The Lichfield company delivering great service and lots of goodwill

Steel, grit, determination, passion, belief and even a slice of luck at times.

And kindness and respect shouldn’t be underestimated in business either. That’s certainly something which Legionella and Fire Safe Services believe.

“We are nothing without our people” is the message the management team at the multi-award winning and ever-expanding Lichfield business are always keen to push forward.

Staff are very much the fabric of the business, helping create the success which sees the company forecasting up to £6m in turnover this year.

It has certainly come a long way since it was set up in 2017 by compliance industry specialist Steve Morris, who had a desire to improve service excellence in the sector.

He was joined by Danielle Bayliss and LFS was born with two laptops and an oil heater in a small rented office in Lichfield.

The pair secured major contracts in several industries, including with Birmingham City Council, retail, education, manufacturing and hospitality, and the firm leads the way in innovative new products and processes.

In June 2021, the business moved from its then Rugeley office to a new standalone HQ at Britannia Way in Lichfield to accommodate the growth and continued success means a further move could be on the horizon next year.

They have built success from humble beginnings and, last year, LFS received a national award, winning silver for Contractor of the Year (contract value up to £5 million) in the 2022 National Building and Construction Awards at a glitzy ceremony in London. The company was also named Sustainable Installer of the Year.

Mr Morris said: “The secret to our success is caring for our clients and our staff. Danielle and I could have the best ideas but unless you have the right team underneath you then you can’t achieve success.

“We have a great team and there is a good vibe here.

“We always say, we don’t want to just hear typing on a keyboard, we want to hear people talking. We all have a job to do but if we can enjoy it as well, that’s important.

“My dad, Johnny, was a stand-up comedian in the 1970s. So I was brought up with humour and I feel a massive part of working here is that we all enjoy it. It helps us have a good retention of staff.”

Business manager Kym Darby agrees, adding: “Our staff and customers are so important to us.

“No matter how big we get, we always say nobody will ever be a number. That’s how we think.We promote from within and we invest in team members.

“On National Employee Appreciation Day, we bought every single person in the company lunch and those on construction sites had meals delivered to them.

“We do lots of employee recognition events such as team building days and, during Covid, we didn’t furlough anyone.

“They worked from home and we had daily meetings and gave them care packages with little treats, positive motivational books and chocolates.

“We provide free private healthcare, 24/7 private GP service for staff and their families, Perk box discounts and access to a new wellness hub.

“We try to look after our customers too. We have 100 Easter eggs, which we will shortly be taking out to residents on the blocks we have been working on, just as a thank you.”

It’s very much a vision of ‘service above profits’ as the company looks to share the rewards of a great year with its 60 employees.

And it’s certainly been a fantastic year.

Danielle, operations director at LFS, said: “Winning a prestigious national award was huge recognition for every single member of the team and their contributions to the business.

“The judging criteria recognised how the business has developed in the last 12 months in areas of innovation, how obstacles have been overcome, and overall success in delivering key projects. From starting less than six years ago to being recognised at a national awards ceremony is an achievement we are extremely proud of.”

Pride is certainly something the team should feel. This is a fantastic business success story.

After Covid, the company grew by 45 per cent in 2022, with forecasted growth of another 50 per cent this year.

“We are proud of what we have achieved,” adds Steve. “We have great passion for the business and our staff do as well, right the way to field level.”

As a business, it continues to expand. It originally had a focus on Legionella compliance, led by a highly-skilled team of corporately-trained technicians and senior management team with nearly 30 years of water industry experience.

They deliver high quality service, backed by an assurance that they will always give you the best, and most transparent advice to prevent the growth of Legionella Bacteria to help keep staff, customers and the wider public safe.

In 2018, the company then invested in its Fire Compliance Division which includes Passive Fire Protection, Fire Door Installations, fire risk assessments and more.

It also has a construction element, including specialist work in soil and vent pipe replacments, and since January has added an Energy Reduction, Decarbonisation Division.

Danielle, who was inspired to join the construction industry after seeing her dad Peter at work, said: “Decarbonisation is obviously a big focus.

“We are helping Birmingham reach its 2030 target. We are, for example, installing smart technology hot water tanks to reduce energy bills by 35 per cent.

"We are working alongside infra-red panel manufacturers and other technology to bring in. We are focused on this and want to be at the forefront of it.”

Steve adds: “We feel we are making a big impact on fuel poverty for the residents we work with and that’s a journey we are proud of. To be a part of that is really good.”

Decarbonisation work is very much part of the plan, moving forward, along with bringing through more apprentices and creating jobs for the local community.

Danielle explains: “We use local suppliers and employ skilled workers on the patch and that’s something that is important to us. Hopefully we are looking at another 30 job opportunities this year.”

“We create a lot of local employment,” adds Steve. “I always say we want to help keep the pound in the Midlands. It’s nice to be able to do that and it’s a part of the business where you feel rewarded – creating jobs and giving people opportunities.

“Later this year, we are looking to launch a training academy. Skilled labour is short across the country but rather than moaning for three months about not be able to find someone, we think, why not spend those three months training someone up?

“We invest in people so this is something we are keen to do to help us continue on our journey.”