Four-Tees Engineers (FTE) recently refreshed our brand to reflect the business we’ve become and the direction we’re heading. In this feature Commercial Director Jamie Horn discusses some of the investments FTE has already made and those currently being progressed to support FTE’s strategic growth, improve project efficiencies and certainty of outcomes for customers.
HAV’s Research Project
An FTE own research project was undertaken to better understand and properly measure Hand Arm Vibration (HAV’s) exposure on our workforce. This work has not only increased assurance that we are protecting our workforce but contributed to the transformation of our business to work more efficiently and effectively on a far greater scale. Fundamental changes have been made to how tools, equipment and consumables are procured and how fabrication tasks are planned and executed.
Our research has driven investment for the acquisition of new automated plant technology, equipment that will eradicate HAV’s risk from some of the industry’s historical manual tasks whilst significantly improving wider safety and productivity.
Specialist Design
With the growing demand for our specialist in-house design services expertise, we have appointed more designers and equipped the team with new design software SOFiSTiK. These actions have increased our design team capacity, improved efficiency, assurance and enhanced the level of innovation in our design solutions.
Factory and Office Expansion
We are in the process of increasing our workshop fabrication space by 40%, and the layout and orientation is being reconfigured. Access doors are being amended to streamline fabrication workflows and the overhead cranage capacity is being increased by 150% to accommodate the assembly of those larger and/or more complex steel structures.
This enhanced production capacity will, in practice, mean that FTE fabricated structures will only be limited to the size of assemblies that can be safely transported around the highway network. The new extended facility will afford us greater flexibility and extend our service offering to add greater value for our customers on larger and more ambitious projects, whilst maintaining the attention to detail, assurance, efficiency and safety that they have come to expect from our proven Intelligent Integration project management process.
We have acquired a further 285m2 of new office space to meet the projected growth in our 5-year business plan. This investment reflects our commitment to create a modern open plan and inspiring working environment where our teams can thrive. A workplace into which we can attract the new diverse talent and skills we will need to help us fulfil our business goals.
The upgraded workspace is designed to support collaboration, enhance productivity, and provide the flexibility needed to meet the evolving needs of our business. By improving the quality of our working environment, we’re not only investing in our infrastructure we are investing in our people and their wellbeing.
Investment For A Cleaner and More Sustainable Future
60% of the energy powering our fabrication shop is already self-generated from renewable solar sources. We are in the process of securing new PV panels to the new offices and stores building. By integrating solar technology into our energy strategy, we’re not only lowering our carbon footprint but also building greater resilience against rising energy costs.
We are also transforming our vehicle fleet by phasing out our aging vans and replacing them with modern, energy-efficient alternatives. We are empowering our employees to make greener choices. Through initiatives such as our Salary Sacrifice Scheme for Electric Vehicles, we are making it easier and more affordable for our people to switch to electric cars. 89% of our company vehicle drivers have already made the move to EV or PHEV models. This transition is more than a fleet upgrade it is a strategic investment in a cleaner future. By adopting low-emission vehicles, we are significantly reducing our carbon footprint while enhancing the efficiency and reliability of our operations.
Making this level of investments has only been possible by consistently delivering the safe, innovative and efficient project management services that our customer’s demand. Through our Intelligent Integration project management approach, we take every opportunity to add value and reduce risk across every stage of the project lifecycle.
