Innovate Issue 5

THE QUEEN’S AWARDSFOR ENTERPRISE:

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2004INNOVATION 2008

INN

OVATE

G R O U P

Oliver Auston:

Checkmate isn’t hanging about.

Viva Las Vegas:Safety fi rst on The Strip.Anaconda:

Starting to make big waves.Speedy:Get a super store.

Paul Auston:Past. Present. Future.

#5SPRING 2010

THE C

HECK

MATE

GR

OU

P N

EW

SLE

TTER

AUSTON:PAUL

Past. Present. Future.PAUL HAS LONG UNDERSTOOD THAT CAREFUL SUCCESSION PLANNING IS THE KEYHAVING been at the operational forefront of the Checkmate Group for the entire thirty years of the company’s existence, Paul has long understood that succession plan-ning would be crucial to Checkmate’s on-going development.

Those who know Paul will tell you that he never makes a knee jerk decision. Ever since his son Oliver joined the company back in the summer of 2000 he has been acutely aware that the business critical question of ascendancy must be carefully dealt with.

Paul explains, “Oliver has taken on, and developed

Checkmate’s Safety Division over the last 10 years and has

shown, through his sheer hard

work and attention to detail, that he can manage p e o p l e , retain staff and cus-tomers; and

build the c o m -

p a n y prof-

itability at the same time.”Paul is absolutely sure

that the careful mentor-ship of Oliver, Checkmate’s next Managing Director, is to the benefi t of customers and staff alike.

“We have been closely monitoring the perform-ance of the management team and are delighted with the results that Oliver has generated over the past few years,’ says Paul.

“We have a strong and very knowledgeable board here at Checkmate that has experienced both the good times and the bad.”

The board comprises of Paul, as Group Chairman, and a trio of very expe-rienced Non-Executive Directors; Des Crampton, Sir Roger Moate and Rich-ard Price.

All of the board mem-bers have a vast business acumen coupled with a long-standing emotional attachment to the Check-mate Group.

“Oliver will certainly be challenged by the board,”

Paul said. “and I know Oliver will be under no illusion that the spotlight will be fi rmly on him and the decisions he makes.

“Checkmate has great

opportunities to grow still further and I’m confi dent, under Oliver’s leadership, Checkmate has a very bright future indeed.”

So is Paul retiring? Far from it! Paul is still very busy with the latest incar-nation of the Checkmate brand - Anaconda (see page 6).

The Economist New York predicted Anaconda could be the “defi ning energy product of its generation”. A view endorsed by Paul who has spent the last two years with the SeaEnergy team honing the product and ensuring its long term viability.

Paul will also be spend-ing time developing sales for our marine export customers via our JV PWS, his expertise will ensure clients get the same qual-ity and service they expect from Checkmate.

Paul summed it all up, “Without question the future looks exceptionally exciting; and with a new Managing Director, new products, new markets to develop and a burgeoning reputation for innovation to cement, I’m sure I’ll be kept busy for a few more years yet!”

G R O U P

G R O U P

2 INNOVATE WWW.CHECKMATEUK.COM

newsCHECKNEWS FROM AROUND THE CHECKMATE GROUP

WHEN our unique 3m Xcalibre fall arrest block was launched in 2007 it was received to world-wide acclaim. Ever since we have been working hard to develop the 10m and 18m ver-sions with even more innovative safety features.

The latest additions to the Xcali-bre range are available with three different lifeline options. You can now choose from either wire rope, Dyneema fi bre rope or polyester webbing, making these new lighter blocks the most versatile we have ever produced. The Xcalibre FABX2 18m Dyneema unit weighs in at just 5.5kgs and has arrest forces as low as 3.5 kN! Other new features include a carry handle and shoulder strap.

G R O U P

For further information on the Xcalibre range visit our website or call 01795 580 333.

A Higher Calibre

WELL, we’ve done it again! Checkmate have come up with another international fi rst - the ecoAnchor.

The ecoAnchor is the world’s fi rst fully portable water-fi lled fall arrest anchor. It uses renewable resources in both manufacture and installation making it very eco-friendly.

When empty it weighs just 8kg making it easy to manoeuvre into position without the need for additional lift-ing equipment. Once full it weighs a hefty 430kg. It is extremely easy to use even on roofs with a pitch of up to 15 degrees.

G R O U P

For further information on the eco-Anchor visit our website or call 01795 580 333.

Ecological thinking

SAFETY BY DESIGN

580 333.

Gain to trainWITH an increasing demand for quality height safety train-ing Checkmate has created its own in-house training division.

In February 2010 Checkmate completed the purchase of spe-

cialist training company Zero G Height Safety.

“There were clear business align-ments,” explains Oliver Auston, “making the purchase a natural progression for us.”

Andy Stock (pictured right), the former proprietor of Zero G, will head up the newly formed HART (Height and Rescue Training).

G R O U P

To contact HART call Andy on 01795 580 333.

