Door Industry Journal - Winter 2021

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 28 THE door industry journal winter 2021 Ellard’s Review of 2021 As we move into the final months of 2021, we look back throughout this year so far and look to 2022. Ellard has experienced as all UK suppliers have, massive disruption and additional costs in its supply change throughout 2021. The COVID pandemic made Q1 of the year very difficult in terms of actually getting goods into the UK, whilst Q2/Q3 has been the costliest in terms of bringing freight into the UK. We have seen multiple $20,000 shipping containers: this is up to ten times the rates we saw in early 2020. When the new rates will settle back to a normal level is anyone’s guess, at the moment. Not only has Covid posed many challenges for the company, but separately, accessing raw materials has also proven difficult as we continue to see a global shortage of microprocessor chips which is causing industry-wide stock issues in the automation industry, as well as some of the biggest gaming and car manufacturers. This shortage is something that will continue well into 2022 and potentially beyond; thus far, Ellard has successfully managed to source these products, but in a world of reduced supply and increasing demand, the price ultimately will be affected. I believe 2021 has demonstrated in great fashion, Ellard’s desire to look after its loyal customers. During the turbulent last year, we ring-fenced products for our existing customers at the stock levels they previously purchased during the previous six months. We were open and honest with this approach to supplying our customers and we hope that this fair way of stock rationalisation has not only met, but rather exceeded your expectations, as well as reaffirmed our mission as a company to strengthen sustainable partnerships with all our stakeholders. As we move into 2022, and despite much uncertainty still engulfing the automation industry, Ellard is looking ahead to mitigate risk and invest in our inventory, this will enable us to provide not only the best service in the industry but ensure a consistent supply throughout the rest of 2021 and well into 2022. Women in Ellard: Being a Responsible Employer in the Door Industry As an employer operating in a male-dominated industry, there is a responsibility that needs to be upheld to change the narrative of women in industrial, manufacturing and operational job roles. Ellard strongly believes in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace with a recent focus on empowering and growing our female employees while ensuring fair treatment and opportunities in every workplace situation. On Wednesday the 8th of September, Danielle Jackson (Head of Customer Service), Danielle Clubb (Marketing Manager), Charlene Cowhig (Company Accountant) and Jan Edwards (Credit Controller) as well and several other women from the Indutrade group finished their journey on the Skills 4 Empower program where they learnt valuable skills not only for the workplace but also for everyday life. Feelings and emotions were high as these women graduated from the course with the widely shared feeling of boosted confidence and a new outlook on themselves and their capabilities. Women have a lot of impacts when it comes to a company’s wealth. Generally, companies with more diverse boards yield greater stock market returns adjusted for sector bias, and companies with higher female representation at the board level or in top management exhibit higher returns on equity, higher valuations and higher payout ratios. There is a clear correlation between diversity, better corporate financial performance and higher stock market valuations and companies that have a higher representation of women frequently enjoy better financial performance. Mix men and women to build teams designed to make better, smarter decisions. That’s the recommendation of researchers who study collective intelligence, a term used to describe a measure of the general effectiveness of a group on a wide range of tasks. Thanks to collective intelligence, mixed-gender teams typically outperform individuals when tackling tough tasks. Ellard will continue to tackle the gender gap in the industry we operate in and the Empower course will be available to all employees to ensure the highly beneficial skills learnt on this course are accessible no matter who you are. www.ellard.co.uk Industry News