Vital internal comms issue 2

1. Vitality Vital Services Group Newsletter - 2013 - issue 2
Inside this issue...
The
XTEND uncovered
Technology at Silverstone
P2
P2 Waiting
Game
Resources in Belfast P3
Capital Gains P4-5
Vital Consulting P6
Health and Safety P7
Star Employees P8 Getting to know Meeting business
you ... challenges
Your Charity News P8 visits Sicura Systems
in Basingstoke
Lawrence
Vincenzo Webster
Roberti Business
Managing Development
Director Director
Page 05 Page 06

2. Vitality Vital Services Group - Innovative engineering solutions
Alex continued: “Xtend is hugely flexible
By according to the user’s requirement.
Vital
However, a common configuration is
John four fixed cameras and one pan/tilt/
Smith zoom (PTZ) assembly. The PTZ might be
a camera for low-light conditions as well
CEO
VSG XTENDS as for thermal imaging in order to pick
up heat signatures.
“Other methods used to detect
itself intruders such as passive infrared
sensors - similar to those you have in
your home alarm system - don’t allow
you to distinguish between the types
of threats. Xtend can discriminate
between people and vehicles, and sets
From the top Vital Services Group is widely known and
respected for the services it provides, and
its prompt response to market conditions
up virtual tripwires according to precise
specifications with filters on direction,
pattern of movement and speed.
and the needs of its clients. A lesser known
fact is that Vital also develops its own “Experiments by the US Department of
industry-leading products. To expand on Energy indicate that the attention span
We are at the end of the full trading year people’s limited knowledge of this fact, of even a well-motivated security guard
for 2012, and we have achieved our Vitality takes a look behind closed doors at observing a monitor is no more than
financial goals. The Mill in Manchester and catches up with 20 minutes. However, Xtend removes
the development teams responsible for the human error and the need to observe
One business which performed realisation of new products. eventless footage.
exceptionally well throughout 2012 was
Vital Technology, which involved Ematics Alex Renton, Senior Systems Engineer Only meaningful data is processed, a
successfully winning the Dartford Tunnel at Vital Technology, is part of the Xtend development that has additional benefits
development team. He spoke to Vitality in in optimising use of bandwidth and
project and Sicura working on prestigious
detail about the product: “Disruption on a storage space.”
projects at both Silverstone and Austin, rail network as a result of cable theft can wireless solutions which include the use
Texas for Formula 1. The other highlight cost Train Operating Companies (TOCs) up of 3G and satellite standards. The result The product’s potential applications are
has been Vital Skills Training, as it to £8,000 per minute. is that customers see the benefits of limitless and immediate interest is being
expanded its number of training centres communications which can cover a 3km expressed by Network Rail, the National
across the UK. “Xtend is a mobile rapid deployment CCTV line of sight. In short, Xtend can be used Grid and the construction industry.”
and video analytics system which offers in the middle of nowhere.”
Despite challenging market conditions, the end-users comprehensive site monitoring
Rail and Resources businesses and intelligent scene analysis at locations Xtend turned thousands of heads when
that are proving vulnerable to metal theft, it was exhibited at the IFSEC trade show
outperformed many of their peers. We are
trespass and vandalism. in association with Vital Technology’s
seeing some extremely positive signs for sister company, Sicura Systems, who With
2013, especially with Vital Rail’s “Purpose-built to cope with difficult terrain have contributed their DigiLive video
involvement with key industry projects and weather conditions, the ruggedised unit analytics software to the project. Alex
such as Crossrail, and Vital Resources’ is designed on a 360° hydraulic mast and (Video analytics is the use of artificial Renton
penetration of the renewables market. rotation tower (extending to 9 metres), which intelligence to ‘teach’ a computer to
is housed in a trailer base unit benefiting generate an alarm on behaviour of Senior Systems
We are also beginning to pick up several from low-power requirements. people, vehicles or other objects which Engineer
key projects through our Australian rail is an exception to normal patterns or
“Clients can opt for a diesel generator or Vital Technology
business, which is a positive step forward. battery-powered version and a range of movements.)