Safe LandingsMANY World War II aircraft have braking systems that use air bags inside the wheels.

Checkmate’s Flexible Engineer-ing Division was approached by a War Bird restorer to re-engineer the air bags for the only fl ying Glouces-ter Gladiator (pictured below), made famous during the defence of the Mediterranean island of Malta.

They had to be heat resistant, accurately made and meet strict Civil Aviation Authority standards.

Following this success, parts have now been made for Spitfi res and Hurricanes.

G R O U P

G R O U P

INNOVATE SPRING 2010 3

Checkmateisn’t hanging about.A DECADE ON AND OLIVER AUSTON’S

ENTHUSIASM STILL BURNS BRIGHTLY

ALTHOUGH ten years have passed, Oliver

Auston still remembers his fi rst sale vividly. “It

was to a well known caravan manufacturer

in the north-east of Eng-land,” he recalls, “and

the exhilaration I felt after making that sale

will never leave me.”Realising the huge potential in the height

safety market he spent the next two years focused on

product development. During this time Oliver

became Product Man-ager for the Safety Divi-

sion. Responsible for taking development of

products from concept right through to the

marketplace. “This was a great learn-ing period for me.” Oliver

remembers, “I worked closely with key suppli-

ers from casting foun-dries to specialist design

engineers.” This helped Oliver real-ise the importance of

R&D and it still drives him on today. Oliver is fi ercely

proud of the continued investment Checkmate

makes in the future of all its products.In 2007, Oliver became

Managing Director of Checkmate Safety. “I

quickly set myself some very stiff targets, particu-

larly breaking into the American market!” Oliver

recounts.That farsighted ground-

work has paid dividends recently involving Check-

mate in some rather big projects in Nevada! During 2008 Oliver

became the MD of both Checkmate Lifting and

Checkmate Safety. More success was just around the corner. “Sales

went up 60% in some key product groups,” recalls

Oliver, “partly as a result of Checkmate’s export

market growing signifi -cantly over the last two

years.” 2009 saw the merger

of Checkmate Lifting and Checkmate Safety, with so

many shared resources, mutual clients and mar-

kets it offered further opportunity to develop

both divisions cohesively. “The management

team are constantly look-ing for more synergies as

we push towards becom-ing even more customer

focused.” Oliver says, “With internal resources

being shared this has enabled us to concentrate

more on product devel-opment and research.”

Oliver’s R&D mantra, once again, coming to

the fore.“2010 is set to be our

toughest challenge to date,” announces Oliver,

“as we start the slow recovery from these

tricky economic times.” Despite that Oliver

and his entire team are determined to push

harder than ever, reach-ing out even further into

new fi elds and launching yet more products - the

energy Oliver instills in his team is infectious. When not champion-

ing the Checkmate brand Oliver relaxes at home

with his fi ancée Victoria and their two children

Olivia and William. G R O U P

G R O U P


CHECKMATE’S EXPERTISE MADE SURE NO ONE

HAD TO TAKE A GAMBLE IN VEGAS

FOR the past three years Checkmate has been

involved with the USA’s largest ever private

construction scheme. The imaginatively titled, City Center Project, is

a colossal enterprise, covering 76 acres of prime

real estate, right in the middle of the famous Las

Vegas Strip. Checkmate found themselves at the forefront

of the design and planning stages through-

out, with their expertise and ingenuity being

stretched to the very limit, as every exposed roof

and leading edge needed an individual height

safety solution.The site has some truly enormous structures,

including the two massive glass Veer Towers.

Checkmate’s advice was absolutely vital with

the site’s extraordinary 500,000 square foot retail

and entertainment district called The Crystals.

This incredibly intricate building required

some extremely complex answers to its unique

height safety requirements to ensure safe access

for maintenance teams in the future.

Managing Director Oliver Auston said, “We

are extremely proud to have been involved

with such a prestigious project. Our US partner

FallTech has been instrumental in securing this

business and we have greatly enjoyed working

closely with them throughout the project.” G R O U P

Las Vegas!

VIVA G R O U P


Anacondastarting to make big waves.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANACONDA WAVE ENERGY

CONVERTER IS APPROACHING AN IMPORTANT

MILESTONE OVER THE COMING WEEKS

IN 2009 Checkmate Seaen-

ergy Ltd, supported by

Carbon Trust, commissioned

consulting engineers Black &

Veatch to conduct an inde-

pendent review of the Ana-

conda technology.

Black & Veatch had con-

ducted an initial assessment

of the Anaconda device for

Carbon Trust at the time of

the Marine Energy Challenge

in 2007.

Following this assessment

Carbon Trust considered the

Anaconda technology, when

fully developed, to be a poten-

tial game changer in the wave

energy sector.

It was therefore logical for

Black & Veatch to update their

assessment in the light of the

extensive scale model testing

programme Checkmate Seaen-

ergy has undertaken over the

past 12 months. The report

will be delivered very shortly.

