New Leadership Team to Drive Growth at Companion

Yorkshire-based Companion has announced a restructure and a new senior management team to drive forward plans to double its share of the UK’s stairlift and accessible bathing markets.

Companion works with private individuals, independent mobility retailers and larger chains offering a fully project managed design and installation service for home adaptations. Following a period of continued growth, the company is on track to make impressive gains in 2017 and has announced a new senior management team to lead a business improvement programme designed to cement its market leading position.

Managing director Clare Brophy said: “We have an ambitious growth strategy in place, focused on increasing our market share and the size of our workforce. David Harrison, our operations manager who is well respected in the industry, has made a huge contribution to our development and will oversee the next phase of our expansion in his new role of sales and marketing director.”

David has extensive experience of working with Companion’s nationwide network of partners and will lead the newly-appointed senior management team comprising: Ian Dysart, Senior Field Sales Manager; Karen Stockdill, Senior Office Sales Manager; and newly appointed Craig Bagley, Senior Operations Manager.

David, who originally joined Companion in 2003 as the Business Development Manager, commented: “Last year we achieved record growth and to ensure this trend continues, we have implemented changes to the organisation’s structure and invested in key personnel to reflect the scale of our operations.

“We know 2017 is going to be challenging, however we are confident we have the perfect team in place to allow us to achieve – and surpass – our ambitions and provide a true market leading service in this competitive industry.”

Last year’s highlights included Companion being recognised as a Which? Trusted Trader and managing director Clare being named Retail Business Woman of the Year in the Yorkshire & North East Forward Ladies Awards 2016.

“We recognise that third party recommendations are an important part of the decision-making process for many considering a home adaptation, so we’re working to provide independent testimonials through recognised consumer champions. We were delighted to achieve Which? Trusted Trader status in October after completing their rigorous vetting procedure and will continue to seek further accreditations and endorsements from similar organisations to give our customers an assurance of our ethical approach to doing business,” added David.

Companion’s Clare Brophy said: “Our stairlift and assisted bathing operations have seen tremendous growth and the new strategy will help keep us focused on putting our customers’ needs first and to advising and selling responsibly in this unregulated market. The next 12 months are set to be very exciting; we have a number of projects in the pipeline and our new initiatives and easy solutions for independence at home will help to shake up the market place!”