Congratulations on what has obviously been a great year for SSS. What do you see as your biggest achievement for 2022?

Thanks! We couldn’t have asked for a better 12 months, especially during the pandemic recovery. For me, the real highlights have been watching the team grow and develop throughout 2022, which has directly impacted our top and bottom line. As we close out our end of the year, we have succeeded in more than doubling our turnover from 2021, which is just astounding and I’m so proud of the progress that’s been made.

That’s fantastic, what do you think has been the main contributor to this success?
Of course, it’s been a tough couple of years, but it’s often at these challenging times that the talent you have recruited and nurtured, really leans in to make a difference. As a leadership team, we have really focused on identifying and attracting the right skills and specialisms to support new divisions and facilitate our growing contracts. Our people are quite simply the most important part of our business and are integral to our success.

Which areas of the business are seeing the most growth? Is this in line with your expectations of the market?
The growth has come through a variety of routes, but our desire to drive the business geographically has been very successful. In particular, our Midlands division, led by Dave Whiting, has seen accelerated growth. This has kickstarted expansion in the North of England too, supported by one of our newest hires – Steven Mehta.

Ensuring we are supporting clients in achieving sustainability ambitions is a huge focus for us too, which of course is top of many decision-makers priority lists across multiple industries. In 2022 we expanded our service offerings to drive energy and cost-saving benefits for our customers, through smart systems such as LED fit-outs and water-saving devices such as taps and toilets. These products can have a huge impact on water and energy consumption within building infrastructures. They can significantly improve water efficiency and decrease water bills in general, while helping with the environmental issues that go hand in hand with overconsumption.

Finally, we pride ourselves in the way that our teams nurture our client relationships. We are proud to have the opportunity to work alongside clients again and again, which naturally creates a strong foundation for the business to grow. Fundamentally, our teams are responsible for the continued strength of our customer partnerships, and we look forward to this approach producing further growth and expansion in the future.

Typically, labour turnover is high within Facilities Management, often meaning it can be difficult to ensure client service consistency, is this true of Stadium Support Services?
I’m very happy to say that this is not the case for our team. A fundamental part of my job is to nurture our people as well as the business. We focus on talent retention and work closely with all employees to ensure they have a clear path of progression, tailored for them and always have a high level of job satisfaction. As I’ve mentioned, this is also so important for our customers to have continuity with team members that they know and trust to deliver excellent service.

Even though our company footprint and scale are large, we are a family-led business at heart. We promote the importance of work/life balance and ultimately trust our teams to work in ways that allow them to bring their best to work every day.

Creating an environment that encourages people to grow and feel confident, is an incredibly fulfilling part of my job. It is incredibly important that each team member understands how important their role is to the continued success of the business.

So what is next for Stadium Support Services?
2022 was a pivotal year for the business that saw great achievements, outstanding successes and company growth. While I am so proud of what has been achieved over the last year, we are laser-focused on continuing to build on that success. Growth, challenges, highs, and lows will all be welcomed, as we continue to learn and adapt as a team. Delivering for our customers continues to be of the utmost priority, whilst we also work to unlock opportunities for diversification and new revenue streams. We are looking forward to supporting our customers with their innovative venue initiatives and projects in 2023.

1. New home team dressing room unveiled at QPR Stadium

Room for change at QPR, following appointment of Michael Beale as the club’s new head coach.

Commissioned to deliver a complete refurbishment and a fresh new look for the home team dressing room at Loftus Road Stadium, Stadium Support Services rose to the challenge. Briefed on the importance of completing the works ahead of the first home fixture, time was of the essence with only two weeks until kick-off.

Stripping back and opening out the rooms for better use of space was the primary goal. The semi-enclosed cubicle seating was removed, instantly transforming the space into an open and inclusive environment. Each wall was meticulously renovated, and the entire space was redecorated. Additional wider bench seating and bespoke cushions were also installed for player comfort. Blue AstroTurf was fitted on the floor, bringing a contemporary feel as well as a nod to the team colour within its walls. The result? A fresh, bright, open-plan changing room with modern touches throughout.

Delighted with the results, the customer, QPR, further engaged Stadium Support Services to continue the refurbishment through the player tunnel and into the dugout. Following the hugely successful installation, Stadium Support Service was commissioned to return during the world cup international break to install a bespoke QPR crest within the Astroturf.

2. 100+ water-saving units installed at the second tallest student accommodation building in the world.

