As a now publically owned business, Fulcrum has a proven track record of focusing on customer service and was the first UK utility connections specialist to achieve the 'Putting the Customer First' standard.

Sales and Marketing Director Richard Atkinson commented: "This office move marks a significant step forward in the unveiling of 'new Fulcrum' as an improved and more customer focused business." 

The business-wide changes at Fulcrum are all geared towards providing an improved customer experience from better trained front end staff to a new network of Business Development Managers that will soon be rolled out across the country.

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Transport for London are the first local authority in Britain to introduce new lane rental charges under Street Works regulations designed to reduce traffic congestion when roads need to be dug up. 

The new fee scheme covers over 200 miles, 57%, of "Red Route" London roads including major arterial routes into and out of central London. Charges will be based on a sliding scale depending on how busy the relevant road section is, the duration and what time of day works are carried out, how much of the carriageway is affected and if they affect key traffic "pinch points".

Commenting on the new regulations, Fulcrum's Associate Director of Operations, Ian Foster, said it was inevitable some London installation contracts would cost more.

"These new regulations will affect the cost of works carried out by all utility companies operating at key points on designated roads and streets in the Transport for London area. Clearly the intention is to persuade utility companies and others undertaking carriageway works to try to complete activity outside peak traffic times.

"As a responsible utilities infrastructure company, Fulcrum will do everything in its power to minimise additional costs to clients caused by the new regulations. Where possible, we will seek to work with clients to avoid routes and times attracting the lane rental levy - but in some cases, due to the nature, precise location and duration of the required works, additional customer costs may be unavoidable.

"As the exact amount of potential additional cost will vary significantly for individual contracts, depending on their scale, location and duration, we urge customers to speak to Fulcrum early in the planning and design stage.

"We can then confirm whether their proposal may be affected by lane rental, explain the extent of the implications and support customers by jointly exploring the works options and any available alternative routes which might reduce or eliminate the new Transport for London fees."

The Department of Transport is currently looking to gather evidence of the effectiveness of lane rental in reducing traffic disruption and is seeking to trial the scheme in at least two other, as yet unnamed, local authority areas.

The selected authorities will need to have exhausted other options, including using a permit scheme.

The Department of Transport says lane rental schemes will be evaluated annually and revenue raised used to reduce future road works disruption through new infrastructure, research or measures to improve works management.

Additional information and guidance:

• Customers seeking advice on potential lane charges affecting their development can read our specific FAQs, contact us on 0845 641 3010  or email us at enquiries@fulcrum.co.uk
• A map showing key routes affected is available for download here
• A copy of the Transport For London Lane Rental Scheme is available here
• A copy of the relevant Department for Transport press release is available here

The site, www.fulcrumutilityserviceslimited.co.uk, provides the investment community with dedicated content including current share price, historic share trends, Board profiles and financial performance reports and news updates.
The website shares the same styling as Fulcrum's retail website at www.fulcrum.co.uk but concentrates on key information for investors.

Fulcrum Utility Services, formerly Marwyn Capital 1 Limited, joined the Alternative Investment Market after a reverse takeover of Fulcrum which was previously part of National Grid. Fulcrum is now a leading independent utilities infrastructure organisation, providing technical engineering, design, project management, consultancy and audit services across gas and multi-utility connections.

Read the full East Lane case study here

"Fulcrum has come a long way in the two years since it severed ties with National Grid," said Fulcrum Sales and Marketing Director Richard Atkinson.

"As the UK's definitive exhibition for energy professionals, we will be using The Energy Event as a reminder that we are no longer simply a gas connections company and now offer a wide and varied range of truly customer-focused energy solutions that meet the needs of today's market in a flexible and cost effective way."

Fulcrum's stand at the exhibition, which runs over September 11-12, will include videos of recent connections along with interactive information tablets and company service literature.

"The key thing for us is the chance to talk with, and listen to, both existing customers and new contacts," said Richard. "Our business development team will be on hand for all those who want to discover the benefits that choosing Fulcrum now offers."

Additional information:

• See Fulcrum on Stand F40 in the Hall 7-8 area of the NEC on September 11th and 12th
• Entry to The Energy Event 2012 is free for visitors who pre-register at www.theenergyevent.com prior to arrival. Normal entrance fee is £30.

