ID Installs into TK Maxx

February 2009

TK Maxx’s opened its largest UK store to date in Autumn 2008. The two floor, 48,000 sq ft store is based in the heart of Leeds City Centre on The Headrow, featuring the latest clothing and home items, with an additional ‘SportsMaxx’ area that holds specialist sporting equipment and clothing.

To protect a store that receives some of TK Maxx’s highest footfall rates in the UK, a 48 camera integrated digital CCTV system including 21 360۫ degree Pan Tilt and Zoom camera was installed to keep a watchful eye over store activities.

The system was designed and installed by ID Technology Group, which includes two suspect buttons over the high value jewellery counter and customer services desk, which instantly alerts security staff and management if a member of staff feels threatened or they suspect a criminal activity is taking place.

Working with ID Technology Group, TK Maxx has implemented a separate ‘Shoe Zone’ CCTV monitoring system that they have found to a very effective deterrent to potential shoe theft.

It was identified that the shoe department in particular within TK Maxx could be targeted a it has a high value quantity of stock. As a result TK Maxx decided to implement a targeted strategy on the shoe zones and looked to ID Technology for a solution that would deter potential store theft.

The system comprises of 7 monitors spread over both the men and women’s shoe departments. Additional cameras give almost 100% coverage of the shoe area and is supported by a 1.5 terabyte Cathexis DVR separate to the main CCTV system. The monitors continually switch between all of the cameras, highlighting to customers and potential criminals that they are being monitored by CCTV in every area of the shoe zone.

Matt Allen, National Account Director at ID Technology Group commented – “This store was of the utmost importance to TK Maxx and we had to deliver a system that dealt with any type of potential theft or anti-social behaviour. The result was a scalable system that can be separately monitored and gives customers the feel of a safer store environment.”

Matt Continued, “Potential criminals are far more aware that they are being monitored, and everywhere they turn in the shoe department they can see themselves on screen. It has proved a very successful deterrent and further proves the benefits to retailers of CCTV”.

GK Starts its Largest Installation into Leggett and Platt

December 2008

GK Industrial has been awarded the contract to install a multi-million pound energy efficient full mechanical and electrical installation into Leggett and Platt's new European Distribution and Head Office facility in Grimethorpe, Yorkshire.

Legget and Platt are the world's largest maunfacturer of bed springs and engineering components and the chances are you will be sleeping in a bed with their springs in them.

The project is due for completion in early 2009, and GK is at the forefront of making the building one of the most energy effiicient industrial building units in the UK.

Encompassing such energy saving solutions as air source heat pumps, recovered energy from the machinery to heat the offices and smart lighting that increases or decreases its usage dependent on the amount of natural light in the building, the project promises to be an inspirational location for Leggett and Platt to consolidate their UK operations.

GK has worked in partnership with Philips Electronics to deliver the state of the art lighting system, and has delivered a fully comprehensive Mechanical and Engineering building management system.

Penta Capital acquires significant stake in IDSS

July 2008

Penta Capital Partners Limited (Penta) has acquired a substantial stake in Manchester-based ID Support Services Holdings Ltd (IDSS) for an undisclosed sum.

In the year to 30 June 2008 IDSS has grown by 42% with revenues of £26.5 million. During the year the Group acquired ID Intact Limited on 1st November 2007 and GK Scotia on 16th December 2007. These acquisitions have now been bedded into the trading divisions of the Group. Further acquisitions and strong organic growth are planned for the coming year.

The deal allows Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital (“AAMGC”) to substantially exit the business. AAMGC invested in IDSS alongside the incumbent senior management team in March 2007. IDSS management, led by Chairman Brian Dunn and Chief Executive David Metcalfe, and Penta plan further investment to fund future growth and acquisitions to secure the position of IDSS as a leading national service provider to blue chip, multi-site customers in the retail, public, leisure and commercial sectors.