Looking back on our marketing activities
over the past year, I am delighted to report
on the success of Vital at the Infrarail and
IFSEC trade shows at the NEC in
Birmingham. We took the decision to
promote the Group and our brands more
heavily this year across relevant industries,
and this has been extremely well-received
by our existing and prospective customers.
At both of the events, supporting dinners
and awards ceremonies, we fielded teams
from every part of the Group. This was
especially apparent at Infrarail, where we
had strong representation from Rail,
Technology, Skills Training, Solutions,
Consulting and Vital Rail Security. IFSEC
also saw the joint promotion of Sicura and
Vital Technology.
leaving the track, race controllers are able to Supporting Sicura Systems throughout this
So looking back, we achieved our objectives
in getting the brand out there. More
Sicura in pole assess the incident through DigiLive by
viewing video footage from the nearest
project was Vital Technology. Darren Eastell,
Installation Manager at Vital Technology
importantly, we were out there working as
a single integrated team in a highly position camera as well as cameras on either side of
the track. They can then decide whether the
commented: “We were responsible for the
installation of the high-definition cameras.
professional manner. (For full show situation requires the dispatch of a medical This was a very challenging project due to
reports, please see page 6). team and the use of a safety car to prevent the limited operational window available to
With any further incidents as well as providing us. On site we had to manage the
Finally, other recent developments have
updates to spectators. installation while not compromising the
included Vital Consulting, formerly known Gavin safety of the track.”
as “External Works”, being re-branded to Bryant Gavin Bryant, Integrated Solutions Manager
better portray its services, and the opening at Sicura, told Vitality: “Our DigiLive and The yellow flag
of a new Group head office to cover the Integrated Solutions DigiWall solutions will be used during all
In addition, Sicura developed a bespoke
southern region, which now houses Rail, Manager events across all classes of motor sport at
yellow light system to run in sync with the
Resources, Technology, Skills Training and Sicura Systems Silverstone. The venue simply will not stage
camera solution which is used primarily for
Solutions under one roof at Kennington in a race unless the cameras and software are
safety communication with drivers
South London. operating. We recently installed the
throughout races. Previously, a yellow flag
management suite and video wall in the
All of these exciting projects and more are Vital Services Group company, Sicura was waved during a race to indicate a hazard
circuit’s national control room and are now
covered in this edition of Vitality. I wish Systems, has supplied its DigiLive on the track beyond that point. However, it
working on the international control room
you all a very successful start to 2013. intelligent data management software and now only takes an operator from race control
which is used for F1, MotoGP and other
DigiWall display solution to the British to apply one or multiple flashing yellow
events.
Racing Drivers’ Club at its Silverstone lights around the circuit to inform the
Circuit in Northamptonshire which has “The previous installation was based on an drivers of a hazard.
been the venue for the British Grand Prix analogue solution which had slow reaction
since 1987. Silverstone first hosted the British Grand
times and took up a lot of space at the point
Prix in 1948. Notable races include Sir
of installation, viewed through a bank of
The software promotes driver and Jackie Stewart’s victory in 1969 when he
CRT monitors.
John Smith spectator safety at the track by optimising lapped the whole field on his way to winning
management views of the venue during “As a result of the upgrade we have the world championship later in the year. In
race days. performed, each control room at Silverstone 1991, Nigel Mansell had a season-long duel
now has 32 screens on its display wall and with Ayrton Senna, beating his rival at
Sicura designed and installed a system an IP solution which uses space more Silverstone but allowing the Brazilian, whose
including 32 high-definition pan/tilt/zoom efficiently. We installed two ten-terabyte car had stopped during the final stages, to
CCTV cameras which were positioned at network video recorders (NVRs), and with sit on his sidepod during a victory lap.