Under the safety standard, outlet gas pipework should be inspected to make certain it has not been compromised over time by, for example, corrosion, recently-added building extensions, building layout-changes, additional pipework or simple neglect. Fulcrum's pipeline check will help companies avoid any potential for sudden disruption of their business due to gas pipeline condition issues and provides an opportunity for pre-emptive  identification of anything that could lead to a more serious health and safety incident.

Fulcrum is inviting more than 400 customers who had gas connections undertaken in 2006-7 to take advantage of the free preventative maintenance check  - even if their outlet pipework was already in existence or newly-installed by other contractors at the time.

In an ongoing rolling programme, customers who had gas connections installed by Fulcrum in 2008 will receive a similar invitation in 2013 with invites to more recent clients thereafter.

The free scheme applies to all business and public sector properties  with significant gas energy consumption - typically leisure and retail facilities, manufacturers, public sector sites such as hospitals and colleges or any business/infrastructure that has large scale gas outlet pipework,

"This new service underlines our ongoing commitment to meeting customer needs and providing customers with added value - in this case, the peace of mind that they are operating a safe, well maintained business environment for their customers, visitors and staff or an expert view on the steps necessary to make it so," said Fulcrum's Associate Director of Operations, Ian Foster.

"The consequences of substandard outlet pipework can pose a significant risk to both the safety of people in and around the relevant pipework area and damage overall business continuity and reputation. Through our new free pipework check, we are now providing past customers across England, Scotland and Wales with cost-free access to experienced Gas Safe engineers who will conduct a thorough inspection and produce a report indicating if any remedial action is needed."

Fulcrum's track record in cost-efficient gas pipeline design, installation and connection is your guarantee of an effective solution to rising Heavy Fuel Oil costs.

Discover more about our Heavy Fuel Conversion service here
  

Fulcrum's stand at the exhibition, which runs over September 11-12, will include videos of recent connections along with interactive information tablets and company service literature.

Additional information:

• See Fulcrum on Stand F40 in the Hall 7-8 area of the NEC on September 11th and 12th
• Entry to The Energy Event 2012 is free for visitors who pre-register at www.theenergyevent.com prior to arrival. Normal entrance fee is £30.

The new installation will supply natural gas to an energy centre that includes combined heat and power units (CHP) and a central biomass heat generator, providing energy for the indoor pool and leisure facilities, 625 lodges, a luxury hotel, self-contained spa suites and retail outlets.  The gas supply will also support hotel laundry facilities and cooking in the many restaurants.

"This is a forest area so consideration of the landscape and protecting the environment during installation will be just as high on our priority list as a safe and efficient gas supply," said Fulcrum's Sales and Marketing Director, Richard Atkinson.

Fulcrum was selected for the six-figure pipeline design and installation contract by building services design company Cunnington Clark. Fulcrum is now working closely with civil and structural engineers Hannah Reed who have undertaken much of the infrastructure design for Center Parcs Woburn Forest.

"Protection of the environment has always been a fundamental guiding principle for Center Parcs when constructing a new site and Woburn Forest will be no exception. Center Parcs has agreed to a sustainability strategy with the local authority and as such Fulcrum will be providing us with a safe, natural gas connection to support Woburn Forest.", said Center Parcs Woburn Construction Director Don Camilleri.

The pipeline will consist of a 180-250mm diameter polyethylene main supplemented with 180mm diameter service pipework, over seven times the diameter of domestic gas pipes, with kiosk and meter. The 14 week installation is expected to commence before September and projected to complete late 2012.

The new works for Center Parcs Woburn Forest are taking place only 20 miles from another significant Fulcrum installation in Aylesbury where the company is providing gas pipeline design and gas infrastructure works for a new £150million "super dairy" for Arla Foods.

"While some aspects of Fulcrum service provision are included, Fulcrum TV is more about telling than selling," said Fulcrum Sales & Marketing Director Richard Atkinson. "We're providing Fulcrum TV as an added value service that provides the kind of factual information to allow our customers to make informed choices around utility connections and related services."

Over coming weeks new content will be added to Fulcrum TV and will feature information on safety-related  pipework inspection and maintenance requirements, a guidance on securing quick gas disconnections to protect development schedules and the advantages to industrial, commercial and public sector enterprises of switching from heavy fuel oil to gas.

Fulcrum now retains its listing alongside 300 other organisations that have undergone Putting The Customer First assessment since it was founded in 2004, including The Prince's Trust, Skipton Building Society and The London School of Economics.

"Fulcrum was the first utilities connection specialist to achieve the National Standard for Customer Service and we are delighted to have retained our listing," said Fulcrum Sales and Marketing Director Richard Atkinson. "But we're not complacent and we're now pushing for even higher performance levels in terms of customer satisfaction.

