Battling through the current economic gloom like a champion prize fighter, Michael J Lonsdale are still strong, stable and steadfast in their position as one of the leading services contractors in the UK.
Having recently completed contracts as world-class as the Olympic 2012 Athletes Village, as esteemed as the new fit-out projects at Nomura Bank and Moores of London’s (one of the largest fit-out contracts in Britain) and as challenging as the major new-build construction for Crown Estates in Piccadilly, Michael J Lonsdale continues to deliver on its winning formula of over a quarter of a century. Building on existing business and relationships, always going after that ‘once-in-a-professional-lifetime’ big opportunity and most importantly, welcoming every new enquiry, however large or small, that’s how you run a successful, industry leading company particularly during a recession.
Six Steps to Success
All members of Michael J Lonsdale’s workforce follow the company’s ‘Six Steps to Success’ in order to provide the best possible service to their clients:
1. Create the right environment
From inception, it has been the company’s objective to create the right environment. By creating a development programme of industry skills and knowledge, Michael J Lonsdale offers its clients a workspace environment of the highest possible standard.
2. Understand and respond to client needs
Michael J Lonsdale employs highly skilled and motivated people who are capable of dealing directly with the client to achieve a total understanding of project objectives. Early involvement on their part will enable them to successfully drive the process from inception through to completion. An appreciation of their clients’ needs ensures a rapid response to changes with minimal effect on programme and costs.
3. Commit to cost, quality and delivery
Michael J Lonsdale sets itself clear, measurable targets to facilitate continuous improvement in the services offered. Careful selection of material suitability, technical review of plant compatibility and employment of a highly skilled workforce will offer the client surety of cost and an installation of the highest standard with ‘on time’ deliverance.
4. Enthusiastic and flexible approach
Their unique commitment to excellence ensures that all employees sustain a comprehensive and inspiring vision of success. By provoking debate, stimulating creativity and generating energy, they can offer their clients an enthusiastic and flexible approach that is second to none.
5. Take ownership of responsibilities
Michael J Lonsdale, faced with an increasingly competitive market, copes by implementing a continual cycle of responsive change to company procedures. By taking ownership of responsibilities, these active processes optimise project management and supply chain procurement, which improves productivity and efficiency and thus provides the client with an enhanced customer service.
6. Share a common goal of success
It is fact that those employers with good staff retention are more successful than those with a revolving door policy towards their staff. They retain, reward and motivate from within their organisation by sharing their company success – it is this success that is passed on to their clients.
Michael J Lonsdale
Strong, stable and steadfast
Since its creation in 1986, Michael J Lonsdale has grown year-on-year both in turnover and geographical spread, remaining privately owned, with no financial borrowings. The company attributes this success to 25 years of hard work and putting the needs of its clients, employees and industry, first and foremost.
As facilities have become increasingly complex, sophisticated clients realise that although they are experts in their own field, successful engineering and construction projects are extremely complicated and require expertise across several specialist disciplines. For this reason they seek out Michael Lonsdale Group for creativity, financial stability, safety, and uncommon expertise, knowing that one good idea from this industry leader can save them both time and money.
Building Strong Foundations
The company was founded by its current group chairman, Michael J Hoodless. Originally working out of offices in Ascot, Berkshire, its first contract was worth the princely sum of £165. Growth came quickly though, with Michael Lonsdale Group moving into bigger offices – this time in Slough – in 1988. At this time, the company was working for clients that operated primarily in the health and retail sectors, but by the start of the 1990s, and now undertaking mechanical installations throughout the UK, it had expanded further into pharmaceutical, banking, education, local authorities and commercial markets.
Michael Lonsdale Group’s first major project was for Mercedes Benz (Hersham Motors), with a value of £220,000, whilst its first £1 million project was at the National History Museum’s Earth Galleries. The recent contract for the Olympic Village’s four accommodation blocks involved a fit-out of the 300-unit facility, and will provide a comfortable and restful environment fit for the world’s greatest athletes.
Uptown, their contract on a major new build for Crown Estate, at Quadrant 3, Piccadilly, involved the conversion of the Grade II listed former Regent Palace Hotel to provide a mix of office, retail, residential and restaurant space around a central atrium. Three of the corner pavilions, which make up the hotel’s original façade, were retained and significant sections of its exquisite Art Deco interiors restored and reinstated. Originally built for J Lyons & Co in 1915, with 1,100 rooms it was the largest hotel in Europe at the time.In the same year that Michael Lonsdale Group celebrated its 10th anniversary, the industry voted the company the HVAC Contractor of the Year; an award that was supported by 10 years of financial growth and profit, and a turnover in 1996 of £14.5 million. In 2005 the company was voted as one of the Top 20 Key Players of the industry. To add to their mantelpiece collection, in 2008 they were also voted Company of the Year for achieving the biggest year-on-year increase in top and bottom line growth in the HVAC industry.