A vital part of the report

will cover the economic

viability of Anaconda

wave energy converters.

Checkmate Seaenergy

Ltd plans to use this Black &

Veatch report, together with

its recently completed devel-

opment and business plans in

approaches to potential inves-

tors. Checkmate will be making

a concerted effort to raise pri-

vate investment for the project

over the coming months.

Checkmate Seaenergy Ltd

has spent the last year testing

1:25 scale models (pictured

far left) of the Anaconda wave

energy converter in various

wave tanks around the UK

including Southampton Solent

University, QinetiQ Marine

Technology Park at Gosport

and the Hydrodynamics Labo-

ratory of Glasgow and Strath-

clyde Universities.

The early tests concentrated

on proof of concept while the

later tests delivered detailed

measurements of power deliv-

ery in a simulated West Hebri-

des wave climate.

For further information on

Anaconda visit our website

or call 01225 793280.

G R O U P


HAVING been with the Checkmate Group for fi fteen years Mark Hesslegrave has seen the good times and the tough times come and go, but is extremely confi dent that the business is economi-cally in the best shape it has ever been.

Mark, a proud Yorkshireman, likes to think of himself as the con-stant throughout the transition period from father to son in the Auston dynasty.

Having recently taken on the mantle of Commercial Director, Mark is delighted that the Auston family will remain in control, pro-viding the direction that is required to continue driving the business forward.

Northern Rock

A Wise MoveCheckmate Group acquired Avon Rubber plc’s Fabrication Division in October 1999.

The business fi tted naturally with Checkmate’s desire to break into maritime, defence and industrial products.

Since then Checkmate Flexible Engineering division has shown it is a highly effective player in the UK’s specialist engineering sector.

As with the rest of the Group innovation is the watchword at the Wiltshire factory and nothing shows this off better than the 2008 Queen’s Award for Innovation for the design and development of the corner fi ll dunnage bag.

G R O U P

To contact Checkmate Flexible Engineering call 01225 705 465.

Cat’s cradleA $30M superyacht called Hemi-sphere, described as the world’s largest cruising catamaran, arrived in Falmouth recently to have its fi nal fi t-out.

Checkmate customer Delphini purchased the heavy duty 24 tonne quaplex polyester web-slings (pictured above) to lift the 164 tonne hull into dry dock.

G R O U P

To contact Checkmate Lifting call 01795 580 333.

Mark is part of a management team whose ethos, under the lead-ership of new MD Oliver Auston, is to become even more customer focused than ever before. Mark wholeheartedly agrees with this view saying, “We can focus on exactly what our clients are telling us they need. As architects create evermore complex buildings, which demand evermore innovative solutions for health and safety, we can concentrate our resources on developing the right solutions for our customers”..

To contact Mark email him at [email protected] or call 01795 580 333.

newsCHECKNEWS FROM AROUND THE CHECKMATE GROUP

G R O U P


a speedy thank you

to their Checkmates

SPEEDY OPENS ITS FIRST SUPERSTORE

SPEEDY, the leading provider

of equipment rental and sup-

port services, has opened its

fi rst ever Superstore in Stoke-

on-Trent.

The 20,000 sq ft facility –

which will provide small tools,

lifting and survey equipment,

light plant, and fencing - it will

also offer customers testing,

inspection and repair services

for lifting equipment.

The company plans to open

over 30 Superstores around the

UK by 2012. They will comple-

ment the traditional depot net-

work, but will typically stock a

wider range of equipment.

Checkmate Lifting supply

all of Speedy’s height safety

equipment and textile lifting

slings.

Colin Naylor, Managing

Director Midlands at Speedy

Asset Services said: “We thank

Checkmate for their profes-

sionalism and top quality

service. It’s suppliers like them

that have enabled us to open

Superstores such as this one

in Stoke-on-Trent. The Super-

store will enable us to address

a much wider region, ensuring

we can service both existing

and new customers faster.”

To contact Checkmate Lifting

call 01795 580 333.

Just when you thought it was safe.

AFTER the huge success of the CheckLine permanent horizontal lifeline Checkmate are launching CheckLine II in

Holland in April with their Dutch partner Daksafe BV.

The new system features unrivalled technology such as an aerospace

alloy ball trolley with spring loaded ceramic balls that allow con-

stant contact with the cable producing a much smoother transi-

tion through the intermediate brackets and corners.

The all new adjustable intermediate bracket, capable of rotat-

ing through 180 degrees, and a radical corner post design give

the installer a wide range of angles from the same components

reducing both installation time and inventory.

Aggressively priced and with stocks available in June this is a

system you really can’t be without!

For further information on the Checkline II visit our

website or call 01795 580 333.

IT GOT SAFER! CHECKMATE INTRODUCE... CHECKLINE II

Checkmate, Xcalibre, the Knights Helmet logo, EcoAnchor and HART are all registered trademarks of Checkmate Limited, a company registered in England & Wales. All rights reserved.

G R O U P

Innovate Issue 5

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