"Some of those changes, such as the ability to request a quote through our website and take advantage of multi-utility connection services, are already in place.  We expect customer satisfaction levels to rise higher still as efforts to reframe all our services around making life easier for clients slot into place over coming months."

Under the safety standard, gas pipework should be inspected to make certain it has not been compromised over time by, for example, corrosion, recently-added building extensions, building layout-changes, additional pipework or simple neglect. Fulcrum's pipeline check will help companies avoid any potential for sudden disruption of their business due to gas pipeline condition issues and provides an opportunity for pre-emptive identification of anything that could lead to a more serious health and safety incident.

Fulcrum has already invited more than 400 customers who had gas connections undertaken by  in 2006-7 to take advantage of the free preventative maintenance check - even if their outlet pipework was already in existence or newly-installed by other contractors at the time.

In an ongoing rolling programme, customers who had gas connections installed by Fulcrum in 2008 will receive a similar invitation in 2013 with invites to more recent clients thereafter.

Fulcrum is now extending its free customer scheme to all business and public sector properties with significant gas energy consumption - typically leisure and retail facilities, manufacturers, public sector sites such as hospitals and colleges or any business/infrastructure that has large scale gas outlet pipework.

"This new service underlines our ongoing commitment to gas safety both for our existing customers and for businesses generally where they are large scale commercial users of gas," said Ian Foster, Fulcrum's Associate Director of Operations.

"We are seeking to provide businesses and public sector organisations with either the peace of mind that they are operating a safe, well maintained business environment for their customers, visitors and staff or an expert view on the steps necessary to make it so."

"The consequences of substandard outlet pipework can pose a significant risk to both the safety of people in and around the relevant pipework area and damage overall business continuity and reputation. Through our new free pipework check, we are now providing cost-free access to experienced Gas Safe engineers who will conduct a thorough inspection and produce a report indicating if any remedial action is needed."

Fulcrum's move to support gas safety has been applauded by Gas Safe Register.

"We welcome Fulcrum's support for Gas Safety Week 2012. Organisations from across industry are using the Week as an opportunity to make their customers aware of the importance of gas safety and the steps they can take to keep themselves safe. Gas Safe Register is at the heart of the campaign but it is the support of industry which makes it a success." said Paul Johnston, chief executive of Gas Safe Register.

If your business wants to take advantage of Fulcrum's gas safety check, please call them on 0845 641 3010 or visit www.fulcrum.co.uk.

In addituion, Fulcrum will also be premiering a number of short Fulcrum TV 'talking heads' videos during the event.

"The key thing for us is the chance to talk with, and listen to, both existing customers and new contacts," said Richard Atkinson, Sales and Marketing Director. "Our business development team will be on hand for all those who want to discover the benefits that choosing Fulcrum now offers."

Additional information:

• See Fulcrum now on Stand F40 in the Hall 7-8 area of the NEC (September 11th and 12th)

The free inspection helps companies comply with the Institute of Gas Engineering Managers IGEM UP/2 (inspection & maintenance) standard that all downstream outlet pipework and ancillary equipment should be supported by a full maintenance plan, annual inspections and soundness testing at least once every five years.

Speaking at The Energy Event, the UK's premier energy industry exhibition taking place this week at Birmingham's NEC, Richard Atkinson, Fulcrum's Sales & Marketing Director, said: "Some may see the IGEM guidance as red tape but it underpins a common sense attitude to safety. We agree that some health and safety edicts deserve reappraisal, particularly those causing undue burden to small businesses, but others make a very definite contribution to business performance as well as protecting staff and visitors.

"For example, pipework that has degraded over time, been poorly maintained or compromised by later building work or refurbishment represents a significant commercial and operational risk as well as a danger to life and limb. As a safety-conscious company, we took a decision earlier this year to extend the free inspections we offer past Fulcrum customers to other large gas users - even if we did not do the original installation.

"As a responsible gas connection and disconnection business, we will continue to make it easier for companies to be safe and avoid the operational and financial fall-out of unplanned gas service disruption caused by poor pipe maintenance - worse, the potential for legal action against company directors in the event of  serious incident."

"Finding ways to cut energy costs is top of every Boardroom's agenda. With fuel oil price trends the way they are, the payback period can be astonishingly short," says John.

"If you are a fuel oil user, it's time to see just how much a switch to gas can benefit your bottom line."

