Herts Mechanical Handling Services is a highly qualified provider of engineering services, specialising in installing, maintaining, repairing and decommissioning materials handling equipment.
The company also offers a wide variety of other services, due to its depth of experience and versatility.
Over the 33 years it has been established, HMHS has been asked to decommission complete production sites, ship machinery around the world, refurbish pallet and tote cranes, lift processing equipment through the roof of a 5-storey building, work on Tottenham Hotspur’s new ground, move mezzanine floors, overhaul pumps and mining equipment, and carry out welding, fabrication and motor replacement.
The firm has even reclad an industrial dough mixing machine.
On the MHE installation side of the business, HMHS’ customers are materials handling system integrators. However, the firm also has some direct end users to whom it offers a diverse range of services, supplying resident engineers and a number of other workers.
The industries covered by HMHS are extremely varied and range from industrial chemical processing, e-commerce, warehousing, construction products to clothing, manufacturing, engineering and frozen food. The firm will go anywhere where MHE is utilised or where its diverse services are required.
Principally, the company operates in the UK, ROI and mainland Europe, however, it has also worked in the UAE, Canada, United States and Russia.
Its clients can be based anywhere in the world, a fact which presents no issue to HMHS.
Currently HMHS has 25 engineers, with plans to grow that number.
It employs its own engineers rather than using sub-contractors, which the firm believes makes it quite unique in the industry.
While HMHS is predominantly a company of MHE installation engineers, its skills and experiences have led it down many different engineering avenues.
Training for staff includes anything they may need to be able to complete the job safely and properly.
As a fundamental, every engineer has a CSCS, Fork Truck and Scissor Lift licenses, as well as all the site ‘standards’ such as; Working at Height, Asbestos Awareness, Manual Handling, PPE, Slips, Trips & Falls, HAVS, Risk Assessment. All HMHS’ supervisors will hold SSSTS by the end of this year and all HMHS engineers are First Aid trained and carry a comprehensive First Aid kit on every job. The company also holds additional licenses for more specialist equipment, such as cranes and telehandlers.
If any specific training is needed for a job, HMHS will invest in that.
“I would like to think we give them everything they need to be able to do the job professionally and competently,” comments Simon Howell, Managing Director, Herts Mechanical.
The company appreciates its environmental responsibilities and this is why it has recently applied and subsequently received accreditation for ISO14001. This requires the firm to continually examine and improve its environmental impact.
As a diverse employer, HMHS continually invests in its staff. “The fact we have been around for over 30 years would hopefully indicate that we have a future ahead of us, although the future won’t take care of itself and we must be continually improving,” adds Howell.
Herts Mechanical has always fostered long term relationships with its customers and this has no doubt aided its longevity. The company considers that relationships are core to it and this is something it wishes to develop further.
HMHS is actively looking at succession planning at all levels within the business to improve the business structure and efficiency. It has invested in a new IT system which has streamlined its processes and made it more efficient. This will also support the growth plans for the business without the need for additional investment.
Key strengths of the business include: having an experienced and knowledgeable workforce and significant technical expertise; employing its own engineers; forging long term relationships; being open to new ideas; and being honest, reliable and trustworthy.
“We want our customers to choose Herts Mechanical because we are open, honest and good at what we do,” says Howell.
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