50-metre intervals throughout the circuit. the cameras using the H.264 standard video
compression, we are optimising use of
In the event of problems such as a
storage space and bandwidth.”
collision, vehicles becoming stranded or
Get involved… Send news to: marketing@vitalservicesgroup.com
page 02

3. Commitment to safety - ‘We make a difference’ Vitality
Vital attend
Forth Bridge
Ceremony
One of H&W’s giant twin gantry cranes Sampson and Delilah,
The farm is being constructed with funding This year H&W has also been at the
Offshore wind turbine from RWE Innogy, in partnership with forefront of commemorations to mark the
Stadtwerke München GmbH, and Siemens centenary of its most famous build: the RMS
contract of “Titanic” AG. Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage to
New York in April 1912.
proportions The main contract for Gwynt y Môr was
won by Belfast-based Harland and Wolff The city of Belfast has now opened a £97m
(H&W), a company more closely associated exhibition centre in the Titanic Quarter,
Vital is supporting one of the UK’s largest historically with shipbuilding, although it which tells the story of the building and fate
renewable energy projects, located eight has now successfully diversified into major of the world’s most celebrated passenger
miles off the North Wales coast in Liverpool offshore renewable projects. ship.
Two senior representatives of Vital Rail Bay. Vital Resources are partnering with Vital Resource’s sub-contract was secured
were among a group of special guests at the Siemens’ field installation team on the following the successful provision of highly
unveiling of twin memorials to workers who fitting of the substation equipment on the skilled operatives on the London Array
died during the construction of the Forth £2bn Gwynt y Môr offshore project. offshore wind farm project, both in Belgium
Rail Bridge near Edinburgh. and the UK. With
The wind farm, on which construction
Gary Hardaker, Vital Rail’s Managing Managing Director Craig Sutcliffe said:
Director, and Graham Gillan, Business
started last year, is expected to be
commissioned in 2014, and will comprise
“With our experienced core personnel, we Craig
Development Manager, were invited by 160 wind turbines.
are now confident of securing future Sutcliffe
Network Rail and principal contractor, platform builds both in the UK and abroad”.
Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering. Belfast’s dockside skyline is still dominated Managing Director
Expected to generate around 1,950
The event’s guest of honour was the Scottish by H&W’s giant twin gantry cranes (Samson Vital Resources
gigawatt hours of electricity annually,
First Minister, Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP. enough to supply 400,000 households, and Delilah), built in 1969 and 1974
this form of clean power generation is respectively.
The ceremony marked the end of a 10-year
expected to reduce carbon emissions by
restoration project on the rail crossing over
some 1.7 million tonnes every year.
the Firth of Forth in which Vital Rail played
a major role.
Gary Hardaker said: “Vital Rail is delighted
New
to have played such a significant part in the
restoration of the iconic Forth Bridge over
the last decade.
appointment
“By working in a close relationship with
Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering Vital
partnership
and Network Rail, the workforce involved
in undertaking this complex programme Steve
of restoration has successfully delivered a Norris
project requiring safe systems of work to
overcome some of the toughest working
conditions in Britain.”
with Tfl VSG
Twin memorials, unveiled in prominent
public locations in North and South
Queensferry, pay tribute to the 73 ‘Briggers’ More than one hundred 16 to 18 year olds Gary Hardaker, managing director of Vital
who lost their lives on the bridge, as well from across Greater London will have Rail, said: “Young people are the future of
completed an Apprenticeship in 2012 thanks the rail industry and we’re delighted to have
as to the thousands of other workers who
to a partnership between Vital Rail and provided opportunities for such a keen Vital Services Group has welcomed former
have contributed to building, maintaining Conservative Minister of Transport, Steve
Transport for London (TfL). group of young people.
and restoring the structure in the 129 years Norris, to its board of directors.
since construction began. So far, a total of 109 teenagers, including “The Ladder for London initiative has
eight former offenders, have been recruited provided a focus for Apprenticeships and is Steve, from Liverpool, was a member of
Both memorials consist of a seven foot onto an Apprenticeship in railway doing a great job in encouraging more parliament for 14 years, serving almost
upright bronze section built into a stone engineering and now, after 12 months’ employers to offer opportunities within their five years in the Department of Transport
base, which is engraved with the words: “To training and hands-on experience, the first business. during John Major’s government.
