Gloucester-based coldstore and composite panel specialist, ISD Solutions, is continuing a recruitment drive, started in 2020, in anticipation of major growth over the coming 18 months.

The business, a division of The P&M Group, saw turnover steadily rise from under £34m in 2018 to £46m for the current financial year, which closes at the end of January.

The company is forecasting more growth in 2022 and beyond, with booked orders and pipeline sales surpassing any previous annual performance.

As a result, the group will see its current workforce grow to over 220 from its current figure of 180, with vacancies primarily for site installers, project and site managers.

Many of the site staff will be supplied by coldstore installation specialist, Tysoe Holdings, recently acquired by The P&M Group. The company's growth is also expected to result in additional opportunities for its many subcontractor staff.

High demand from the food sector during the pandemic has seen ISD securing, completing and maintaining several large construction contracts for distribution centres, following the nationwide rise in online shopping.

As the company has grown, a painstaking selection of candidates sharing company values and culture has seen new staff join the business. Twenty-five new employees have joined ISD in the past 12 months - throughout the engineering, management, projects, design and health and safety departments of the business.

Andy Moon, chairman of The P&M Group Ltd, of which ISD Solutions is the major trading division, said: "We are working with recruitment and HR support to ensure that we maintain the quality of our specialist services, as well as maximising retention and staff motivation.

"Recruitment has been a key area of focus for the business over the past three years, as group sales have increased by some 40 per cent. The company is in a very active part of the economy - food production, distribution, retail and construction - boosted by both Brexit and the more recent growth in online shopping.

"Our forecasts and pipeline expect our relationships with existing and new clients to generate significantly more business for us over the next calendar year.

"It's an increase across all divisions of our group, albeit with an emphasis on coldstores, as our reputation for excellence and diligence continues to grow and become more relevant in the current business environment.

"As a result, recruitment has needed to be applied in all areas of our business, from finance to sales and project management."

The new recruitment drive follows a restructuring of the company in October last year, which saw a broadening of the management team, embracing working from home as part of a blended approach to work and a reduction of office space.

Andy said that a key ingredient of the culture was trust between management and staff, following years of careful recruitment and a clear dialogue to ensure that expected company standards were effectively communicated.

He continued: "Despite the turmoil caused by the pandemic, the labour market for good candidates is still very competitive. So part of our advantage as a recruiter is to communicate the importance of our values and culture, as well as meeting training and development needs.

"Our preferred recruitment partner focuses not only on a candidate's CV but of equal, if not more importance, is the person, their ambitions and values. It's vital that we check they're the right fit for the company and are able to contribute fully as the company grows. Combined with the technical expertise and specialist capabilities which we demand of our staff, that's been a major part of our recent success.

"Of course, with a changing economy and society, it is important that we adapt to new requirements. Firms placing orders with us need contractors which can meet challenges such as scale, financial strength and supply chain links to deliver projects.

"And a recent review of our business identified areas in which we can become leaner and more able to respond quickly to current and, hopefully, future challenges.

"Despite all the changes which are going on, it is critical we remain focused on good relationships with customers and suppliers, financial strength, and the attraction and reward of skilled and dedicated staff."

ISD Solutions is the major trading division of The P&M Group Ltd, which was founded in 1947.

Find more information about ISD Solutions here.