Watch the video here.

"Good customer service is often about identifying and meeting customer needs and reminding customers who may not have taken action before that changed circumstances have created even greater benefits," said Fulcrum Sales Director Richard Atkinson.

"Most firms using Heavy Fuel Oil are located in rural areas meaning a gas connection entails investment in a new pipeline. If they found that investment level outweighed the benefit in the past, they could be in for a very pleasant surprise if they look again.

Richard explained: "Heavy Fuel Oil costs have soared in recent years. Price trends against gas now means businesses can enjoy bottom line payback on a new pipeline connection in as little as a matter of months - and potentially very significant ongoing energy bill savings in the years to come."

Fulcrum is providing active advice to business users of Heavy Fuel Oil who want to make the switch with the offer of a free feasibility and support that includes sales a new online video guide.

The move follows in the wake of a company commitment to provide free gas pipework "M.O.T" inspections to large business users of gas and recent confirmation by the independent Customer First organisation of Fulcrum's place among 300 UK companies certified as leading the way in customer service.

To find out more about National Customer Service Week, organised by the National Institute for Customer Service, visit www.instituteofcustomerservice.com.

Watch the video here.

"There is a gap there as far as utility connection suppliers in general are concerned and we intend to be the one to plug it," said Richard Atkinson, Fulcrum's Sales Director,

Atkinson will tell developers at this year's Home Builders Federation (HBF) National Utility Conference that Fulcrum is restructuring its backroom support services to make it easier for builders to avoid the kind of connection delays that can cause construction schedule setbacks and additional cost.

Fulcrum hopes its investment in customer service enhancements will help house builders in a fragile UK market that has halved in value from £19.8billion in 2007 to £10billion in 2012 due to the downturn. Fewer new homes are being built than at any time since the 1920s and successful mortgage applications for all homes are at half the level of 2006-7.

"In a challenging market house builders are surviving, and many thriving, by building smarter - and we want to help in that," said Atkinson. "They are driving out risk by focusing hard on the type, number and selling price of the new builds on offer and we are driving out risk of slippage in connection schedules, and the associated costs in delays on site for house builders and developers, by reorganising to better meet their build timing needs."

"We're also being proactive in supporting house builders commercially. For example by undertaking multi-utility connections - digging a single trench for gas pipelines and electricity cables, sharing the financial savings with the developer through more competitive pricing and cutting out the time and hassle of dealing with several utility suppliers."

"When every penny counts, this kind of approach can be vital to saving time on completion of the project as well as money on the connections themselves."

Atkinson said Fulcrum was making "strong progress" toward eradicating many of the problem areas highlighted in past surveys by the National Federation of House builders (NFB) on the issues faced by developers when requesting electricity, gas, water and telecoms connections from UK utility connection companies in general. The NFB conducted its most recent survey into service standards during 2011.

 "Many issues boiled down to ineffective communication lines between the utility company and the house builder and a lack of empathy for their commercial position," said Atkinson.

"Change to make life easier doesn't have to be radical, just effective. Here at Fulcrum we now provide a single point of contact for the developer. Someone who will keep them up to date and work with them should there need to be a change of plan."

Richard Atkinson will be presenting more details of Fulcrum's aims to put 'clear blue water' between its service levels and those of other utility connection suppliers at The Home Builders Federation's National Utility Conference at Wigan's DW Stadium on October 31st.
 

For more about the Home Builders Federation (HBF) National Utility Conference the conference, visit www.hbf.co.uk.

The research shows the cost of heavy fuel oil has risen by 254% over the past decade compared to 94% for natural gas and that gas powered heating and production is also significantly less damaging to the environment.

"Most businesses using heavy fuel oil for production and heating don't do so out of choice but because they are located in rural areas away from mains gas," said Fulcrum sales and marketing director Richard Atkinson.

"This is a proactive attempt to help those businesses control their energy costs by giving them the facts on the negative financial effect of using heavy fuel oil and showing just how cost effective a switch to natural gas can be.

"Investment in a pipeline extension may sound daunting but our research shows that with Heavy Fuel Oil prices as they are, many organisations can recoup the cost of switching to gas in as little as a few months - with every penny saved after that going straight to the bottom line."

• Download your  copy of "The Dash for Gas - Why UK business consumers of heavy fuel oil need to consider converting to natural gas" 

"We are delighted that Chivas Brothers, Diageo and Angus Dundee have chosen to make this investment at a time when Scotch whisky exports are growing substantially," said Richard Atkinson, Fulcrum's Sales and Marketing Director. "The pipeline will dramatically improve the distilleries' energy infrastructure, providing scope for them to scale-up production and guarantee product continuity and will provide a significant reduction to carbon footprints at each distillery.

