Bott continues recruitment expansion

Vehicle enhancement specialist Bott has demonstrated its resilience against the recession by employing 60 new members of staff since the beginning of 2011 and investing in a major £600,000 refurbishment programme to expand and upgrade its office facilities in Ashby de la Zouch.

The company operates in a number of sectors including utilities, service, telecoms, security and emergency services.

The recent recruitment and expansion programmes are a direct result of business growth; in 2010 the company achieved record sales, winning more work than ever before in its history, and this success has continued throughout 2011. Some recent contract wins include projects for Virgin Media, Severn Trent Water, Centrica and West Midlands Police.

The increased volume of work has led Bott to take on 60 new employees since the beginning of 2011, the majority of which are vehicle fitment engineers. The company remains committed to the local area, with 76 per cent of the workforce living within a 10 mile radius.

Meanwhile, the £600,000 office refurbishment and extension has increased the facilities by 60 per cent. An additional 3,500sq ft has been added to the premises, and a stylish new showroom, reception area and meeting room facilities with video conferencing capabilities have been created. The project also included the upgrade and refurbishment of existing offices, IT systems and design areas.

The new facilities are designed to better meet the needs of Bott’s customers, to reflect the company’s market leading position and to provide an improved working environment for employees.

Kevin Woodward, managing director of the Vehicle Enhancement Division of Bott, said: “During the recession we’ve not only been able to protect our business, but also grow it further. In 2008 the light commercial vehicle market reduced by around 43 per cent, and since then our industry has faced very tough conditions. Of course, our customers had to deal with the impact of a poor economic climate too, so we worked hard to provide new, cost-effective solutions that reduced downtime for our customers and increased employees’ efficiency when mobile – and that strategy has paid off.

“We had the foresight and courage to continue investing throughout the recession, and that approach has left in us in a healthy position. This is mirrored in Scotland, where we’ve just opened new, larger premises in Cumbernauld.

“The improved Ashby de la Zouch premises reflect the needs of both our customers and our staff – and we engaged with them and listened to their ideas throughout the process. We believe the refurbishment, in particular the modern, stylish showroom, will really improve the customer experience – and we’ve already received very positive feedback.”