the Briggers, past and present, who built, 65 are set to start new careers in the rail
restored and continue to maintain this “Transport for London has been a fantastic The former Executive Chairman of Jarvis
industry after completing their
partner and we’re so pleased to see our Plc has extensive industry experience
iconic structure.” qualifications.
apprentices at the end of their first year. and is currently a commissioner of the
First Minister Alex Salmond said: “All of The initiative, backed by Boris Johnson, was They have gained some valuable knowledge Independent Transport Commission.
this has been made possible thanks to the set up in response to high unemployment in and experience and made some excellent
John Smith, CEO, commented: “We are
Briggers past and present, who have shown the capital, where one in four young people foundations in what can be a long and
delighted to have someone of Steve’s calibre
incredible bravery, industry and skill in the aged 16 to 24 is out of work. rewarding career.”
joining us as we expand our Group. He
129 years since the bridge was built.” brings invaluable industry experience and
With responsibility for London’s transport Yasin Ali, an apprentice from Newham,
The Forth Rail Bridge is located 14km to network, TfL has provided valuable work added: “I started my Apprenticeship with is respected as one of the few politicians to
the west of Edinburgh. It is regarded as the placements for the apprentices, including Vital in January and am really enjoying it. also have a successful career in industry.”
crowning achievement of Victorian steel the popular project to maintain the Epping I’m learning lots of new things and have
Steve added: “I am thrilled to be joining
bridge building and its robust cantilever Ongar Railway heritage line and provide made some good friends. It’s been great to
John Smith and his excellent management
structure was designed to combat the high passengers with a connection to the London develop new skills and put them into
team at Vital Services Group. They are
winds that had caused the failure of the Tay Underground. practice on an actual railway and I can’t wait
market leaders in the fields of transport,
to see what else the course has got in store.”
Bridge with significant loss of life 11 years A number of apprentices have already power and communications and have an
earlier in 1879. completed their qualifications and have excellent training division that is helping to
moved on to a range of rail business projects improve our national skills base.
The bridge is composed of 54,000 tonnes of With
with Network Rail and London Underground.
open-hearth steel. Daily train movements “I look forward very much to working with
average between 180 and 200, and the The all-round grounding in engineering Gary the team to help develop the business
bridge is the principal artery between skills gained by the apprentices matches Hardaker further.”
Edinburgh and Fife. perfectly the Ladder for London criteria for
offering a “sustainable start” for previously Managing Director
disengaged young people. Vital Rail
We want your thoughts... Send your comments to: feedback@vitalservicesgroup.com
page 03

4. Vitality An ethical approach – ‘We are committed’
Vital Victoria
01 London
Gary said: “The type of work we do, and
the clients we work with, means there are
Contract
thgisgnoL – motslA
Constantine
Office
obvious crossovers for other parts of the
Group.
Wins
Group Marketing
11 “The division’s focus is on clients such as
Manager
VSG Balfour Beatty, Kier, Ferrovial and BAM
skrow detaicossa dna slaweneR kcarT Nuttall, but my background in
engineering, rolling stock and project
Paul Crompton
management means other sources of
Director of Vital Rail
new business are coming into play.
Vital Rail The new London head office is proving
very popular with clients since its
“My own field of expertise is with major
rolling stock and equipment suppliers
opening, and having access to the
such as Hitachi Rail, Bombardier and
Group’s full capability is making a big
Alstom,” Gary added, “I expect this sector
difference to the way the Group is
to take off in a big way.
Network Rail perceived. Since the last issue of Vitality,
London
Supply of possession support labour there have been some exciting contract “There is quite a buoyant outlook now
LNE Route wins, particularly with Tube Lines who the dust has settled following the
have changed their contracting strategy Olympic Games, and the rail side of the
Alstom - Longsight 23
Rd 22 & 24 - Lift and pack, change rails
and associated track works
Calling... by awarding works for 12-month periods.