"This will be one of the most ambitious gas infrastructure projects in the UK for a number of years. Oil prices have been volatile for some time and it is increasingly economical for companies outside the main gas network to make this kind of investment."

In a joint comment the three distillery companies said: "These distilleries were founded before the advent of gas as an energy source and their distant locations were often chosen for a bounteous supply of fresh spring water above all else. It is a very positive move to bring them online with the main gas network which will bring environmental and economic benefits to all distillers concerned."

It is anticipated that Chivas Brothers, Diageo and Angus Dundee will recoup their initial investment within a few years based on current energy prices. The new pipeline will also offer social and environmental benefits to the areas around the distilleries - reducing dependence on heavy-fuel tankers, opening up access to cleaner energy supply and removing the risks associated with storing large quantities of oil.

Fulcrum is in discussions with several other Scotch whisky distillers interested in funding new gas connection pipelines, either as part of a consortium or individually.

Technical details

• The pipe will be constructed from high density polyethylene and steel pipework and will consist of a main spur with three "legs" serving four distillery termination points.
• The pipeline will follow the route of the A95 and continue south through Marypark and cross the Bridge of Avon to supply the Cragganmore and Tormore Distilleries. The pipeline will also "tee off" at Delnashaugh and follow the B9008 and B9136 to provide gas to The Glenlivet and Tomintoul Distilleries.
  For most of its route, it will be buried under local roads.
• It will transfer natural gas to Speyside from the existing gas network and will be designed to cope with expected demand of well over 4,000 cubic metres per hour.
• Subject to relevant route proposals and Roads Authorities permissions, Fulcrum will begin undertaking the pipe installation in autumn this year.

Learn more about Heavy Fuel Conversion here.

"Like general consumers, businesses using fuel oil for heating have been particularly hard hit by upward price trends in recent years," said Fulcrum's sales director Richard Atkinson. "Fuel oil costs have increased by 254% over the past decade - more than double the price increase of gas over the same period - making investment in company connection to mains gas very attractive.

Atkinson cited Fulcrum's recent joint pipeline commission from whisky distiller trio Diageo, Chivas and Angus Dundee to create a new 16-mile link from the main gas network to production centres in rural Speyside, Scotland. 

"While the investment runs to several millions, the payback is significant for the businesses involved both in terms of the short time required to see a return on investment and the on-going savings thereafter. We expect at least one of the companies to save £50,000 a week in energy costs as a direct result of being able to switch from fuel oil to gas. And due to the cleaner nature of gas, we estimate each company will also reduce their carbon footprints by more than a quarter."



• To find out more about Fulcrum assistance in business conversion from heavy fuel oil to gas, contact Fulcrum on 0845 641 3010 
• To find out more about The Big Energy Saving Week, visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
   or www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Watch the video here.

In the new online video, now available on Fulcrum TV and via YouTube and Vimeo, Fulcrum product development manager Craig McGlone explains the advantages of rapid gas disconnections to businesses involved in site demolition, redevelopment or regeneration works.

"In the past, many customers traditionally turned to the large gas networks to meet their gas disconnection needs," said Craig. "The problem is that before they will actually start work, networks wait until they've amassed a sizeable group of disconnection jobs in a specific locality.

 "A typical client might be left waiting two months for a site disconnection - causing development delays, potential financial penalties and a variety of other issues when building cannot be resumed until a disconnection is completed.

"Now there's a reliable Fulcrum alternative," explains Craig.  "We know that time is money so we've listened to customers and introduced the kind of rapid response disconnection service with the flexibility that ensures build programmes are no longer disrupted by long lead times.

"Safety and customer convenience remain paramount but, using Fulcrum, tight work schedules can now be protected.".

Watch the video here.

Visit the blog

On announcing the prize draw, Fulcrum Customer Services Manager Jaime Hardy said, "We always appreciate it when customers take the time to let us know about their experience when working with us.

Their feedback is invaluable in shaping our services and building on our commitment to the customer experience." 

Whisky companies Chivas Brothers, Diageo and Angus Dundee came together to commission Fulcrum to install the new pipeline which is set to cut their future energy bills by around 30 per cent. The distilleries' conversion from fuel oil to gas as heat source during whisky production will also reduce carbon emissions by up to a third.

