60 seconds with…PAUL BISHOP, CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR, AMALGAMATED LIFTS LIMITED

Tell us about your business, when was it formed and what do you do?

Amalgamated Lifts Ltd was established in 1988 and we are proud to have been serving our clients for over 36 years. We pride ourselves on delivering quality across all facets of our business from lift service and lift repairs to major lift modernisations and new lift installations.

We have strong emphasis on customer focus throughout the core of our business, ensuring A Smooth Transition of all of our diverse clients.

Who are your customers? Which markets do you serve?

We have a wide variety of clients, from commercial and residential to infrastructure. Our markets typically follow suit. Over the past 6 or 7 years we have made great strides in the local authority market, we are proud supply chain partners of several London councils carrying our new installations, major modernisations, repairs and servicing . This has had a significant impact on our business, helping us to grow our service base and subsequently our construction and repairs business.

How many times have you been to LIFTEX?

Over my career in the industry, I have been to LIFTEX many times, it is a great event that everyone in the industry looks forward to. It is a great place to re-connect with people that I have worked with over the year, see what new technologies are available as well as the potential to improve and increase our supply chain and client base!

What are the main issues that your customers deal with and how do you help them?

Our customers deal with lots of different issues, the main one that springs to mind is how to deal with major lift modernisations or full replacements of lifts within a live-building environment. We are experienced in this field, having carried out these types of projects throughout our 36 years in business. We are always on hand to assist our clients with advice on the best methodology of carrying out the work and pride ourselves on being flexible to assist our client’s with their needs.

Are there any issues that specifiers, contractors / owners should be aware of in the next 12 months?

I think that the one thing that is going to significantly shape the landscape of the lift industry is the advent of the Building Safety Regulator. We have had firsthand experience of the process and have successfully had our first two applications approved on a project where we are modernising lifts within a HRB setting, this was due, in no small part, to a very initiative-taking client which assisted greatly with the process. The advice I would give to anyone is to not rush the application.

How can we, as an industry, help designers and building owners to become more energy efficient and meet Net Zero targets?

As an industry we are very energy efficient, there have been great strides in energy efficiency solutions over the few years. We are a strong advocate for improving energy efficiency and have a fantastic supply chain that assists us with this, many of which will also be exhibiting their equipment at LIFTEX this year. My advice to designers and building owners is to collaborate and have open communication with their suppliers to achieve optimum energy efficiency and meet their Net Zero targets.

What will you be promoting / what can visitors expect to see on your stand?

We are going to be at Liftex to showcase our business and the fantastic people that have contributed to our success. You can expect to see what our business is all about, case studies of our specialist areas of expertise and our innovative design and safety solutions, as well as details of the energy saving features we provide our customers.

What advice would you give to anyone visiting the show? What should they look for and how can they get the most from their visit?

The show is great, it is informative and interesting. My advice would be to make sure you get there early and make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to visit all of the stands and go listen to the seminars. There will be new technology on show which will be a highlight for everyone. Obviously, it goes without saying that coming to see us on stand D20 will be a worthwhile experience.