Certikin puts customers and staff at the heart of its new HQ

Cementing its position as the UK’s leading suppliers of pool and spa products, Certikin recently moved to new state-of-the-art premises at Tungsten Park in Witney, securing both its future and providing a multitude of unique benefits to its customers and staff.

Driven by a determination to retain its experienced and loyal workforce, together with its central location in the thriving Oxfordshire market town of Witney, Certikin acquired a site just two miles down the road from its old premises which, after 31 years, was no longer able to support the needs of the flourishing business.

Located on Witney’s Downs Road, it is part of a 24-acre site, just 500 metres from a new junction on the A40 providing easy access to Oxford and Cheltenham and, in turn, the main
arterial routes of the A34, M40, M4 and M5 motorways.  Construction began on the new facility in earnest in spring 2020 and, despite the complications caused by the pandemic, it was completed and became fully operational in December 2021.  Befitting its status as one of the town’s largest employers, Certikin occupies the largest building (125,000 sq. ft) in the 16-unit development. It’s impressive by any industry’s standards. The sheer size of the purpose-built office, warehouse and factory reinforces the company’s position in the wet leisure industry.  Every detail has been considered and expertly executed. Certikin’s Operations Director, Tim Wilson, headed up the in-house team that designed and delivered the project, working alongside architects and developers to ensure that the project would deliver a building that would meet the specific needs of Certikin, both for now and well into the future.  Centralised technical expertise.  Once inside, a spacious floor-to-ceiling glass walled reception area, displaying an eye-catching product showcase, greets visitors. Leading off this light, airy vestibule, you enter into the main administrative work hub where a large open plan office, with brand new furniture and fittings, stretches before you.  Promoting centralised communication, Certikin’s Technical, Sales Order Processing, Customer Service and Distribution teams are assembled here.  “Certikin’s unique strength is not only its extensive product portfolio, but the fact it is coupled with an extremely high level of technical knowledge,” explained Tim. “At the old site, we were working across three buildings.  Now, with just one building, and the workforce gathered under one roof, our teams are able to work closely, leading to a more joined-up and efficient level of customer service.”

                            

People first

Providing a welcoming, interactive environment for Certikin’s 130+ employees was prioritised at the planning stage and an internal team was appointed to identify features that would enhance working conditions and staff wellbeing. Attractive break-out areas, meeting tables and refreshment-making facilities make this a desirable place to work.  A bright, spacious canteen on the second floor is the ideal on-site space for staff to relax and dine during breaks and lunch hours.

                           

Artistic flair was allowed free rein when it came to the stylish decoration of the four meeting rooms, named after the local area’s landmarks and heritage – Cogges, Windrush, Wychwood and Weavers (with the latter, a nod to Witney’s blanket-making past).  All highly individual, the Windrush, for instance, is designed to reflect the River Windrush, the banks upon which Witney developed.  The boardroom within the new building bears the name of one of the company’s founders, and industry pioneer, Peter Geekie.

A focus on Customers

Venture down the gallery-lined corridor, featuring a selection of images of customers’ prized installations using Certikin products, and you arrive at The Academy.  “This is where Certikin staff and suppliers regularly host in-house training sessions for our customers to extend industry knowledge and provide a greater understanding of our extensive product portfolio,” explains Certikin MD, Neil Stephenson. “This is, after all, a building built with our customers very much in mind and we want them to reap all its benefits too.”

Certikin already offers a variety of delivery options for its customers and the new building now includes a purpose built trade desk together with dedicated parking, welfare facilities and a coffee machine. Again, consideration for customers was at the forefront of design in providing a convenient and easy solution for those companies who wish to collect their orders in person.  

Increased stockholding capacity
Standing on one of the warehouse mezzanines gives the visitor an appreciation of the vast new warehouse.  Housing the UK’s largest stock of water leisure equipment, it has over 9,500 product lines for both domestic and commercial pools for new build and retro-fit markets as well as wellness, spas, saunas and aquatics. Increased efficiency is achieved, thanks to 11 dock level loading doors, with a further seven level access doors including one dedicated to customer collections. A total of 18 compared to just seven across the
old premises.  The new building allows Certikin to avail itself of new technologies for efficiency and Health & Safety. As well as the dock level loading doors, goods lifts have been installed on both mezzanine floors.  Modern technology provides improved security and helps manage access to and from the building.

Eco credentials
The very well insulated building, features a plethora of other eco-credentials such as charging points for electric cars in the 165 space car park, cycle storage, a sophisticated recycling programme and motion-sensored LED lighting throughout the building.

The company is justifiably proud of its impressive staff retention record, which will hopefully increase with the advent of this new building. Four members of staff celebrated 25 years service last year alone, taking the current number of long service employees to 14. Expansion, however, creates a greater labour demand and the company is actively recruiting.  Neil Stephenson, concluded: “Tungsten Park is ideal in meeting the complex needs of our growing business. We now have a building we can be proud of and, as we enter Certikin’s 60th
anniversary this year, we are in the best shape possible to go forward, with room for further expansion and a determination to fulfil the industry’s needs.”