Work on the first phase of the underground installation is now well underway with the Fulcrum pipeline following the line of local roads for the majority of its route.

Construction is taking place in a succession of 500 metre stretches using specialist trench-digging machinery.

Visit the Fulcrum blog site to learn more.

Read the full Olympic case study here 

Four-week gas disconnections are now the first priority service to feature on a new dedicated Fast Track web page within Fulcrum's www.fulcrum.co.uk website. Fast Track gas meter installation and Fast Track gas connections will be launched in the new financial year.

The moves are Fulcrum's response to customer surveys and recent research by the National Federation of Housebuilders, which showed developers remain frustrated by the speed of response and lack of flexibility of many utility connection providers.

"Our new Fast Track offer shows Fulcrum will always be there when you need us most," said Fulcrum sales and marketing director Richard Atkinson. "We are the only independent utility connection company operating throughout mainland Britain and as Fast Track Services demonstrate, we're an agile and innovative alternative to the main gas networks whatever your site schedule.

"These new premium services are part of our continuing commitment to setting an industry lead in customer service and helping developers plan with confidence"

Commenting on calls for greater flexibility across the wider utility infrastructure industry, Atkinson said: "For too long the utility industry has been about 'this is what you can have - take it or leave it'. Our new Fast Track Services have instead been developed as a result of listening to customers and asking 'what do you need'."

The new priority services are designed to help developers and site managers to stick to demanding schedules, steer clear of costly schedule disruption or avoid potential financial penalties for overruns.

"As a priority service, Fast Track may cost a little more than our standard gas disconnections but it's a small investment when you can have everything ready in weeks rather than months," said Atkinson.

While Fulcrum is cutting waiting times for gas disconnection, there is no shortcut on safety and professionalism.  "Fulcrum Fast Track disconnections are still undertaken by GIRS-accredited and Gas Safe engineers. Developers always have the peace of mind that when using Fulcrum, they are tapping into our long heritage of unrivalled gas expertise," said Atkinson.

Learn more about Fast Track Services

Read the full St Mark's Church case study here

Fulcrum scored 99.2 per cent during evaluation of the quality element of its management system and 100 per cent quality adherence during an on-the-spot visit to a current installation site.

Quality and health and safety scores both increased during the annual appraisal which took place during December 2012. Fulcrum also continued its established  lead on the average scores of all suppliers for quality, health and safety and environmental impact control.

• Fulcrum is a registered supplier with UVDB Verify through Achilles
• Achilles operates the Utilities Vendor Database (UVDB) Supplier Management Service on behalf of all the major UK utility organisations. Established in 1996 UVDB is now recognised as the standard approach to supplier pre-qualification within the UK Utilities Sector
• Learn more about UVDB here.

The Fruit Bat Forest, the largest free-flying bat cave in Europe, is a specially controlled environment where temperature, humidity and lighting are critical to the health and well-being of its inhabitants.

Home to a population of over 400 bats, the cave holds three species including Livingstone's fruit bat - one of the largest types of bat in the world with a wingspan of up to 1.3m.

Fulcrum expects to complete the new gas connection to the cave's heating system by the end of March 2013.

Fulcrum announces Mr Robert Mitchell of OP Construction as the winner of the second quarterly customer satisfaction responder prize draw. Mr Mitchell was drawn from all customer satisfaction surveys completed between November 1st 2012 and January 31st 2013 and is now the owner of a new iPad.

On news of the draw, Fulcrum Customer Contact Manager Vicky Cairns said, "We appreciate our customer's taking the time to give us their invaluable feedback. It continues to shape our services and support improvements in customer experience".

Fulcrum is one of the first businesses to be granted a licence agreement enabling it to promote its contribution to the Olympics under the London 2012 Supplier Recognition Scheme announced in January by Lord Sebastian Coe and Culture Secretary Maria Miller.

The licence allows Fulcrum to promote its Olympics work at UK trade shows, apply for industry awards for London 2012 work and use the involvement in pitches and tender documentation when competing for contracts.

The centrepiece of Fulcrum's contribution was the construction of the gas pipework fuelling the moving petals of flame which came together to form the innovative Olympic Cauldron - seen by many as the ultimate emblem of the London 2012 Games.

"Our involvement in the provision of utility infrastructure to the main stadium and park was extensive but hidden under Olympic publicity and promotion rules until now." said sales and marketing director Richard Atkinson. "Many people at Fulcrum contributed many hours of expertise over many years to make our contribution a success and we are immensely proud of the role we played in making London 2012 the best Olympics to date."