Brian Dunn said: “This strategic investment by Penta will give the business greater growth potential as it progresses towards its goal of becoming a £100m turnover support services company. Our services are adding real value to our customers, and we have identified a number of opportunities that will improve the breadth and depth of our service offering. We are looking to grow the business both organically and by acquisition.”

Advisers to the Company were Halliwells LLP and Grant Thornton, led by Rebecca Grisewood and John Loebl.

Penta is an independently owned private equity fund management business specialising in MBOs and later stage expansion capital investments, primarily in UK business services and leisure sectors. It typically invests £5million to £20million in each transaction and currently manages over £200million of assets. Penta operates from offices in Glasgow and London.

Michael Scherpenhuijsen of Penta commented: “We are delighted to be investing in IDSS which is a quality, well managed business with strong customer relationships. The business is at an exciting phase in its development and we look forward to supporting management in their plans for further growth.”

Debt funding was provided by Yorkshire Bank, led by Roddy Kilpatrick and Owen Malton of the Specialist & Acquisition Finance team in Manchester. Owen Malton said: “Penta Capital is an ideal investment partner at this stage in the development of IDSS, as it is willing to commit additional funds to help the Group to achieve its growth ambitions, and establish it as the leading UK player.”

Retailers can make “massive” costs and energy savings by using ‘Free Cooling’ rather than traditional Air Conditioning systems

March 2008

New research has shown that the adoption of ‘Free Cooling’ into traditional HVAC systems in the retail sector could make massive savings in energy costs as demonstrated already by GK Industrial Ltd working in partnership with Wilkinson Hardware Stores.

Wilkinson, which has a property portfolio of nearly 300 stores across the UK, is one of the leading energy efficient and ‘green’ retailers on the high street. As part of their proactive approach to the environment and energy management, Wilkinson is constantly searching for ways in which it can maximise the efficiency of its heating and cooling systems to combat increasing energy bills.

GK Industrial provides energy efficient climate control solutions to Wilkinson covering the installation and maintenance of its entire HVAC estate. This gave GK the ideal platform to develop the Free Cooling initiative in partnership with Wilkinson.

By working together the Free Cooling concept was developed and applied to the existing HVAC systems, which in essence uses outside ambient air temperature to maintain the required store temperature parameters; thus replacing the traditional method of constantly running rooftop compressors to re-circulate air to a set temperature irrespective of the temperature outside. Suitable testing validated the benefits by quantifying the associated energy savings.

The results showed that on average the Free Cooling system ran at almost 80% less than the original recirculation system - 9 hours compared to 45 hours. This equated to an average energy cost saving of over 40p per square foot per annum in a typical Wilkinson store based on current energy prices.

Wilkinson is now rolling out the Free Cooling system to 148 of its stores where ducted ventilation systems allow Free Cooling to be undertaken.

David Goldberg, Managing Director at GK Industrial comments:

“These findings are truly fantastic for both GK and Wilkinson. It proves that Free Cooling can deliver huge energy cost savings for the retail sector by maintaining or reducing the internal temperature without the need to run the expensive mechanical refrigeration system.

“There are so many direct benefits to Free Cooling. To name a few, it reduces compressor running hours, energy usage and running costs, whilst increasing the lifespan of the system. It also improves air quality by introducing greater quantities of fresh air.”

Leigh Oldfield, Property Maintenance Manager for Wilkinson said:

“In addition to the cost savings and benefits in relation to long term sustainability, the new system will help create a better ambience in our stores. Inevitably it will lead to an improved shopping experience for our customers and a better working environment for our employees.

“We are working closely with GK Industrial to review our energy efficiency across the store network. Wilkinson has set an objective to become one of the most energy efficient retailers on the high street. This is not just in response to increasing energy costs and impending legislation, but as part of our ongoing commitment to protect the environment.”

The Wilkinson trial lasted for 67.5 hours over a three day period, with outside temperatures ranging from 13 centigrade to 23 centigrade during the trial.