Leading by Example
Offering a committed and enthusiastic approach to the installation of multi discipline building and engineering services throughout the length and breadth of the country, Michael Lonsdale Group had been led from the front by its entrepreneurial founder Michael J Hoodless; an industry professional with an unrivalled reputation for his passion, dedication and client delivery.
Of course, as with every other business, Michael Lonsdale Group has felt the effect of the global financial crisis, yet it continues to offer its clients a service of the highest quality.”
Reflecting on the current gloomy economic situation, company Director Kevin Feerick remains confident and optimistic for the future, “The climate is extremely tough at the moment, but moving forward there are major contracts out there with strong clients ready to do business. Over the next 12 to 18 months I believe there will be a consolidation in the market, and strong clients will get through it.”
Competitive Advantage for Clients
Everyone within the company realises that every client it serves in today’s marketplace is confronted with many new and unique challenges, often never before faced in commerce history. That’s why Michael Lonsdale Group’s entire team is committed to providing a portfolio of services and expertise that is designed to help secure a competitive advantage for its clients. It plans and executes its projects thoroughly and quickly, so that clients can judge the project as a success and achieve an end product that yields a high return on investment.
The Long View
Michael J Hoodless’s vision, and that of many of his company’s clients, is focused on the long view. The relationships it develops along the way are no less important to it than what they create together. It is this human element that the company wants clients to seriously consider when they are envisioning their future, with its business revolving around its mission and the following core principles of service.
- • Creating the right environment: by creating a development programme of industry skills and knowledge, Michael Lonsdale Group offers its clients a workspace environment of the highest possible standard.
- • Understanding and responding to client needs: Michael Lonsdale Group employs highly skilled and motivated people who are capable of dealing directly with the client to achieve a total understanding
- of project objectives. Early involvement on the company’s part will enable it to successfully drive the process from inception through to completion. An appreciation of its clients’ needs ensures a rapid
- response to changes with minimal effect on programme and costs.
- • Commitment to cost, quality and delivery: Michael Lonsdale Group sets itself clear, measurable targets
- to facilitate continuous improvement in services offered. Careful selection of material suitability,
- technical review of plant compatibility and employment of a highly skilled workforce will offer
- the client surety of cost and an installation of the highest standard with ’on time’ deliverance.
- • Employ an enthusiastic and flexible approach: a unique commitment to excellence ensures that all
- employers sustain a comprehensible and inspiring vision of success. By provoking debate, stimulating
- creativity and generating energy, the company can offer its clients an enthusiastic and flexible approach that is second to none.
- • Taking ownership of responsibilities: Michael Lonsdale Group, faced with an increasingly, competitive market, cope by a continual cycle of responsive changes to company procedures. By taking ownership of responsibilities, these active processes optimise project management productivity and efficiency and thus provide the client with an enhanced customer service.
- • Sharing a common goal of success: It is fact that those employers with good staff retention are more successful than those with a revolving door policy towards their staff. Michael Lonsdale Group retain, reward and motivate from within the organisation by sharing the company success – it is this success that is passed onto clients.
Solving Complex Problems
Michael Lonsdale Group routinely proposes suggestions to improve quality, expedite project completion, save money and provide the best value for the client. The company’s managers study new jobs thoroughly; analysing the project, anticipating complications, devising strategies, and making plans. They draw on the advice of experts within the company and beyond when there are complex technical problems to solve.
The Best People
Hiring only the best people and training them for continual professional improvement, the company’s top management team is committed to personal involvement in all major projects, with their expertise delivering value that makes a real difference. So no matter what size or how complex the project, Michael Lonsdale Group helps its clients reach their goals, professionally and cost-effectively. Indeed, by setting the budget, diligently monitoring the actual costs, and identifying budget variances early in the construction process, Michael Lonsdale Group’s management team finds solutions to potential cost overruns before they become reality and affect the entire budget. Doing so enables the company to manage its projects efficiently so that owners can be assured they will never be charged for unnecessary work or materials.
As a company, they also have significant interest in the development of the services profession and have representation on various trade associations and institute committees.
A Professional Team Offering an Unrivalled Service
What makes Michael Lonsdale Group better than many of its competitors? The simple answer is that it offers better value, while providing higher levels of customer service and quality control. How does this affect a job? First, it means more attention to the small details many others overlook. Second, the company provide personalised customer service that does not end when the contract is signed. Finally, the company’s customers have a greater level of confidence knowing that the company has the experience to recognise obstacles before they become problems. These all help to make Michael Lonsdale Group projects better by design.