Fulcrum Infrastructure Services installed a pipe network feeding the cauldron and able to deliver 1,000 cubic metres of gas an hour at a minimum pressure of 1.99 Bar.

Fulcrum provided utility infrastructure design, planning, engineering, construction and project management services over a three year period leading up to the Games as well as providing 24-hour gas safety and security cover for the duration of the event.

Fulcrum Pipelines Limited won a competitive Olympic Delivery Authority tender to own and operate all gas pipework, even that installed by other utility infrastructure providers, across the Olympic Park, the Athletes' Village and the nearby Westfield Shopping Centre as well as that serving two main energy centres within the Olympic Park.

Commercial developers are the most likely to appreciate the accountability, control and coordination advantages associated with using one supplier to provide all utility connection services.

Meanwhile, a reduction in the bother, stress and time of dealing with multiple suppliers was the most popular reason why intermediaries such as energy brokers, energy consultants and mechanical and electrical consultants, choose a multi-utility partner.

"The results confirm the value of Fulcrum's multi-utility offer and our move from a gas connections company to utility connections specialists encompassing the full range of utility connection infrastructure," said Fulcrum's Multi-Utility Manager Dean Pattison.

"Whatever part of the development market they are in, more and more of our customers are asking for multi-utility or dual fuel installations because, as our survey shows, they recognise the benefits. It's a rare location that wants a new gas connection but doesn't have a water, electricity or telecoms need - and time is money for everyone."

The multi-utility findings form part of wider Fulcrum research into the needs of UK utility connection customers.  The survey, which took place in December 2012, targeted more than 7,000 customers and findings are being used to further refine Fulcrum's product portfolio and marketing and customer service approach.

"We've made it clear we aim to be the utility connection sector's number one choice for customer service and nowhere is that more important than in multi-utility connections where our hallmarks of a dedicated point of contact and consistent operational on-site support  are so important to successful delivery," said Fulcrum Sales and Marketing Director Richard Atkinson.

The first stage of the redeveloped New Street concourse will be fully open to the public from the end of April 2013. Fulcrum will support Network Rail's gas infrastructure needs throughout the second phase of development until completion of the transport hub project in 2015.

Fulcrum's commissions, worth over £400,000, also includes the provision of gas infrastructure serving the Ladywood House office block over the station entrance and a new John Lewis store - the largest outside London - which will form part of the redevelopment of the  Pallasades Shopping Centre. The Pallasades Shopping Centre will be renamed Grand Central Birmingham and is due to open its doors to shoppers in autumn 2014.

Paul Heir, Utilities Project Manager for principal contractor MaceGroup commented: "We went out and market tested utility connection providers early in the project and at that time found Fulcrum was the most competitive. We've since contracted Fulcrum for all gas connections on the site including the main boiler serving the station, the CHP gas supply and those for the Pallasades and John Lewis."

The 'new' New Street station, enclosed by a giant light-filled atrium, will serve over 140,000 passengers a day and features a brand new station entrance and exterior.

Mr Stuart Beasley, Business Sales Manager at npower said: "We are pleased to have selected Fulcrum to provide us with connections services. It's important that we're able to provide a smooth and reliable connections service to our business customers, and believe Fulcrum will deliver the best solutions for our customers' requirements. We look forward to a successful partnership with Fulcrum in the future."

Under the new Fulcrum Plus scheme, developers commissioning utility connection works in excess of £25,000 and having a good credit rating will benefit from access to staged payment terms up to and including a zero upfront payment requirement.

 Registration for Fulcrum Plus is free and the package marks the latest in a series of measures by Fulcrum to introduce improved "John Lewis-style" customer service into the utility connection and utility infrastructure installation market. Other moves include:

• The integration of technical support into Fulcrum's customer contact centre
• The implementation of an online quick quotation request service
• The launch of a post-installation customer satisfaction tracking survey
• A fast track gas disconnection service within four weeks - half the average industry waiting time

Richard Atkinson, Sales and Marketing Director at Fulcrum commented:
"Fulcrum Plus represents yet another major investment in making life easier for our customers.  It underlines not only our service ethic but also our commitment to delivering utility connections in ways that optimise time and costs for the client while always maintaining quality and safety.

 "Our research confirmed the views of many developers that the timescales, payment terms and organisational complexity of utility connections are the most common cause of construction project delays and frustration. The launch of Fulcrum Plus shows we've listened - and we've acted." 