Current contracts include labour supply
and scrap removal. Other ongoing
business should provide significant areas
for growth.”
projects include points and crossings
Vital now has a head office in the (P&C) refurbishments, general heavy Arthur O’Donnell, Operations Manager
Alstom - Longsight 26 capital for the first time, with the maintenance and reconditioning works Vital Technology
Wheel lathe line extension on the London Underground.
Manchester - Emergency Works opening of our new Kennington We first spoke to Arthur in the last issue
premises. Vital Rail is also busy on the rail network of Vitality. Most of the division’s work is
The 6,000 sq ft building houses through contracts with Amey Colas and in the transport sector, with London
several companies within the Group; Balfour Beatty, and is trying to move to a Underground being a key client, while
Alstom - Longsight 28 Rail, Resources, Technology, Skills position in which developing our skilled work on the £16bn Crossrail is growing
S&C repairs to S3 Lead and experienced workforce is in importance.
Training and Solutions.
complemented by the introduction of our
Group Marketing Manager, apprentices as they move through Vital’s Areas of specialisation include
mechanical, electrical, fire and
BBRPL - North West Victoria Constantine explains the training schemes.
communications. The largest current
Electrification Program background to the move:
Paul adds: “Our clients recognise that project is at LU’s Central Line Hainault
Labour resource only there is a limited pool of young, skilled depot in east London where new water
“There were two main factors behind the labour in the south east of England, and and heating systems are being installed
decision to have a single office in are very receptive to our approach.
Alstom - Oxley 17 London. Crossrail will be a big drain on that pool
in a contract worth about £700,000.
Rd 16 & 18 - Repairs to track outside over the next few years, so it’s a good Across the capital, the team has also
doorway into main shed “Firstly, in all of our businesses and
time to introduce new blood into the been working on the expansion of
markets, there was a need to position
industry.” Greenford station’s fire safety system.
ourselves as a serious player in the
Alstom - Oxley 21 capital. Communications is proving to be a
strong area for growth and we have
Rd Nr 5 - Re-sleeper and gauging Lawrence Dobie
“The reason behind this is that all of our recently been commended by LU for our
national and international clients are Education and Training Director work on new information systems at
headquartered, or have a major presence Vital Skills Training Underground stations at Whitechapel
and Barking.
Vital Resources in London, especially the transport and
infrastructure controllers, which
The division’s move into its new
purpose-built office in Kennington sees a
represent the majority of our business. five-strong training team and two new
Mike Power, Director
classrooms added to its existing four at
“Secondly, our existing London-based Vital Resources
Epping in Essex. The new facilities avoid
Laing O’Rourke and Crown businesses - Resources, Rail, Technology the need for a 45 minute journey out of The division’s traditional areas of supply
House Technologies and Skills Training, were spread all London, and are already proving popular in the Mechanical and Electrical (M&E)
Extended period to National Labour across London, so it wasn’t an efficient with staff, trainees and clients alike. and construction sectors have again been
Framework Agreement or effective way for our component parts busy in 2012, although the Olympic and
to work together. It was decided that we Services offered include a range of
Paralympic Games provided an unusual
Spie WHS needed to find a single premises, and Network Rail-accredited programmes,
challenge.
Preferred supplier status from April what we now have in Kennington fits the including courses on personal track
2012 - April 2014 for the supply of all bill; with over 6,000 sq ft of office and safety, track induction, and engineering.
There was an embargo on works on the
engineering resources storage space, and all of our businesses This year has seen a continuing London Underground for about two
under one roof, with room for expansion expansion for Skills Training, and months during the Games, which meant
SSE Limited as we move forward. Lawrence told Vitality: “London will be a a quieter time than usual for Mike and
PSL – 12 months - supply of M&E huge area of expansion for us, and the his colleagues.
