Cambs Compressors Newsletter Winter 2021

www.cambscompressors.co.uk Boosting productivity and wellbeing After doing some research and talking to the team at Cambs Compressors, taking a lunch break has been made a mandatory activity! Resisting the pressure to skip lunch When Mark and Annthea spoke about their findings to the team, they discovered that most of the team skipped taking a full lunch break. The reason for this was simple: they have too much work to do. On the face of it, this seems like great news for Cambs Compressors. It shows commitment, a hard-working ethos, and suggests we’re getting the very most from our people during the working week. However, Annthea and Mark explained that where possible, a regular lunch break and a chance to step away from the desk or ‘coalface’ should be encouraged. The impact of working through lunch If you regularly work through your lunch break, you’re more likely not to eat at all or only manage to have a quick snack while working. The impact of this upon your physical well-being isn’t hard to imagine it can negatively impact your outlook. Studies show that taking a lunch break allows your mind to rest, recharge and refocus, which can directly improve your productivity for the rest of the day. Taking time out during the day - even if you choose to have multiple, short breaks - this gives your brain a chance to recuperate. Micro-breaks, lunchtime breaks and longer breaks have all been shown to have a positive relationship with wellbeing and productivity. Replacement Avelair compressor ignites a trip down memory lane When Marshall placed their order for a replacement compressor, to replace its 15 year old faithful Avelair compressor, the clock went back to the early 80s Loyalty to the Avelair product range Marshall is a unique private company, founded in 1909. The Group has a turnover of £2.6bn and over 6,300 employees. Headquartered on a 900-acre site in Cambridge, Marshall has three principal arms to the business: Aerospace and Defence; Property; and Ventures. As a British business, it looks to support other UK based manufacturers. It couldn’t keep things more local than with it’s compressed air infrastructure - as it’s used an Avelair compressor for the past 15 years - built less than 30 miles away. With the excellent service and support provided throughout this period, the organisation wanted its replacement compressor to be built by Avelair. New purpose built highly efficient variable speed drive compressor with 8 years warranty The new compressor will upgrade the system and supply air to all the hangers on the historic manufacturing site purchased in 1937. The manufacturing facilities serviced by the new compressor include air tools, spraying air, breathing air and air for Sandblasting. Marshall has been a long standing client of Cambs Compressors, but the investment in Cambs Compressors goes way back to well before the company was even founded. Mark Fryer, Marshall engineering apprentice Mark joined Marshall as an apprentice around the time of the Falklands Conflict, and has fond memories of completing his apprenticeship with the ground breaking company. “It’s an amazing place to work, either as an employee or as I do now, providing their compressed air solutions and support. The history envelopes you and it’s incredible to be apart of the Marshall journey.” Mark Fryer Managing Director Cambs Compressors Formed in 1908, Marshall has touched so many lives The site was instrumental in training RAF pilots before the Battle of Britain commenced. By the end of the Second World War, the company had trained over 20,000 aircrew including pilots, observers and flying instructors. Postwar, aerospace engineering work continued to generate new business, civil and military, with many different types of aircraft passing through the company’s well-equipped hangars and workshops. The air support of the Expeditionary Forces during the Falklands Conflict in 1982 was only made possible because of the installation by Marshall of air-to-air refuelling receiver equipment in RAF Hercules aircrafts. 2021 a challenging year for everyone Challenges of manufacturing and growing The challenges that everyone had to face made 2021 a difficult year, but for those who ‘working from home’ wasn’t an option, the challenges made the successful conclusion of this year all the more triumphant. As a significant percentage of our clients fall into these two sectors, our respect for the people working in manufacturing, farming and food production has dramatically increased. A huge thank you to our engineering team Our engineers were deemed as essential workers and throughout the pandemic, they travelled to multiple environments at a time of huge uncertainty. Although as a company we celebrated with a summer BBQ to thank the whole team for an outstanding performance during such trying times, I want to say a special thank you to those within Cambs Compressors who didn’t have an option to work from home. There was some wonder at the beginning of the year how it would work out, with Christmas all but cancelled, the outlook was uncertain at best. It’s an amazing place to work either as an employee or as I do now, providing their compressed air solutions and support. The history envelopes you and it’s incredible to be apart of the Marshall journey. Annthea Fryer Finance and HR Director, Cambs Compressors