Charles Evans recycles its waste to heat the factory. Shavings, cuttings and surplus timber are burned in a £100,000 facility which circulates warm air into the workplace.
When you're responsible for the platform supporting a Damien Hirst artwork you know you have a product people rely on.
Damien Hirst's controversial sculptures involving dead cows and fish may not be to everyone's taste but they spelt a business opportunity for Liverpool firm Charles Evans Shopfitters Ltd.
"We do a lot of work for the Tate in Liverpool and that included the stand for one of Damien Hirst's works - a cow - last year," says managing director Paul McGregor.
That was one of the more unusual commissions for the long-established company which has just moved from the city centre to stylish new headquarters at Venture Point in Speke.
Charles Evans works nationwide for major clients like Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Natwest and HSBC. "We build partitions, doors and frames and fit security counters in banks," says Paul.
Local clients include Aintree Racecourse which has ordered a bespoke servery for a new jockeys' facility at the home of the Grand National.
The company's switch to Speke is a key development in its growth strategy. Since Paul headed up a buy-out of the Evans family's long-established firm the company has seen dramatic growth - turnover up from £3.5 million to £10 million in three years. To cope with their expanding business it was clear that they needed to move from their former premises close to King's Dock. So, in January, they moved into a £2.5 million 36,000 sq ft building on Venture Point.
"Now that the move is completed we expect to see turnover increase still further," says Paul. "We are now in a fantastic location, significantly closer to the motorway network which was the key factor."
The company employs around 40 people in Speke, another 30 at a factory in Stockport and 30 more at sites around the country - and the workforce is likely to double in the summer.
Paul attributes much of the success to his management team. "Strong management has been vital," he says. "It's been hard work. We never expected our turnover to increase the way it has but now we have moved to our new factory we are looking forward to taking it even higher."
