates within these groups and in the main are simply doing the best that they can, circumnavigating challenges that the other groups simply don't see.
So how do we combat this? How do we bring the industry closer together so that we can begin to understand the hurdles posed at each level of the supply chain? And do we see the value in this so that we can all work better together moving forwards?
We decided to firstly use the tried and tested approach throughout history; conversation. Inviting back two of our previous guests in Tony Howard, now formerly of Rexel UK, and Theo Webster of @theowebsterelectricalservices Webster Electrical Services Limited, we stripped away the group badges and focused on the people, and the we feel that the resulting conversation was not only insightful, but also invaluable to each member.
We hope that you find this conversation interesting and please leave us a comment below.
electrical #construction #podcast #innovation #metpro #insights #wholesale #contractor #theowebster #meetingofminds #electricians
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Carbon emissions. Climate change. COP23. ULEZ. Greta Thunberg. Embodied carbon. Just Stop Oil. Solar panels. Nuclear. Wind power. Tidal power. The planet is cooling. The planet is warming. Planes, trains and automobiles.
The climate change conversation is one that has become quite overwhelming. With this topic featuring in an ever-growing number of conversations at all levels of all industries, and with so many routes to go down as a business, how can you know what you even should be doing?
One business that has focused on themselves and the change that they can effect is London-based Cycling Sparks, established and built by Aaron Fleming-Saheed. Having ditched their vans for e-cargo bikes, Aaron and his team are revolutionising the industry as they aim to do things differently and better, all with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
We sat down with Aaron to discuss how this new way of working came about, his views on the climate conversation, how the construction industry can work better in relation to carbon emissions, and much more.
Check out what Aaron and his team are up to using the below links :-
https://www.thecyclingsparks.co.uk/
thecyclingsparks@outlook.co.uk
@cyclingsparks on IG
You can also watch the full London Economy Committee session on e-cargo bikes at the link below:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q78XCFFJDY
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Within the field of construction, electricians play one of the most vital roles. Whether it's within domestic, commercial, or industrial, electricians are there to ensure the lights are on, are installed to the latest standards, and that our networks function safely.
So what exactly is involved in the training of new aspiring electricians? We sat down with Andrew Duffen, former electrician and now lecturer, to give us his insights, as well as his views on the state of the industry, his outlook for the future, and how he feels the industry can better support education.
This discussion was incredibly informative and it's a fantastic way to kick off season 2 of Metpro insights. We hope you enjoy it and as always, please feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
If you would like to reach out to Andrew to discuss any of the topics in this episode, feel free to make contact via LinkedIn using the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-duffen-b0ab15189/
If you would like to speak with a representative from Metpro Group, please contact us on 0121 552 2100 or via email at sales@metpro.co.uk. Alternatively, please feel free to send us a message via YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn by searching 'Metpro Group'.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
2023 has been another year of challenges, opportunities, ups, downs, and everything in between.
Along with the introduction of new products, new colleagues, and new ways of working, beginning our very own podcast in Metpro Insights has proven to be one of the most rewarding.
We have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming a number of guests this year, each with their own viewpoints and insights on key topics within our industry.
We've got some big plans for 2024 and are looking forward to seeing where our future guests take us, but for now we'd like to say a huge thank you to all our guests this year, and of course most importantly, to everyone who has watched or listened to our episodes.
Here is a small selection of key moments from 2023 and we hope to see you back here in 2024.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
An intrinsic part of the construction supply chain, electrical wholesaling is a trade known across the globe. But how does the role of the wholesaler change in different countries?
We sat down with Rexel UK Commercial Manager, Tony Howard, to find out.
Over the course of a very interesting and at times poignant conversation, we gained invaluable insights into how the UK differs from other markets, which country's supply chain Tony feels is leading the way, the impacts of digital adoption for construction, and also if the UK market is missing a vital and fundamental value.
Timestamps:
00:00-00:24 - Welcome & Introduction
00:25-01:36 - What it's like being part of a multi-national Wholesaler
01:37-06:55 - What is the biggest difference in our industry between the UK and the rest of the world?
07:04-14:42 - Should wholesalers do more for the contractor (part one)?
14:44-22:30 - Should wholesalers do more for the contractor (part two) & are we stuck as an industry?
22:38-26:08 - What is the state of digital adoption globally?
26:10-31:28 - How will digital adoption impact trust in the UK?
31:32-39:09 - Which country is leading the way as a construction supply chain?
