 Acclaim Handling's Essex headquarters |
Acclaim Handling Ltd, Still Material Handling's longest-serving UK distributor, celebrates its 25th anniversary this month.
The company was established in 1982 by David Woods in his Bishops Stortford home's spare bedroom. He had start-up capital of GBP1,300 (USD2,561.52). Acclaim has now delivered 3,000 Still forklifts nationwide. It also distributes TCM and Komatsu forklifts.
Woods, 53, said he had used safety as a guiding principle for his business. He had "played safe" in several important ways.
"A key lesson I have learned is to keep borrowing to the minimum," he said.
"By keeping overheads tight and avoiding large debts we have wehered many a storm and come out ready for further expansion."
In 1986, Acclaim moved into purpose-built headquarters in Purfleet, Essex. Woods has built the business with the help of colleagues David Perrin, Janet Wood, Bill Buck and Richard Bonser.
Today Acclaim Group, of which Acclaim Handling is a part, has a GBP12.5 million (USD24.6 million) annual turnover and more than 220 employees. What began as a small dealership has developed into the Acclaim Group, which consists of several subsidiaries besides Acclaim Handling Ltd.
Woods' other "safety" principle is prioritising customer loyalty and goodwill. "These two must always be maintained and never sacrificed in pursuit of new business," he said. Acclaim has a 90 per cent customer retention rate.
A safe workplace is also high on Woods' agenda because of his role as a Fork Lift Truck Association board member. An experienced health and safety manager has been appointed to monitor every aspect of Acclaim Handling's business.
 David Woods |
On May 1, 2007, Acclaim Handling Ltd's current operations director Richard Bonser took over from Woods as managing director. Woods will now focus on strategy, development and acquisition, and chairing the individual companies. Woods' holding company, Ellisam Holdings Ltd, owns the Acclaim Group.
Woods began his career as a sales trainee for Henley Forklift, of South Wales, now part of Linde Heavy Truck Division Ltd, in Merthyr Tydfil. He joined Coventry Climax when he was 19 and, before he left in 1980, was made UK sales manager. He was general manager of Oldham Batteries before establishing Acclaim Handling.