Home Secretary Amber Rudd visits Focus SB

East Sussex, United Kingdom, 2018-03-16 - Gary Stevens, managing director of British premium electrical accessories manufacturer Focus SB, extends a warm welcome on behalf of the company to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, local Hastings and Rye Conservative MP on Friday 16th March.

A visibly active and notably supportive MP, Ms Rudd takes a keen interest in all things local and when she learned about Focus SB’s success as the first, and only, British and European premium electrical accessories manufacturer in its industry to gain CQC factory accreditation to sell directly from Europe to mainland China in 2017 and achieve a full CCC licence for all its products for the Chinese marketplace, she was delighted to accept an invitation to attend a private factory tour at the company’s head office and main factory in St Leonards on Sea.

Research and development into a new product range for China is just one in a recent string of ongoing major investments made by the company under Mr Stevens’ leadership since his appointment in January 2016, which have included the purchase of an advanced 3D printer; robot cell; expansion into additional premises and growing the workforce. The company’s ambitious future plans were of considerable interest to Ms Rudd as Mr Stevens explained its aims to provide real prospects to resident job seekers in Hastings, which is one of the more deprived coastal towns in Sussex, despite being one of the richest in culture and diversity.

Gary Stevens had recently met Ms Rudd in Hastings when she delivered a speech championing the Disability Confident employer scheme, to which Focus SB is now a signed up member. Once an apprentice himself, Mr Stevens has volunteered to become an Enterprise Adviser in East Sussex to provide mentoring support to educational establishments, aiming to encourage young people to enter employment via apprenticeship schemes. He has already visited Bexhill Academy, receiving a positive response from the students and tutors there.

Mr Stevens commented: “When Amber Rudd’s office contacted us to host a meeting, we were honoured and delighted to have appeared on her radar. Our efforts over the past two years are front and centre of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and as a relatively small SME we have managed to break into the potentially lucrative Chinese market - something that other SMEs need to emulate to enable UK Plc to prosper post Brexit. The visit by Amber today is the icing on the cake and recognition that we are on the right track.”

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Editors notes

Focus SB® is an award winning innovative British manufacturer renowned for the design, development and specialist hand finishing of premium electrical wiring accessories, blending traditional artisan techniques with the latest technology; specified for world class hospitality and leisure resorts, prime residential developments, heritage buildings, royal residences, superyachts and commercial projects both domestically and internationally.

In 2017 Focus SB made history in its industry when the company became the first and only British and European manufacturer to gain CQC factory accreditation to supply and sell wiring accessories directly from Europe to China, also gaining full CCC licence for all of its products for the Chinese marketplace.

The company’s specialist capabilities include electrical accessory design, development and testing; bespoke metal plate design and manufacture; specialist metal finishing and complex supply chain project management. Focus SB commenced trading in 1979 and exports to Asia, the Middle East, Malta and West Africa. Projects include Aspen at Consort Place, Twenty Grosvenor Square, Belmond Cadogan Hotel, Corinthia London, Royal Lancaster London, Chelsea Barracks, No.1 Grosvenor Square, The Glebe, Hampton Court Palace, Windsor Castle, The Londoner Macao and Pudong Airport Satellite Terminal VIP lounges.

Focus SB is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by taking all appropriate measures to minimise any impact on the environment throughout the business from operational to manufacturing processes. The company's green energy investment plans have included solar panel, LED lighting and electric car charging points installation. Laser marking technology enables Focus SB to offer a standard alternative to screen printing, for improved fine detail quality and to significantly limit the use of environmentally damaging consumables and reduce waste.

Focus SB is a Disability Confident Employer since 2017 and is committed to creating equal opportunities and a diverse and inclusive workforce, seeing the company work closely with local charity Little Gate Supported Employment for over four years.

UK press contact: Suzi Baker, Balance Web Marketing +PR suzi@balancewebmarketing.co.uk