Despite the uncertainty that came with the coronavirus pandemic, cladding supplier Aquarian Cladding Systems has continued to thrive by adapting quickly and using the time effectively to move to bigger premises, re-think their working practices, and extend their product range.
A new office
With a new office in North Somerset, Aquarian employees are now able to work safely in accordance with Government requirements. During lockdown, all staff worked from home and the company chose not to put any staff on furlough. As a result, it now finds itself in a stronger position in the marketplace than many of its competitors.
Supporting our staff’s mental health
In addition to a larger office, lockdown has encouraged Aquarian to evolve their working practices and appoint a Mental Wellness Champion to increase staff awareness of mental health and create a working culture that nurtures it.
“Covid-19 has highlighted that staff should not be measured by input, but by output,” said Aquarian’s Managing Director Paul Richards. “A 9 to 5, five-day week no longer reflects the reality of how modern families live, and so our aim is to use the legacy of Covid to introduce flexible working across the company.”
The management team has decided that it doesn’t want its office to have pre-determined start and finish times for all, nor insist that staff have a fixed place, or days to work. While this will require a huge shift in mindset, the company is determined to make the change.
“Lockdown has been a difficult period for all business, but we’ve shown that we’re both willing and able to adjust,” said Paul.
“With a new bigger office for our staff and a desire to change our mindsets, we’re confident that our business will thrive, meaning we can continue to serve our customers to the best of our ability.”
New products
Aquarian Cladding is already seeing a change in demand, having launched a new product range, NaturAL-X, to sit alongside its MechSlip range as the company’s second A1-rated, non-combustible cladding solution.
Like MechSlip, NaturAL-X can be mechanically fixed to any substrate using lightweight brick ‘tiles’, delivering all the benefits of a natural clay brick façade.
“For those wanting to minimise the risks associated with traditional construction, modern methods of brick cladding systems simply can’t be ignored,” added Paul.
“We are delighted to be launching this new product, especially as the UK Government is encouraging the adoption of more offsite methods of construction to its ‘Build, Build, Build’ agenda. Our dedicated team is well-placed to seize the opportunities ahead.”
Expert cladding solutions across the UK
Working with architects, contractors, developers and installation specialists, Aquarian’s cladding systems have been used on many award-winning buildings across a wide range of sectors. For more information call 0808 223 9080, email info@aquariancladding.co.uk