“On site we have classrooms for skills
operatives UK wide plan is not just to focus on rail, but also
training, storage facilities for rail, and Mike commented: “For us, the Olympic
proper facilities for clients visiting us, so to move into the power and technology
period provided us with an opportunity
it’s a much more professional set-up. On sectors, the latter by working in
to further develop our non-rail related
partnership with Vital Technology.”
Vital Technology the client side, when they visit us now
we can introduce them to all of our
revenue streams and increase visibility
within new areas.
assets as a combined package, so it’s a
very effective way for us and them to do Gary Fung, Operations Manager
“Crossrail is an area of growth for us in
Amey business together.” Vital Solutions (Rail)
2013 as lower-tier contracts are being
Fore Street tunnel SCADA upgrade Vital Solutions specialises in both blue released, especially in construction, civils
and white-collar recruitment, principally and M&E.”
for the rail sector, and is already
Enterprise Mouchel benefiting from the move to Kennington.
Rotherhithe tunnel fire systems and
wayfinder signs
Cardiff County Council
Cardiff Butetown tunnel sensors
replacement
National Roads Authority
EIRE - Dublin NRA data communications Gary Mike
Fung Power
Operations Manager Director
Vital Solutions (Rail) Vital Resources
Get involved… Send news to: marketing@vitalservicesgroup.com
page 04

5. Sustained partnering – ‘We keep our promises’ Vitality
01
Contract
Wins
Alstom – Longsight
11
Track Renewals and associated works
02 Vital Technology
Capita Symonds
Dartford tunnel EUD incident detection
system design and build
Blackwall Tunnel
Control system enhancement and
integration projects
Drax
Power station control systems
engineering
Getting
Vital Consulting
to know
Network Rail
Telecoms cable installations through
Severn Tunnel
you...
Balfour Beatty Civil
Engineering
Bridgewater - road over rail bridge
Track Geometry Monitoring
Balfour Beatty Civil
Engineering
Teign Crossing cycle bridge
Track Geometry Monitoring
Vitality takes a road
Welsh Water, Dwr Cymru
trip around the UK Sicura Systems (part of Vital take a rigid ‘off the shelf’ attitude to Pipe bridge structural surveys and
to visit Vital offices Technology) has three permanent staff
in its Basingstoke office (management,
product development.
In addition, Sicura is taking on more
condition reports
sales/marketing and administration),
London and
short-term projects, such as single
as well as eight staff in Research and
Development (R&D) and four in
applications in the transport sector, Welsh Water, Dwr Cymru
Design and Network Rail approvals for
the South East technical and service support, all in
Salford.
which have fixed start and finish
dates, and thus do not need lengthy Llandarcy 43” water main replacement
product redevelopment upgrades.
The company, which became part of
the Group two years ago and is now a
Sicura has recently formed a Scottish Power
significant strategic alliance to supply Consultation contract for Skywrap ®
key component of Vital, is a software
software to a global distributor (in a Fibre-optic cable operations
and hardware technology house.
practice known as Original Equipment
It specialises in the development and Manufacturer, or OEM, under which
supply of software products to the the partner sells its products that are
Morgan Sindall
02 Basingstoke
security, media and broadcast sectors, driven by Sicura’s software). This has
Gloucester pipeline for Severn
and also provides a range of already led to a 400% rise in sales
Trent Water
supporting hardware. activity in 2012.
Office Sicura takes an unusual approach to
product development and customer
Initial development on a major new
NVR (Network Video Recorder) project White Young Green
Division: support; the company has mainstream with the same distributor is due to be 3D railway tunnel profiling - Merseyrail
Sicura Systems products such as DigiLive and DigiWall announced shortly.
(both of which are used in video
Sicura’s sales division has recently
surveillance applications), but has
been boosted by the arrival of Geoff
always devoted resources to clients
Bowers as Sales Director. He is a
who need an individually-tailored Got contracts wins
Vincenzo approach to support their specific
well-known figure in the security
industry with more than 20 years’ you want to share?
