Spillard appoint new operations director
Craig Flowers takes on new role as company targets £10 million in sales over next 12 months
SPILLARD Safety Systems say new product introductions and demand for safety systems that reduce accidents are putting them on course to hit £10 million in sales over the next 12 months.
The specialist manufacturer of vehicle safety equipment is expecting to grow 25% after a surge of interest in its Spillard Live platform and Human Detection System from the construction, quarry, and transport sectors.
To meet these ambitious expansion plans, the company has appointed Craig Flowers as operations director, the first time a non-family member has become part of the board.
Mr Flowers, who started out as a heavy plant fitter apprentice in 1998, has significant experience in several high-level management roles in the aggregates and transport industries where service delivery has been key.
‘Our business is growing at such a rate that we recognized the need for additional board level experience, and Craig will bring a new eye for detail and new processes to the company,’ explained Craig Spillard, finance director at Spillard Safety Systems.
‘We did £7 million in 2020, our best-ever performance. If the pipeline of orders is anything to go by, we should easily do 25% more over the next 12 months and having the capacity to effectively service existing and new clients will be crucial.’
He continued: ‘Our stockholding has been increased by £250,000 to support our growth and the roll-out of Spillard Live and our new Human Detection System will be key, the latter only alerting drivers when a human shape is detected.’
Craig Flowers (pictured), who has spent many years integrating safety systems in his previous roles, added: ‘With the demand for safety products continuing to increase, Spillard are perfectly placed to deliver both bespoke tailored systems, as well as off-the-shelf products that will perform across a multitude of sectors.
‘The HGV market is thriving and, with the demand for drivers booming, we offer systems that analyse driving styles whilst protecting not only the operator and driver, but also the general public.
‘There’s no better time to be joining the company and I’m sure my operational knowledge will be put to good use as we target £10 million by the end of our financial year.’
Spillard’s latest product introduction is the Human Detection System (HDS), which delivers enhanced high-definition images even in extreme low light, turning night into day.
More than £250,000 has been invested in the Transport for London-approved technology so that it can be used across multiple devices. It is made to be extremely hard wearing, with a waterproof and dustproof rating of IP69K and shock resistance of 5.9G.
Importantly, HDS can be fully integrated with Spillard Live, the firm’s intuitive cloud-based platform that captures and streams real-time video and analytics simultaneously from multiple cameras fitted to lorries, vans, and commercial vehicles. This means footage is captured and recorded and can be used in ‘false claims’ if blame is placed on the driver after an accident.
