October 2010
Focus on...Ocean Facilities Services
Ocean Facilities Services Ltd Managing Director Andy Erskine
The Ocean Group’s newest company, Ocean Facilities Services, was established in June to provide Facilities Management (FM) services to new and existing clients. Communications Manager Matt Johnson spoke to the company’s Managing Director Andy Erskine to find out more about the new venture.
Having worked on projects at the Heathrow Airport Terminal 4, British Airways engineering bases and Cisco Systems, Andy Erskine is not short on experience when it comes to Facilities Management.
Andy joined Ocean in July to take the helm of newly created Ocean Facilities Services (OFS). His previous role was as the Facilities Director for Haymarket Media Group – itself an Ocean client.
“That gave me a unique perspective on Ocean,” He said. “That has been very useful coming in to the company.”
Explaining the concept of Facilities Management, Andy said: “It’s about servicing the built environment.
“It could be anything from landscaping to laundry, maintenance of data centres to project management. It’s about understanding the building, its management and the methods of working to see how FM can support that client’s core business.
“The advantage to the client is that they have a single competent, professional organisation looking at all their FM needs, allowing them to reduce costs and focus on running their core business.
“Cleaning and security become service lines within a complete package of services offered.”
Explaining how existing team members can play a role in helping OFS to succeed, Andy said: “It’s about seeing the opportunities and then showing the client we can bring value.
“Our cleaning operatives won’t have to re-train as electricians or anything like that, but we are all part of the Ocean Group and our existing staff could find the contracts they work on becoming much larger, which is a very exciting prospect.
“It’s about seeing everything that happens within the building. When I walk into a room I would look at the state of the carpet, the cost of a cup of coffee, whether the wallpaper or paint is in good condition, if there are any lights out, if the fire signage is correct, are the occupants of the building getting ready for a move?
“Our cleaning managers could say ‘Did you know Ocean could paint that wall for you?’ Our security guards could ask ‘do you we could also look after your reception area?’ I would like our managers to be asking those questions.
“What could be better than to have several salesmen out there? We don’t want them to ‘sell’ as such but we want them to be asking those questions and feeding the information back."
First Class, Headteacher says
Members of Ocean's cleaning team at Great Linford Primary School with Headteacher Claire Dunstan (far right)
A hard working team at a Milton Keynes school have been awarded Ocean Certificates of Achievement for upholding high standards.
Supervisor Mandy Scales and Cleaning Operatives Eileen Matthews, Janette Brown, Kathleen Tydeman and Tina Mclaughlin who work at Great Linford Primary School in the Buckinghamshire town were nominated for the certificates by Headteacher Claire Dunstan for the team’s consistent effort and dedication to deliver a high standard of cleaning.
Area Manager Karen Croote said: “I’m really pleased for the team. They’re a great group and always go the extra mile for this client.
“It means a lot as well that they were recognised by the school. It’s really nice to know our clients appreciate the work of our staff members.”
Ocean Contract Cleaning Managing Director Steve Berresford added: “Although we pride ourselves on the fact that our cleaners routinely deliver excellent service, the certificate of appreciation is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those staff that have really gone above and beyond. The team from Great Linford Primary School are a prime example of this.”
New Team Member Joins Ocean
New Ocean Ocean Group Holdings team member Malcolm Turner
Ocean Group Holdings has welcomed a new member to its team. Malcolm Turner, who is based at the company’s head office in Luton, will be working as part of the Commercial Department in the role of Estimator.
Malcolm will be responsible for analysing data from prospective clients and preparing detailed cost estimates for new cleaning, security and facilities management contracts.
Originally from Kidderminster, Malcolm has 24 years experience within the construction industry, working as an estimator and surveyor. Projects he has worked on include Mansfield Hospital, Cardiff Central Library, the Welsh National Assembly Building and London’s iconic Swiss Re Building – a.k.a The Gherkin.
Malcolm also has experience working on security and contract cleaning-related projects.
His interests include motorcycles, martial arts, canoeing, skiing and pot-holing.
New Contract set to start at London Academy
Ocean Contract Cleaning London Ltd will start work on a new contract at a state-of-the-art education facility in North London next month.
The 12 month contract to clean the new Skinners Academy in Hackney, North London was awarded to Ocean in September but will work will officially begin in November.
The Skinners Academy is a new school for young people aged 11 – 19. It is a centre of excellence specialising in Business, Enterprise, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).