 "The launch of Fulcrum Plus marks the first tangible response by anyone in the connections industry to the need to keep pace with the advances in construction timescales and efficiencies generally achieved across the construction sector in recent years," said Richard Atkinson.

 "Some of the concerns raised by developers are not new - they have much in common with the results of surveys by the National Federation of Builders in 2006, 2008 and 2011. The difference here is that we as provider have taken these latest results to heart and are the first to shape our business around them. "
 

Collecting the award, Fulcrum Health, Safety & Environmental Support Manager Yohan De Silva commented: "We are very pleased that our commitment to safety has been formally recognised in this way by Britain's leading safety charity.

"Our track record and approach to maintaining and promoting the highest standards on every site we work on is well-recognised and immensely valued by clients, contractors and staff."

Dating back 57 years, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the largest and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK. It recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention.

The scheme not only looks at accident records, but also entrants' overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

David Rawlins, RoSPA's awards manager, said:

"RoSPA firmly believes that organisations that demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention deserve recognition. Fulcrum has shown that it is committed to striving for such continuous improvement and we are delighted to honour it through the presentation of an award."

See www.rospa.com/awards/ for more information about the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards.



Mr Powell was drawn from all customer satisfaction surveys completed between February 1st and April 30th 2013 and wins a new iPad.

Richard Atkinson, Fulcrum Sales and Marketing Director, commented: "Fulcrum Plus' no automatic upfront payment approach represents a major departure from traditional terms and conditions in the sector. After registering for free via our website, Fulcrum Plus clients are able to pay for utility connections on completion or via phased invoicing at key milestones."

Under Fulcrum Plus, developers commissioning utility connection works in excess of £25,000 benefit from access to staged payment terms up to and including a zero upfront payment requirement subject to relevant credit checks.

"The launch of Fulcrum Plus marks the first tangible response by anyone in the connections industry to the need to keep pace with the advances in construction timescales and efficiencies generally achieved across the construction sector in recent years," added Richard Atkinson.

Find out more about Fulcrum Plus.

Richard Atkinson, Sales and Marketing Director at Fulcrum commented: "Recent independent research commissioned by Fulcrum showed a named
contact while a job is live was a critical purchase factor for 90 per cent of
residential developers and 96 per cent of commercial developers.

"As a result, we're now guaranteeing a consistent contact point from the beginning to the end of a job for all developers opting for free registration as a Fulcrum Plus client. Registered developers will get regular project progress updates from their Fulcrum contact to ensure the project is delivered on time and on budget."

Closer job support for developers is one of a range of service upgrades in the Fulcrum Plus package driven by solid customer research, and established to introduce improved "John Lewis-style" customer service into the utility connection installation market. 

Fulcrum Plus marks the latest in a series of measures by Fulcrum to introduce improved levels of customer service in to the utility connections market. Other moves include:

• The integration of technical support into
  Fulcrum's customer contact centre
• The implementation of an online quick quotation
  request service
• The launch of a post-installation customer
  satisfaction tracking survey
• A fast track gas disconnection service within
  four weeks - half the average industry waiting time

Richard Atkinson added: "Fulcrum Plus represents yet another major investment in making life easier for our customers.  It underlines not only our service ethic but also our commitment to delivering utility connections in ways that optimise time and costs for the client while always maintaining quality and safety."

Find out more about Fulcrum Plus.

"We've listened, we've acted and Fulcrum is committed to matching rival prices for all Fulcrum Plus clients wherever possible."

The new Price Match Promise is available to all customers who opt to register free for the new Fulcrum Plus service at www.fulcrumplus.co.uk. Details of relevant terms and conditions are also available on the Fulcrum Plus website.

Registration for Fulcrum Plus is free and the package marks the latest in a series of measures by Fulcrum to introduce improved "John Lewis-style" customer service into the utility connection and utility infrastructure installation market.

Other moves include:

• The integration of technical support into Fulcrum's customer contact centre
• The implementation of an online quick quotation request service
• The launch of a post-installation customer satisfaction tracking survey
• A fast track gas disconnection service within four weeks - half the average industry waiting time

Richard Atkinson concluded:  "Fulcrum Plus represents yet another major investment in making life easier for our customers.  It underlines not only our service ethic but also our commitment to delivering utility connections in ways that optimise time and costs for the client while always maintaining quality and safety."

Find out more about Fulcrum Plus.