The traditional values of integrity, quality and excellence are well established throughout Michael Lonsdale Group and every employee of the company understands how important these values are in satisfying the needs and expectations of their clients. Careful planning, monitoring, and managing of each phase of a project consistently assures that the highest standards of quality, scheduling, and cost effectiveness are achieved. Client satisfaction is Michael Lonsdale Group’s primary objective.
To further their commitment to client satisfaction the company launched Redworx, a specialist division of the Michael Lonsdale Group established in 2010 to undertake projects up to £1,000,000 in value. The Redworx team provides a complete service from project inception to practical completion, including aftercare.
By focusing on providing a quicker response to tender opportunities, reducing the requirement for mobilisation time and using a managed framework of directly employed and specialist sub-contractors, Redworx is free of the incumbents of a large business to cater for the clients’ requirements in a real-time environment.
Redworx revisits the successful small to medium business sector marketplace that provided the Michael Lonsdale Group with the opportunities it has today. All staff adopt a very ‘hands-on’ approach.
Redworx, being part of the Michael Lonsdale Group, provides clients with the additional security of a fully supported team and financially viable product.
Choosing the Right Partners
This approach to business is clearly evident in the company’s supply chain management, with the right selection of sub-trades and suppliers being vital to the success of a project. Michael Lonsdale Group, via its Supply Procurement Team (SPT) continuously search for and seek out appropriate companies that will help to enhance its own reputation.
It is fundamental to the company’s success that it selects partners capable of working alongside it in order to be able to offer innovation, expertise, capacity in volume, technical capability, and above all commitment to both the project and Michael Lonsdale Group as an organisation. The company values, respects and trusts it supply chain, and in return expects loyalty in service, honesty and integrity.
Providing a Virtual Walk Through
Michael Lonsdale Group utilises all of the latest technology, and the way in which it operates its 3D CAD modelling reduces on-site installation time and material wastage, which consequently enhances the built environment. Having invested heavily in both hardware and software, the company can offer CAD production in both 2D and 3D; both of which are of the highest quality, using the latest cutting-edge technology. Its in-house operators are highly skilled technicians capable of producing accurate models from basic engineering designs.
Using design software, Michael Lonsdale Group works closely with a project’s professional team(s) by interfacing its production, with the aim of zero on-site clashes. The 3D models produced can offer a virtual ‘walk through’ for the client to fully envisage the packaged installation. In addition, the company’s supply chain trade contractors are able to download drawings for immediate shop fabrication. Should they need a greater understanding, they can refer to the 3D model for clarification, rather than wasting time and money on site visits.
Promoting an Injury-Free Environment
Michael Lonsdale Group is committed to the health and safety of employees, sub-contractors, clients and others who may visit its sites, and with this in mind has developed a culture that promotes an injury- free environment where every worker goes home fit and healthy at the end of every working day.
The company believes that every accident, and therefore every injury, is preventable, and the company has embedded this philosophy into every project through a combination of technical field procedures and ongoing training programmes. Indeed, the company is dedicated to elevating the standard for safety in the construction industry through a wide variety of methods, whilst also providing its employees and sub contractors with the tools, knowledge and resources they need to increase safety, reduce risk and improve loss control on every project.
A Diverse & Loyal Client-Base
Michael Lonsdale Group provide bespoke solutions to a wide range of challenges, which has enabled it to establish a strong, diverse and loyal client base. The company takes an active part in the services profession, having representation on various trade associations and institute committees. A nationwide service, admired by its competitors, is executed from the company’s head office in Langley and regional offices in Loughton and London. Michael Lonsdale Group delivers the right working environment within budget and to a standard that consistently exceeds client expectations.
Diversity, quality, and reliability are the hallmarks of Michael Lonsdale Group. Separately, they effectively characterise the company. The first defines its capabilities, the second, its workmanship, and the third, its commitment to those for whom it works. Together they enable the company to provide clients with quality-conscious, cost-effective project planning, management and execution.
From the very beginning, Michael Lonsdale Group
was determined to provide the industry’s best service and job performance for the client, while providing the best in equipment, benefits, and continual education and training for its employees. As can be clearly seen, it is a business model that has worked well!
The company has an innovative and well thought out approach to green issues. In 2008 they gained accreditation and registration to BS 8555 and ISO 14001. They achieved this by embracing:
- • Best environmental practices
- • Innovative solutions to minimise environmental impacts
- • Energy and material saving practices to reduce running costs and waste production throughout the company operations
- • Promotion of awareness and understanding of environmental issues
- • Commitment to consistent improvement of company environmental performance Michael Lonsdale Group is recognised as a leader in construction industry. Its position and strength enables the company to provide additional value to its clients and opportunities for its employees.
Together they are building the dream. For further information visit: www.michaellonsdale.com.
