GAIN EXCELLENCE AWARDS

GA/ldo/28.07.10                                                                                                                                                      EXCELLENCE 1/3

GAIN EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Awards for excellence were presented for the second year on behalf of the Grant Aided Heating Installers Network (GAIN). The 2010 Awards were presented by former senior BBC weatherman, Bill Giles, OBE, at the Association’s annual conference, held at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham.

GAIN represents professional heating and renewable installers and suppliers to the grants and wider market. It looks for good technical and professional standards from its members, with qualitative awards amongst its criteria for membership. The Awards publicly recognise members’ achievements.

The GAIN Best Environmentally Friendly Company 2010 Award went to Warmer Heating Ltd for its work with local authorities and charities to help tenants and home owners to cut fuel bills. This included working in partnership with South Tyneside Homes by fitting an eco-showhouse with renewable technologies, including an air source heat pump and solar panels. The company has also adapted its own working practices to minimise waste, recycle, make work more energy efficient, reduce its carbon footprint, and drive sustainable development. The Award was sponsored by the Graham Group, Birmingham.

The Best Green Technology Award went to Grundfos Pumps Ltd for their Alpha 2 pump, an A-rated circulator so efficient that it is capable of operation down to as little as 5-watts. This low power consumption is visible on an easy-to-read display, so that energy savings can be checked. The pump only uses as much electricity as it needs, and savings are claimed to be up to 75% compared to a D-rated circulator. This pump, which has now been tried, tested and installed in over one million homes, is 99% recyclable at the end of long years of performance. The Award was sponsored by Fernox, Woking, Surrey.

The Best Customer Focussed Company Award went to Fernox and eagaheat working in partnership. The latter utilised the expertise of Fernox, who created a powerflushing presentation and training course, which was implemented across the country over one week. It featured a step-by-step guide to dynamic powerflushing, how to measure the success of the completed work, and how to record measurements to reduce call backs to site. It was designed to improve the standard of powerflushing. The training was completed at minimal cost to the client, with a competence certificate recognised by the CIPHE awarded on completion of the course. The Award was sponsored by Wolseley UK, Royal Leamington Spa.

Apprentice of the Year 2010 was won by Sam Buckley, who started his five year mechanical engineering apprenticeship in 2005 with Ideal Heating. Since then the quality of his work, always to a high standard, still improved significantly through each stage of his development. He now spends his own time mentoring younger apprentices. He has achieved the Higher Professional Diploma in Engineering, described as a model learner, achieving top marks in his group. He now plays a key role in plant improvement projects, including a major strip-down and repair of a 250 ton press. He is a finalist in the Advanced Apprentice Award category at the Yorkshire and Humberside Apprentice Awards 2010 for the National Apprenticeship Service. The Award was sponsored by Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Leighton Buzzard, Berks.

Employee of the Year Award was won by Patrick Wright, who joined Cosytop Thermal Insulations Ltd, in 2005, as an insulation assistant, progressing quickly to qualified cavity wall insulation installer. He has a very methodical approach to any job given to him, a keen eye for perfection, and a natural technical bias, which enabled him to transfer to the company’s heating division and train as a qualified gas installer. He is currently a team leader for one of the boiler replacement and heating installation teams, winning regular praise from customers. His keen interest in renewable energy technologies and work ethics, made him the natural choice when the company sought a renewable technologies production champion. The Award was sponsored by Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd, Warndon, Worcester.

The Special Achievement Award was won by Dave Wareham, Wessex Electricals (Shaftesbury) Ltd, who has spent a lifetime in the heating and plumbing business and is still working in his 70^th year. He served his apprenticeship in the mid-fifties, built up a reputation as a first class plumbing and heating engineer, and set up his own business in the mid-sixties, which he successfully ran for 40 years gaining vast experience. He has trained many local apprentices into fully skilled engineers. He helped set up the heating and plumbing division for Wessex, carrying out post installation inspections on Warmfront work, keeping a keen eye on health and safety issues. He still takes a great deal of interest in the industry especially the new technologies coming through.  The Award was sponsored by The Insulation Company Ltd, Darlington.

GAIN is at P O Box 12, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3AH; tel: 01428 654011; fax: 01428 651401; e-mail: info@gainassociation.org.uk; web: www.gainassociation.org.uk.

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Editors: Press enquiries to Leonie on 01428 654011.