EESI Group Celebrates 25 Years with Charity Events, Fundraising & a New Product Launch!
EESI Group Services is celebrating 25 years in business, with a year-long celebration from August 2019 – July 2020.
The anniversary will include charity fundraising, the launch of a new EESIHIRE service and a 25-year celebration barbeque for employees and their families.
The company, which was set up by local businessman Mike Gardiner in 1994 as an electrical contractor with just two employees, has 25 years later evolved into EESI Group Services, a multi-million-pound turnover building services and facilities management company employing 70 people. Today, whilst he has semi-retired, Mike Gardiner remains owner and active chairman, and is supported by Managing Director, Derek Jarman who has been working alongside Mike from day one.
Soon after EESI started, Steve Farthing joined to create a team of three and he also remains in the company 25 years on, now as the Electrical Divisional Manager. It is testament to the culture of the business that there are so many long-standing employees, some of whom started as apprentices and today hold senior roles in the business.
“Surrounding ourselves with the right people has been a key part of the business being so successful,” said Derek. “A lot of our employees stay with us for their whole careers, and that’s something we’re all very proud of.”
He also believes that the customer service offered by EESI is the foundation of its success. “We have many clients who have been with us since the very beginning 25 years ago, not many businesses can say that. Our approach is not solely to seek more customers, but to also offer our existing customers better and additional services – this strategy has worked for EESI and it has enabled us to grow consistently.”
This diversification commenced in 2004 with the purchase of a local company Thermofire, followed swiftly by the creation of a new HVAC division. In 2006 a Building Services Department was added. Derek Hyett, Mechanical Divisional Manager is at the helm.
And now, in its 25th year EESI has launched a new service – the hire of temporary cooling, heating, ventilation and drying equipment, under the banner of EESIHIRE. “It’s very exciting to be moving into a new market, and it’s always very satisfying to identify the right solutions for our customers and be in the position to provide them directly” said Derek Hyett.
Reflecting on the 25 years Mike Gardiner said: “It is a sense of real delight for me to celebrate the 25th anniversary of EESI – it’s everything I’d hoped it would become and there is no reason why it will not continue to prosper.”
For its 25th anniversary, EESI has decided to nominate a ‘charity of the year’ to fundraise for. This will be Longfield, a local charity that provides hospice care for people with life-limiting illnesses, and the management have agreed to match-fund the final figure raised by its employees.
Ali Russell, CEO of Longfield, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as EESI’s charity in their 25th Year. It really is fabulous to have a well-respected local company raise funds to help local families benefit from free hospice care. We look forward to an exciting, fun packed year full of fundraising events and activities for everyone.”