Roberti software needs. This sets Sicura apart
experience in the sector.
from most of its competitors, who often e-mail: marketing@vitalservicesgroup.com
Managing Director
Sicura Systems
We want your thoughts... Send your comments to: feedback@vitalservicesgroup.com
page 05

6. Vitality Depth of expertise – ‘We go the extra mile’
Question INFRARAIL 2012 Name change
Time for ‘External
With
Works’
Lawrence By
Webster Jeff
Business Development
Director Maitland
VSG
Director
Vital Consulting
It’s no simple decision to Some of you may have noticed a change in
diversify into new markets; Vital took its position amongst its peers once This message is now starting to filter the name of Vital’s former External Works
it takes time, analysis and again at the prestigious Infrarail exhibition. through to the right ears, and there was Division to ‘Vital Consulting’.
good industry knowledge Visiting the UK every two years, Infrarail is ample evidence of that at Infrarail.
Initially the idea of forming the External
held at the NEC, Birmingham, and is the
to develop new business rail industry’s flagship event for exhibiting
“It won’t come as a great surprise to anyone Works Division was to mirror Network Rail’s
North West Territory, providing experienced
opportunities. technology, tools, plant and services.
that technology continues to be an area of
great interest and business potential for the staff to assist outside parties wishing to
One of the men responsible for delivering Vital Rail’s Managing Director, Gary rail industry, and our colleagues at Vital undertake work on or near the operational
new business is Lawrence Webster, Group Hardaker, explained to Vitality what a show Technology are playing an active role in its railway infrastructure.
Business Development Director. of this calibre provides, and talks about its success. XTEND (see cover and full feature
overall success. on page 2) was a big hit on the stand, At the time, such work mainly involved the
attracting a lot of positive interest. construction of sewers, gas and water mains,
“Unless you are a train operating company and telecommunication cables, utilising
(TOC), it’s quite rare in the rail sector for “We were delighted to welcome the former micro-bore, directional drilling, augering and
Vitality: What is business development all customers to actually visit your business, Minister of State for Transport, the Rt Hon open-cut excavation.
about? so Infrarail provided us with the ideal Theresa Villiers, to our stand shortly after
opportunity to meet potential new customers she had officially opened the show. She However, at about this time there was a
LW: It is about identifying new business and existing clients in one place. was interested in how Vital supports the major shift within the railway industry to
opportunities. Although this may sound quite transport sector and especially interested retain such facilities in house. Vital’s original
“Vital Rail’s stand was supported this year in the work Vital is doing in Skills Training
straightforward, to be truly successful at idea to co-ordinate and extend the Group’s
by other parts of the Group, including through our Apprenticeship programme.
business development requires a lot of effort skills into a ‘one stop shop’ for both Network
Vital Skills Training, Vital Rail Security,
and diligence. Rail and various statutory bodies had to be
Vital Technology, Vital Consulting and “We received a substantial number of
completely rethought.
Vital Solutions. This is the first time we’ve positive leads from the show, which
Vitality: What is your approach? exhibited at Infrarail in this way, and our provided us with a great return on our Fortunately, efforts in building an alternative
multi-disciplinary approach on the stand investment. Additionally, we received a list of ‘blue-chip’ clients paid early dividends;
LW: To project a positive image of myself really paid dividends. number of very promising follow-up calls we were awarded a major contract by Transco
and the company at all times. As a business since the show from companies that to assist the delivery of a £450m pipeline to
“For the last 18 months, we’ve been pushing wanted to work with us. Overall, Infrarail
development professional within Vital supply high pressure gas across South Wales
out the message that we are now far more has provided us with a very solid platform
Services Group, I need to always be thinking to Gloucester via 11 tunnelled or open-cut
than a labour supply company, and have moving forward, and our attendance
innovatively, so that I can identify possible railway crossings.
diverse talents across many different confirmed that this is a very efficient way to
ways to add value and improve sales. This
sectors. do business.”
means looking at new markets for potential With our reputation established, other work
clients, selling related products and services, quickly followed. Today, over 30 utility
and most importantly, building rapport, companies regularly use our services to
understanding and strong, long-lasting
relationships with contacts. IFSEC 2012 obtain Network Rail approvals and facilitate
high competency track monitoring.
