Heckmondwike FB, a market leading manufacturer of heavy contract commercial carpets, is supporting the future of flooring industry by sponsoring an apprentice across its National Floorcoverings Ltd group of companies.
The company is working alongside Hillside Contracts, a flooring contractor in Leicester to provide assistance to Kai Linton, a trainee floor layer.
Having started his course in September 2018, Kai is currently completing the first year of his two year apprenticeship, making him an important part of the future of the flooring sector. He is learning his trade through onsite training assessments and tutoring at Floortrain Training Centre in Doncaster.
With little assistance from local trade bodies or colleges, Heckmondwike FB’s sponsorship supports 17-year-old Kai in covering transport costs from his home in Nottingham to Doncaster, alongside the essential tools and equipment needed to carry out his work.
Heckmondwike FB and Hillside Contracts have worked together closely for over 20 years, with Heckmondwike FB providing the company with its full range of fibre-bonded carpets, including the company’s flagship product, Supacord.
Bob Mortimer, UK Sales Manager for Heckmondwike FB said: “From speaking to our customers in the flooring industry, we are well aware of the skills shortage within the sector and are eager to play a role in addressing the balance.
“As a company, education is one of our most important sectors, with millions of square meters of Supacord installed in schools, colleges and universities right across the country — so it’s important for us to give something back to the industry.
“Therefore, when the opportunity arose to support Kai in his development — we were more than happy to help.”
Chris Goode, Director of Hillside Contracts added: “In the current market, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit experienced floor layers, particularly when looking at commercial projects. Therefore, employing an apprentice guarantees our workforce is as skilled as possible for years to come.
“Working with Heckmondwike FB to support Kai was an easy choice to make. Alongside the financial benefits, the company provides us with sales support, alongside ensuring products are in stock as and when required – it really is a perfect fit.”
Teachers, students and all those working in the education sector are counting down the days until the Easter holidays in April, with the chance to get some well-deserved time off and to start planning for the next term.
However, within the education industry, Easter can be the perfect time to think about what needs freshening up in classrooms and communal areas.
For example, there will be many teachers across the country who will be popping into their classrooms to tidy up displays, re-arrange furniture and give their classroom a new lease of life, so that the students have something different to engage with when they return from the holidays.
However, would it not be much better if the classroom, school, college or university had a complete refresh from top to bottom?
With many in the education sector receiving at least two weeks holiday, Easter is the ideal time to think about larger-scale changes to small or large areas of an education facility, that only take a couple of weeks to carry out.
One such area is the carpet.
A new carpet can breathe life into any room, particularly if it is mixed and matched with the colour scheme of a classroom, or the educational facility as a whole.
However, there is much more to think about than how the carpet looks. In most situations, it needs to be a heavy-contract carpet, and ideally, fibre bonded, with such carpets delivering anti-ravel, anti-fray performance, alongside providing reductions in noise and the durability to manage hundreds, if not thousands, of students even day.
With tens of thousands square meters being purchased for the education sector every year, Supacord is the smart choice for schools, colleges and universities, a tried and trusted commercial carpet solution that is perfect for any requirement.
To discover more about having Supacord installed for Easter, contact your local area manager here.