Successful installation of Dual Flush Water saving devices installed by Stadium Support Services results in impressive 70% saving of water consumption.

Stadium Support Services commissioned to install 105 toilets at flagship student accommodation site, reducing water consumption and environmental impact on national water supplies.

Additional pipework upgrades were implemented to support the new water-saving dual flush systems.  Individual isolators were installed, updating the water supply system within the building with cost and time-saving benefits. Providing better control of water flow to fittings, the new isolators allowed any further maintenance to be carried out quickly and easily.

Gaining access to the student rooms without disruption, formed a crucial and complex objective. Each unit was installed quickly and efficiently, ensuring each student bathroom was completed and in full working order on the same day. With a challenging target date of three weeks for end-to-end installation, the project was completed successfully, and ahead of time. An impressive two-week turnaround allowed the students to quickly adapt to their new, more sustainable living quarters.

105 rooms upgraded

14 Tonnes CO2e Saved

3. Stadium Support Services resume FIA2022 contract, following four-year Covid hiatus.

Stadium Support Services appointed to lead cleaning operations for FIA2022, within the 770-acre site, following 2018 contract success.

Resuming the cleaning contract for the highly anticipated Farnborough Airshow 2022, Stadium Support Services once again deployed multiple expert teams to provide critical cleaning services throughout the event (18-22^nd July).

Working alongside newly appointed waste contractor R. Collards, Stadium Support Services, advised and shared site knowledge from previous shows, resulting in the provision of outstanding service on behalf of the client, Farnborough International Limited (FIL).

Flexible teams of highly skilled cleaners worked around the clock during the build, live, and breakdown phases of the show. Minimising disruption to guests and reducing the risk of trip hazards, Stadium Support Services championed Cordless Technology, to facilitate successful operations throughout the day. With approx 70,000m2 of exhibition space to deep clean every night, larger industrial cordless machines were brought in for the out-of-hours crew.

Litter-picking teams played a vital role in delivering a clean site throughout the five days of the airshow. The proximity to Farnborough airport meant FOD (Foreign Object Debris) was a primary concern for its runways. Safety standards were continuously monitored by Stadium Support Services ensuring all runways were kept clear.

Investors in people, Stadium Support Services are committed to empowering staff with extensive training and development of teams.  A critical element within fast-paced and large-scale events, staff support, and motivation play a key role in providing customer service that exceeds expectations.

Stadium Support Services received exemplary feedback from suppliers, fellow contractors, site management, and importantly, the customer. Congratulations to all teams that contributed to the hugely successful execution of services for FIA2022.

Stadium Support Services have multi-disciplined specialist cleaning teams ready to deploy at scale for exhibitions, stadiums, and many more.

4. Scaling new heights at The Science Museum

Stadium Support Services contracted to install new ventilation system for launch of Technicians Exhibition.

One of the most popular and busy museums in the capital, The Science Museum opens its doors in November to a new interactive experience within the David Sainsbury gallery. Created in partnership with Marvel Studios, the NHS, National Grid, and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the Technicians Exhibition provides an immersive experience that enables visitors to mimic the tasks technicians perform daily.

As part of their commitment to the protection of exhibits and enriching customer experience, CBRE (on behalf of The Science Museum) commissioned Stadium Support Services to undertake the enabling works for the installation of a brand new, ventilation system. With enhanced airflow and additional temperature control capabilities, the new system upgrade ensures the continued preservation of over 30,000 artifacts, spread over seven floors.

A complex process, the installation meant that an existing 6m high, 4^th-floor window, must be replaced with a louver vent system via an external access. The location rendered scaffolding prohibitive and would not meet the required timescales. A glass roof directly below the primary installation area, ruled out mechanical access, leaving the only viable entry possible via Rope Access.

A temporary access system was rigged up by our specialist IRATA technicians, allowing them to abseil over the roof of the museum. This gave immediate and safe entry to the windows that were being removed.  Internally, a platform was built to remove the glazing and frame from within the building, while the external team ensured nothing fell outwards.  Once removed, the internal team passed the new louvers through the newly created void space, allowing the abseil team to secure from the outside. The tall window was safely removed, and the louvers were installed in just two days. 

These are just a few examples of how Stadium Support Services are supporting customers, with many more exciting projects scheduled as we approach the final quarter in 2022. Get in touch if we can help you with a project at your venue via info@StadiumSupportServices.co.uk