The reason we changed our name is simply
Vitality: How do you ensure success?
that as the scope of work widened, the calibre
of enquiry increased too. This led to Vital
LW: First of all, I need to stay abreast of
Consulting, a more appropriate title which
everything that’s happening in the industry,
is designed to cover not only the provision
including what the competition are doing
of assistance to the construction industry,
in terms of products and service offerings,
but also the scope through which the team
pricing, and strategies etc. Secondly, it
is now providing specialist rail advice to well-
requires an in-depth understanding of what
established civil engineering consultants.
Vital is doing on an on-going basis, how this
This covers a range of tasks from overhead
compares to our competitors, and how we are
re-stringing of cables and structural
perceived in the marketplace.
examination of pipe bridges, to complex
tunnel profiling.
Vitality: Is business development a crucial Vincenzo Roberti, Managing Director of analytics companies such as ours can now
function to an organisation? And it doesn’t end there: sophisticated
Sicura Systems, reflects on IFSEC, the protect infrastructure and the public by
laser-based surveying techniques have
security industry’s largest exhibition which using artificial intelligence to create alarms
LW: Business development has been defined recently been introduced. These produce
was held at the NEC. on increasingly subtle combinations of
as the creation of long-term value for an hyper-accurate readings which are otherwise
behaviour. Managers no longer have to ask
organisation’s customers, markets and “As usual, IFSEC represented the whole of impossible to obtain.
security guards to look at hours of eventless
relationships. These expertise are required to the marketplace in miniature. The pure IT
footage with the probability being that the
grow an idea into a viable business venture specialists could speak of nothing but the
crucial incident will be missed.
and support an existing business change. In ‘cloud’ while those of us who focus on
essence, business development is crucial to developing products that really solve “A few exhibitors still had budgets that
the survival of a company. problems for end-users saw their offerings allowed them to indulge in stunts. One Vital Consulting’s acceptance as an Affiliated
as ‘fog’. distributor even resorted to bringing a Member of the Survey Association is another
full-size military tank onto the show floor indication of the sector’s continuing success.
“Sicura’s expenditure on R&D is second to
Fleet Branding none. We are one of only a few video
analytics providers to create our own
and held meetings in it.
“By contrast, Sicura presented a library of
The Association works closely with both
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors,
algorithms in-house and provide bespoke topical video clips. Footage of our installation and Chartered Institute of Civil Engineering
development to clients with specific needs. at a rail track near Reading produced Surveyors, with membership covering
During September, Vital’s fleet took to the
roads sporting the Group’s new livery. Rooted as we are in this practical way of enquiries from train operating companies professional bodies such as the Ordnance
Replacing the old branding, icons have been working, my staff and I could not have who are fighting metal theft and were Survey, the Environmental Agency and Land
introduced to visually inform other road users agreed more with Peter Webster, Chairman interested in our trackside sterile zones Registry.
and pedestrians of Vital’s services, while the of the CCTV User Group, when we heard analytics and abilities with both
new colour schemes are helping to differentiate The idea was originally put forward by Matt
him say that certain sections of the industry conventional and thermal imaging cameras.
Vital companies. Smith, Contracts Director, to heighten
need only come up with a new acronym and IFSEC has always been a showcase for truly
recognition of Vital Consulting’s specialist
they can sell the concept. intelligent practical solutions, and I’m
knowledge of safety critical track monitoring,
confident that Sicura typified everything that
“But if the presentations in the lecture together with their highly accurate 3D bridge
is good about what is still the most
theatres at IFSEC struck us as the and tunnel profiles.
important security trade fair in the world.”
Emperor’s New Clothes, our stand had a
steady stream of installers, consultants and The Association’s website attracts more
end-users who realise that leading video than 9,000 enquiries a month and so there
are certainly plenty of future business
opportunities waiting to be explored.
page 06 Get involved… Send news to: marketing@vitalservicesgroup.com