RS Industrial Services

Background

Founded in 2001, RS Industrial Services has grown to be one of the UK’s premier independent industrial services providers, and operates across two UK sites in Gateshead and Billingham. The company’s offering spans three divisions: Cranes & Lifting, Training & Development, and Industrial & Safety Supplies.

The firm acts as a full-service crane and lifting equipment partner for businesses, working with customers from system specification and selection to supply, and it offers servicing, repair, and inspection.

RS Industrial Services also provides a range of training courses to help teams to work safely and efficiently, and runs its own training centre.

And through its Industrial & Safety Supplies division, the firm rapidly supports businesses with essential equipment, from PPE and safety equipment to workwear and power tools.

Brief

2024 has been an exciting year for RS Industrial Services. A significant milestone for the company was a management buyout, backed by a fund dedicated to the North East and Yorkshire of Foresight Group, a leading listed private equity and infrastructure investment manager.

Building on the strong foundation established by its founders, RS Industrial Services is making strategic investments in infrastructure and talent… and has ambitious growth plans. This year it is also rolling out a new ERP system, the single biggest investment in the company to date.

To support its growth journey, RS Industrial Services needed to establish a new marketing strategy. This would serve as a blueprint for future marketing activities, to help raise its profile in key target markets – such as manufacturing, engineering, renewables, automotive and pharmaceuticals – and promote the capabilities of its three divisions.

Solution

• We carried out a communications audit, which gauged perceptions of RS Industrial Services among its clients and business contacts, and conducted extensive research into its competitors, target markets and prospective customers.
• The communications audit fed into the creation of new marketing strategy for the company, shaped to its business objectives.
• We also created new key messaging for RS Industrial Services, which was developed to resonate with its target audiences and form the basis for consistent marketing content across multiple channels.

Results

• RS Industrial Services has an informed, tailored marketing strategy that is helping it to maximise on its marketing efforts.
• Horizon Works is now acting as the company’s marketing partner, delivering activities including public relations, content, design and social media, as the business continues to move forward.
• The marketing activities, underpinned by the strategy, are accelerating the growth of RS Industrial Services’ brand profile – and increasing awareness of its wide-ranging capabilities.