LOCAL SERVICES GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
Local Services, the leading building services franchise operator, is delighted to announce significant recent national customer contract wins, together with the raising of additional capital to support its growth.
Local Services operates the national franchise brands of PlumbLocal, ElecLocal and DecorateLocal and plans to launch further in-demand trade services in the near future. The company’s strategy is to become the leading network of providers to the insurance and domestic building services markets.
Nash Fitzwilliams, the corporate finance boutique that specialises in the European building products and services industry, has led a substantial investment round, in partnership with existing shareholders, which is intended to fund Local Services’ next stage of growth.
Local Services, which has recently been endorsed by Northumbrian Water and Essex & Suffolk Water, has also announced that it is entering trials with two national providers of emergency services. Steve Baker, chief executive and founder, said: “Our large corporate partners have been very impressed with the quality of our franchisees and our ability to scale up in order to meet increased demand. As a result, we are now able to feed a considerable number of leads to PlumbLocal and ElecLocal plumbers and electricians through our central communication hub.”
Given these recent successes, Local Services, who recently successfully exhibited at the National Franchise Exhibition at the NEC, determined that the timing was right to raise further capital in advance of a potential early flotation.
Adrian Pritchard, who led the Nash Fitzwilliams team, said: “Local Services has solved the problem of creating a national network of plumbers and electricians with franchisees who have tremendous pride in the quality of their work and customer service. The company offers comprehensive support, from rigorous training at inception to ongoing sales and marketing assistance, thereby enabling its franchisees to build real value in their businesses.
“The way that domestic customers purchase building services has shifted towards a branded, trusted offering. This shift, combined with the current national skills shortage, has created a new market, of which Local Services is a leader.”
The investor group was advised by solicitors Dundas & Wilson.