39:10-52:13 - Price vs quality: our culture in the UK
52:14-55:37 - How do we change our culture in the UK?
55:40-58:07 - What are the biggest opportunities domestically & globally?
58:10-1:00:00 - How can we work better as an industry?
1:00:08-1:01:40 - Wrap-up
Tony Howard has been in the industry for over five decades and has seen a wide variety of changes over his stellar career. We thank him immensely for taking the time to talk with us.
If you would like to reach out to Tony to discuss any of the topics in this episode, feel free to make contact via LinkedIn using the following link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-howard-09464551/
If you would like to speak with a representative from Metpro Group, please contact us on 0121 552 2100 or via email at sales@metpro.co.uk. Alternatively, please feel free to send us a message via YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn by searching 'Metpro Group'.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
"Your brand is what other people say when you're not in the room"
Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder
More than a logo or a product, a brand is the encompassing of an entire organisation. From the values a business promotes, to the manner product is packaged in, right through to the way in which the phones are answered, 'the brand' is the very foundation of an organisation.
But how important is a brand within the construction industry, and how have things changed in this respect over the years?
We sat down with CEF Head of Group Contracting, Chris Gibson, to discuss this very topic, along with several others along the way. With an extensive background in the sector, and a respected member of the construction industry, this conversation offered some fascinating insights. Beyond branding, expect to hear Chris' take on how CEF changed their image, the need to train and invest in the next generation, how wholesalers can offer a greater service than solely online businesses, and much more.
Useful links:
LinkedIn - Chris Gibson
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/city-electrical-factors/
https://www.cef.co.uk/trade-hub/knowledge/tech-talks
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Logistics is a challenging operation. Managing incoming deliveries and outgoing orders, finding space for new products, prepping stock for picking, staff performance, processing returns, checking orders, liasing with internal departments, liaising with external third party suppliers and more, all whilst maintaining a pick accuracy of over 99% is no easy feat.
So just what is required to keep on top of so many moving parts? And how do we at Metpro ensure our service levels remain high?
We sat down with Metpro Group Warehouse Manager, Elsa Hooper, to talk it through. Considered a legacy colleague and having enjoyed a strong career with Metpro so far, Elsa provides some fantastic insights into what goes on behind the scenes, including her favourite part of the job, the biggest challenges she feels within the logistics space at present, and how she has forged her own career with Metpro over nearly a decade.
ukconstruction #construction #podcast #podcasting #electricalengineering #mechanicalelectrical #mepengineering #electricalwholesaler #electricalwholesale
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Innovation has been and continues to be a driving force for change in all industries, typically for the better. With the world continually speeding up and keeping up with customer needs essential, challenging the way of working is a necessity.
Change is often seen as slow to arrive within the construction industry, but is this really the case? We sat down with Theo Webster of @TheoWebsterElectrical to discuss this very topic. We also covered the labour shortage, the importance of product quality, how we can work better as a wider industry, and answer if innovative product sreally do remove the skill from the job.
It was a real pleasure welcoming Theo to our Head Office for this conversation and a thank you from everyone at Metpro for giving us some valuable time. You can check out what Theo and his team are up to by keeping up with them on social using the below links:
YouTube: https://lnkd.in/ePqMG7vQ
Instagram: https://lnkd.in/e2EEUZ8U
LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eTmAKEeW
Facebook: https://lnkd.in/eFNED-3k
You can also take a look at their work at: https://www.theowebster-electrical.co.uk/
To read the full article quoted by @ArchDaily, follow this link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/innovation-change-course-future-construction-archdaily/
ukconstruction #construction #podcast #podcasting #electricalengineering #mechanicalelectrical #mepengineering #electricalwholesaler #electricalwholesale
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
Steel conduit tube is an incredibly important product within the MEP space, with the system itself having been in use for almost a century.
But, not all steel tube is manufactured equally.
So what do electrical wholesalers and contractors need to look out for when sourcing their product?
We asked Metpro Group Product Development Manager, Mike Holmes, to help us out. Expect to learn about the latest British Standards, why wall thickness is important, and how to select the right finish for the job.
Get in touchWe're always looking for new people within the construction industry to sit down with and some open and honest discussions. If you'd like to get involved, please send an email to jacob.rudge@metpro.co.uk, or contact our office on 0121 552 2100.
You can also connect with us via social media:
Linkedin | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook
It's been an interesting start to 2023 and with the first 3 months behind us, we sat down with our Purchasing Manager, Andrew Scobbie, to get his insights into what's been happening, and discuss some of the key topics of the year so far.
