Hirst & Danson Mechanical & Electrical Services, the former Thornton, Lancashire, based building services organisation has built an enviable reputation within the construction industry over a decade or more in business, but the old company name has now given way to a new corporate brand, Ameon Ltd. And, the introduction of the new brand has been tailored to coincide with the company’s relocation to new, prestigious headquarters, close to the M55 motorway in Lancashire.
The change of identity for a company with such an established client base is a bold move by the board of Ameon, which is headed by Hirst & Danson Mechanical & Electrical Services co-founder, Robin Lawson. However, the company’s continued diversification and its growing low carbon credentials have pointed towards a repositioning within the market, as Ameon predicts 100% annual growth in its renewable technologies business alone.
From its first trading year in 1996, company turnover has risen steadily and is now approaching £17 million. In that time Ameon has undertaken many prestigious contracts, none more so than its current £7.5 million contract to work on Manchester’s Media City, the planned home for the BBC. Its traditional, and established services include, design, installation and maintenance of services systems on projects ranging in value up to several million pounds.
The company now employs 150 people, including headquarters staff, site management and technicians and is one of the few businesses able to boast growth during the current recession. Forecasts for next year are for a turnover of £20 million and the company’s target within the next five years is for turnover of £30 million, which its board believes is achievable given the growing recognition of low carbon energy systems. Its move to the new Lancashire base will also allow the company room to expand its current HQ staff from 25 to 50, whilst numbers of site personnel are expected to grow exponentially as the company benefits from an increasing volume of contracts.
Commenting on the changes, Managing Director, Robin Lawson said: “It is a major step to take to re-brand a company, when it hasn’t been sold or merged, but following research in the market, we believed that change was necessary.
“To certain sectors of the market, we were known for our contracting skills and our expertise in the fields of plumbing, heating, ventilation and the provision of public health systems for construction projects of all sizes. However, unlike many other companies in the building services sector we have developed significant in-house expertise in the areas of low- carbon and renewable technologies and low-carbon consultancy, and much of our work now involves the design and installation of everything from wind and solar energy to ground or air source heating and rainwater harvesting systems. And our work also incorporates the design of sophisticated building management systems, harnessing sustainable energy sources. These and other specialist skills identify us as being much more than a simple building services company; therefore a change of perception was needed and we think the re-branding will allow us to be taken seriously for our technological capabilities as well as for our contracting skills.”
The new Ameon brand was created by Preston based brand engineers ‘2am Design’ and combines elements to reflect the company’s green credentials and to emphasise the scale and scope of its service provision. The word ‘Ameon’, although having no direct dictionary definition is an amalgam of two words relating to ‘time’ and ‘industry’
Added Robin Lawson: “Our new branding projects the right balance of dynamism and corporate solidity, and although it might sound like a cliché, this really is the beginning of a new era for Ameon. It’s a unique brand for a company with a unique service proposition, so our opportunities for future success are tremendous. We enjoy excellent levels of client retention, above the industry average; therefore we know that many of our existing clients will be with us on our journey and we’re confident of expanding our client list as we communicate our new message effectively to the industry as a whole.”
For more information please visit: http://ameon.co.uk
Originally Released: 5/01/2010
