2018 - What a Year!
Publish date: 20/12/2018
“As another year draws to a close, conducting our internal business updates has allowed me to reflect on what a year it has been for our business. 2018 has brought excitement, change and challenge in equal measure, whilst presenting opportunity and growth for FMG.
The significant investment and subsequent move to Broad Lea House, our new Head Office at Bradley Business Park, has to be a personal highlight. I am delighted to see all of our people back together under one roof for the first time in 10 years, enjoying a state of the art working environment and welcoming customers, suppliers and prospects to our new home.
Over 100 new employees joined our business throughout the year, and a staggering 84 colleagues achieved advancement or promotion within their roles. Rewarding our people, for their excellence, always bring a genuine pride.
Our largest new business focus this year was within the vehicle manufacturer space, undertaking our single largest implementation programme to deliver an insurer-based proposition, taking our bespoke solutions into a whole new market sector.
In terms of industry challenges, there’s a trio at the forefront; WLTP, GDPR and of course, Brexit. WLTP has brought uncertainty and disorder over the new emissions standard, with the new testing regime presenting customer issues around vehicle supply and deferred vehicle replacement. The widespread advice of the moment seems to be ‘choose a car that meets the requirements, with the lowest CO2 emissions possible’. It’s not the most exciting time to be a company car driver if you’re caught in this myriad of rules, regulations and uncertainty.
It’s been a little over six months since GDPR was brought into effect, aimed at providing an added layer of security to data management. The essence of the regulation can’t be disputed; ethical use of consumer data has been long due. A closely managed project allowed us to meet the imposed requirements to timescales, and continue to trade with customers and partners seamlessly.
The Brexit debate continues to dominate the news and divide opinion. We’re all united in our frustrations and concerns and Brexit will no doubt bring challenges, but we will learn, adapt and adjust, being nimble and alert to the changing environment. Whatever happens, I hope for an outcome that allows all the sectors we operate in, and the UK as a whole, to continue to prosper.
The one challenge that caught us all unawares this year was ‘the Beast from the East’. This continued period of adverse weather across the entire country, brought with it chaos and disruption. We faced new challenges, on larger scales, with our whole supply chain being impacted in one way or another. The learnings we have taken from this event has allowed us to adapt our business model to counter any similar scenarios that we may face in the future; learning and adapting will always be key to thriving within our industry.
Looking ahead, what can you expect to see from FMG in 2019? We will maintain our commitment to being a great place to work, continue to deliver a first class service with every interaction through the dedication and expertise of our people, and deliver profitable growth for our business.
We enter the New Year with the strongest pipeline we’ve ever had. We will continue to invest in our core markets, enhance our proposition, focus on innovation and technology, and look at new ways to work with our partners to meet the ever-changing needs of customers.
FMG made significant progress during 2018 and this reflects the hard work, commitment and combined efforts of all our people and our supply chain partners. I am incredibly proud that this year I got to take the reins of the business and become Managing Director, and I am confident that we are well placed to continue on the same upward trend as we move into a new year.
Wishing our customers, clients, suppliers, partners, colleagues and friends all the joys of the season and I look forward to working with you all in 2019.”
Harvey Stead, Managing Director, FMG.