EPC-UK open new Learning and Development Centre

New conference space highlights EPC-UK’s commitment to learning and development

EPC-UK, one of the UK’s leading experts in commercial explosives and blasting services, have opened a brand new Learning and Development Centre at their head office in Alfreton, Derbyshire.

The facility will not only house the company’s nationally renowned training courses for the blasting industry, but will be available to the wider business community, providing a new state-of-the-art conference space in the Alfreton area.

The Learning and Development Centre was officially opened by Olivier Obst (left of photo), chairman and CEO of the EPC Groupe – EPC-UK’s French-owned parent company – on Tuesday 20 January 2015.

EPC-UK are passionate advocates of skills and training and already provide accredited training courses through the Institute of Quarrying, MPQC, HSQ and Highfield. Their courses are utilized by leading names in industries such as quarrying to certify shotfirers and explosives supervisors to nationally approved standards of accreditation.

The courses are run by Dr Rob Farnfield and Dr Mark Pegden, EPC’s in-house explosive engineers who are regarded as two of the best educators in the sector.

‘We aim to be the leading training provider in the explosives sector and certainly industry feedback is excellent,’ said Ben Williams (right of photo), managing director of EPC-UK. ‘We have already trained more than 2,000 people in surface mining and quarrying, as well as bespoke courses in underground mining, civil engineering and specialist explosive applications.’

With growing demand, EPC-UK saw the opportunity to create a dedicated environment for these courses and for the company’s own commitment to provide career-wide learning and development for its own workforce.

Aware that high-quality conference facilities are required by a range of businesses, EPC-UK took the logical step of making the Learning and Development Centre suitable for third-party organizations.

‘We have developed significant knowledge in the management and provision of our own training, and we’re delighted to share that expertise with a new conference facility that will be suitable for a wide range of commercial organizations,’ explained Mr Williams.

The company repurposed an existing building – with extensive internal redesign and redecoration – to create the Learning and Development Centre. The heart of the building is a main meeting room capable of housing up to 20 delegates. This is complemented by smaller meeting rooms and break-out areas.

The flexible meeting spaces are fully equipped with audio/visual equipment and free Wi-Fi as standard. The company’s commitment to customer service also includes a dedicated event host and a range of healthy food and drink options.

The opening event was attended by a number of VIPs from across EPC-UK, EPC Groupe and several of the company’s high-profile customers.

In addition, Phil James, executive director of the Institute of Quarrying, was on hand to present Ben Williams with a plaque in recognition of EPC-UK’s membership of the Institute’s Corporate Professional Competence scheme.