SGS Helps Selwood to the Top 2%

“We’re very proud of our achievements, not least because only 2% of all UK companies – and none of our competitors – have all three standards,” says Roy Taylor, Selwood Group’s Quality, Health & Safety and Environmental (QHSE) Manager.  

About Selwood and SGS
Founded in 1946, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire-based Selwood now has an annual turnover of around £40 million, 430 employees and 29 branches. Its strong growth over the past 60 years has made it one of the largest privately owned companies serving the UK construction and allied industries.     

Selwood’s extensive fleet of over 10,000 items of rental equipment ranges from small generators to 7.5-ton self-drive excavators and includes a modern, wide range of rollers, dumpers and compressors as well as telehandlers and more specialist equipment.

It has also developed a specialist pump hire division, becoming the number one pump hirer in the UK, and is a leading distributor of construction equipment on the South Coast of England for a number of top-name manufacturers.

In addition, Selwood is the only UK company that manufactures, hires and sells its own range of mobile site pumps. Its quiet, environmentally sensitive pumps are popular in many markets and it exports 70% of its production.

SGS is the global leader and innovator in inspection, verification, testing and certification services. Founded in 1878, SGS is recognised as the global benchmark in quality and integrity. With over 43,000 employees, SGS operates a network of almost 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world.

First, Selwood Gains ISO 9001
Selwood first gained ISO 9001 in 1993, and has renewed its certification four times since, most recently in October 2005. “We’ve used SGS from the start and found SGS assessors to be knowledgeable, pragmatic and co-operative – I’ve known quite a few and have felt comfortable with them,” says Roy Taylor. “Selwood has had an excellent service from SGS over the years and we’re more than satisfied.”

...Next, it’s OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001
Again using SGS as its assessor, Selwood gained OHSAS 18001 in 2004, which it chose to renew in October 2005, and then ISO 14001 in October 2005.

ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification normally lasts for a period of three years.

Benefits of Certification
Certification has benefited Selwood in several important ways, both internally and externally. Within the organisation, Selwood’s employees have been proud to achieve the three standards. Another advantage is that SGS’ audits support and reinforce Selwood’s internal audits.

“In terms of sales, certification has definitely helped us to win more contracts,” says Selwood Group’s Marketing Manager, Peter Manley. “Clients and potential clients are reassured and see us as trustworthy, ethical, professional and committed to continual improvement. They also see us as proactive and progressive – as being ahead of future legislation. They’re certainly interested in our awards because they often ask us about them and, of course, keep giving us work.”    

…Next, Selwood Gets an IMS
Selwood’s 60th anniversary in 2006 coincided with another significant milestone in the company’s development, the launch of its Integrated Management System (IMS).

“Our new IMS brings together our quality, environmental and safety standards, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001,” says Roy Taylor. “By integrating these standards and removing some areas of duplication, for example with manuals, we’ve blended and simplified our processes and reduced costs.”

Brought together by its IMS, Selwood’s three standards cover all its operations and locations. Selwood’s QHSE department controls these standards’ planning, efficiency, staff-information, target-improvement-review, auditing, training and other processes.

For further information:
SGS United Kingdom Ltd
Sophie Needham
Sales & Marketing Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 1276 697655
E-mail