In the coming weeks, expect to see more on how Metpro is handling inflation, whether port congestion is still an issue, how we're preparing for the latest environmental certifications, and more.
To kick things off, check out this short clip on freight prices. If you want to watch the full conversation, follow this link to our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/rU4HCn0Tb_Y
You can also listen to Metpro Insights on the go and you can download all episodes through your preferred podcast platform, or head over to our dedicated webpage: https://metproinsights.buzzsprout.com
We hope this episode is insightful as always and feel free to leave a comment!
With the calls for clean, accessible product information continuing to grow, understanding precisely what's required, the current state of play and the impacts of poor data for the supply chain are crucial.
There's certainly a journey ahead, and although data is often overlooked or neglected, there are positive signs of a shift in mindset and attitude which will hopefully lead to a sleeker, more unified industry.
Join us to find out more as we sit down with the minds behind NG15 and Information Management Squared.
2023 will undoubtedly be another year full of challenges and opportunities. With the speed of the world continually increasing, having the right mindset is often forgotten as we strive to keep pace, with many of us losing ourselves to unproductive tasks.
So, how can contractors rethink things and work smarter in 2023? And how can wholesalers and manufacturers enhance our support.
Here to help us answer these questions and more, as well as kicking off our Metpro Insights podcast in true style, is Maria Coulter AKA The Construction Coach.
As always, we hope this conversation is interesting and helpful and please feel free to leave your comments below. We'd also like to hear your thoughts for the year ahead. What are your key challenges in 2023 and what do you expect from the supply chain?
Maria can be found on YouTube by visiting @constructioncoach3881, and you can also connect with Maria on other platforms using the links below:
Facebook.com/constructcoach
Instagram.com/construction_coach
Twitter.com/constructcoach
LinkedIn.com/in/maria-coulter-bem/
Other helpful links from our discussion:
"Start With Why" TED Talk by Simon Sinek TED Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJ...
"The One Thing" by Gary Keller:
https://the1thing.com/
We would hazard a guess that when people hear 'Demon Cato', their initial thought is of 'Conlok®', our fast-fix steel conduit tube system.
However, there is a lot more to our manufacturing brand than this. To take us through exactly what Demon Cato is capable of, we sat down with Metpro® Group Executive Chairman, Arthur Rudge, to find out more.
Listen to this latest episode of Metpro Insights below or on your chosen podcast platform.
With Metpro Group now on our dedicated carbon neutral journey, we sat down with Lee Jackson from our carbon reporting partner, Smart Carbon, to discuss the impacts of carbon within the construction industry.
As the Christmas season fast approaches and Chinese New Year on the horizon, we sat down with Metpro® Group Purchasing Manager, Andrew Scobbie, and National Sales Manager, Larry Reardon, to understand the stock situation at both ends of the supply chain as we prepare for 2023.
Listen to hear these latest insights and for more information, contact our team on 0121 552 2100 or email sales@metpro.co.uk.
We sit down with Metpro Group Managing Director, Mark Fiddy, to discuss the past 12 months; our key takeaways and challenges, as well as looking ahead to 2023.
How important is strong and clean data in the construction sector? We speak to NG15 and Phil Thompson to discuss just that
2023 will undoubtedly be another year full of challenges and opportunities. With the speed of the world continually increasing, having the right mindset is often forgotten as we strive to keep pace, with many of us losing ourselves to unproductive tasks.
So, how can contractors rethink things and work smarter in 2023? And how can wholesalers and manufacturers enhance our support?
Here to help us answer these questions and more, as well as kicking off our Metpro Insights podcast in true style, is Maria Coulter AKA The Construction Coach.
As always, we hope this conversation is interesting and helpful and please feel free to leave your comments below. We'd also like to hear your thoughts for the year ahead. What are your key challenges in 2023 and what do you expect from the supply chain?
Maria can be found on YouTube by visiting @constructioncoach3881, and you can also connect with Maria on other platforms using the links below:
Facebook.com/constructcoach
Instagram.com/construction_coach
Twitter.com/constructcoach
LinkedIn.com/in/maria-coulter-bem/
Other helpful links from our discussion
"Start With Why" TED Talk by Simon Sinek TED Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJ...
"The One Thing" by Gary Keller:
https://the1thing.com/
Explaining the difference between Pre Galvanised Finishes and Hot Dipped Galvanised Finishes.