Mayor Ben Houchen has visited a Stockton-based industrial services firm that has steadily become one of the biggest companies of its type in the North.
RS Industrial Services was established in 2001 with a £10,000 loan, offering crane maintenance and the repairing and supplying of heavy lifting equipment to businesses in the region. It now boasts two sites, 65 staff and an expected turnover of £8million.
Within 12 months of setting up, the firm had relocated to a new premises, before purchasing its current four-acre Billingham site in 2007. This has successfully helped it develop its product range, opening its own shop offering everything from tools, toilet roll and personal protective equipment to overhead cranes.
The company employs the largest number of crane engineers in the North-East, who service more than 1,000 overhead cranes for clients. The company is also fast becoming one of the leading accredited training providers in the region, with courses on crane training, forklift driving, access platform training and working at a height to thousands of its customers’ staff.
Mayor Houchen said: “RS Industries is a brilliant example of a business thriving in the Tees Valley. They clearly have worked hard over the years, really demonstrating the grit and can-do attitude of many of our SMEs to create an immensely successful business.
“It was very rewarding to meet the team and understand their vital part in our region’s excellent supply chain. As we look to drive forward advanced manufacturing and become second-to-none in the offshore wind and clean growth sectors, RS Industrial Services’ experience will be invaluable. I’m looking forward to hearing much more about their continued success.”
RS Industrial Services’ Director Mike Riley said: “We are very happy that Ben took the time to visit us and see for himself what we are trying to achieve both as a business and also for the region that’s been so good to us.
“We’ve been offering a variety of industrial services to North-East businesses for years now and we’d love to work even more closely with the Mayor and Combined Authority to understand the opportunities on offer to help us expand our industrial and training business.”
