Window of Opportunity at Cape Verde Clinic
A tight space was no problem for Inciner8’s problem solvers when we made a delivery in Cape Verde recently.
The team was delivering two medical incinerators out of an order of ten for health clinics based in the community.
But there was an issue on arrival when the secondary chamber of the i8-40m model was unable to fit through the door of the clinic as it was too large.
Instead, the team got to work installing the chamber through the window using a forklift truck, enabling the product to be safely handled through the gap.
Inciner8’s installation engineer was in hand to collaborate with the operators on the ground in a safe installation, before providing testing and operator training. A job well done.
Conferences valuable to understand customers’ needs
Chief Executive Darren Spencer joined other members of the team to fly the flag for Inciner8 in Nairobia and Dubai recently.
Darren joined sales and marketing team members to attend two international events where he met potential and existing customers.
Beneficial
He said he had found it hugely beneficial to step away from the business and see it through the eyes of customers during his first 12 months in the role.
The team attended EAHS Africa in Nairobi, a health conference attended by more than 50 non-government organisations and aid agencies where they spent time introducing procurement professionals to the Inciner8 products.
They also spent time in Dubai at Arab Health, a conference attended by about 110,000 people from Europe, North America, Africa and the Emirati region.
Darren said it had been a great opportunity to meet with decision-makers and learn of their needs. He said: “It was really valuable to meet face to face with customers, understand their businesses and their requirements when it comes to incineration.
Diversity
“I learned about the diversity of our customers who need our products not just for medical waste but for general and garden waste, as well as other applications, which I’m still understanding. It was also useful to understand how the Inciner8 brand sits within the industry, so I found the trips motivating.”
Trio of New Starts Heralds Growth
Inciner8 is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Balmer in the role of newly created role of Commercial Director.
Reporting directly to CEO Darren Spencer, Chris will be responsible for all commercial activities at Inciner8, leading the sales and marketing departments from May 2024. Chris comes to Inciner8 with extensive international commercial pedigree.
He has worked in the manufacturing sector covering aerospace, automotive, general manufacturing and industrial sectors, for small businesses through to much larger corporate organisations.
Chris, who lives in Lancaster, has also worked with local and national governments all over the world.
He has built teams from scratch, rebuilt sales operations and has excellent experience in significant international business.
Delighted
Chief executive Darren Spencer welcomed Chris to the business, saying: “I’m delighted that Chris will be joining Inciner8 in this new post for our growing business.
He has extensive experience of managing and communicating at all levels both in the UK and globally and has implemented and designed several commercial processes for the businesses he has served.
Right direction
“His arrival, and the new structure within the business, is a sign that Inciner8 is moving in the right direction and I know everyone is looking forward to him joining us.”
Robyn Amplifies Sustainability Message
Robyn Smith joined Inciner8 in January and describes her experience so far as “exhilarating”. As the newly appointed Marketing Communications Executive, Robyn, left, reports to marketing manager Ellie Nieuwenhuizen to accelerate our digital presence and elevate our brand to new heights.
Hailing from Manchester, Robyn is a former Edge Hill University student where she completed an undergraduate degree in marketing.
She is due to graduate from a Masters in digital marketing and communications this summer.
New avenues
So far, she has introduced a new Inciner8 TikTok channel, opening up fresh avenues for connecting with the business’s audience and amplifying the message of sustainable incineration.
Her role also involves editing photographs and videos, creating social media and email campaigns.
Robyn also works alongside Ellie to implement dynamic marketing strategies, among other tasks.
Robyn said: “Collaborating with my talented colleagues, who have warmly welcomed me into the team, has been a privilege, and their expertise in their respective fields inspires me daily.”
“Working with Ellie has been a rewarding experience and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Inciner8.”
Immediate Impact in Dual Role For John
New project manager in the engineering department Jon Marsden is already making an impact just months into his job.
The new dual role involves Jon assembling project management teams to deal with each order and oversee production. After the product has been delivered, he oversees the customer support aspect, which gives customers access to tech support through a high quality after-sales service.
The new position was devised by Head of Engineering Kevin Peters, who said Jon is already proving a benefit to the business as he introduces new efficiencies.
Need
Kevin said: “We highlighted a need for project management and we’ve combined it with other functions to create something really unique for Jon, and he’s thriving.
“So far we’ve been bringing him up to speed with the products but he’s hit the ground running, bringing with him techniques and tools that are already a huge benefit to us.
Confidence
“His previous experience was working in the rail sector and that’s set him up with the confidence to make an instant impact – he’s a breath of fresh air for Inciner8.”
E-Ticketing Advancement
A new e-ticketing system has received fantastic feedback since it was implemented for customers.
The addition firmly places the customer at the heart of everything the business does and enhances their experience.
Step forward
Head of Engineering Kevin Peters said the system was a great step forward for Inciner8
He said: “We’ve implemented e-ticketing, along with putting the right team around the responses, and we’re getting great feedback from customers about the difference it’s making.
“Building on this, I hope we can inspire other efficiencies across all departments that will drive the business forward and help us continue to grow.”
Adapting for international visibility
With 98 per cent of products exported, Inciner8’s marketing materials must be accessible to a range of customers. To achieve this, work has been ongoing to translate pages of the Inciner8 website – www.inciner8.com – as the business’s visibility in different markets continues to grow. Manual translation into 30 languages has taken place on over 100 pages so far. The marketing team has also worked on building code to detect the language of the browser and translate the content of the website into the same language.
Marketing Manager Ellie Nieuwenhuizen said: “As the business grows, we need to adapt the website to be more visible to our international customers and we’re evolving to meet that demand.
“Next steps will be to translate the technical data sheets and product catalogues into these 30 languages to make this information more accessible to our global customer base. It’s an exciting time for the business as we make sure we’re communicating with even more people who will benefit from our incineration technology.”
Agile working slashes lead times
Agile working and strategic supply chain management is seeing huge reductions for the operations department.
The nature of Inciner8’s customers means products are often needed at short notice.
Operations Manager Keith Taylor has been working hard to make processes more efficient so products can be delivered to customers to even tighter time frames. Implementing a strategic procurement plan has meant parts are quickly available which, coupled with a responsive team, has made a huge impact.
Keith said: “By strategically positioning stock in our supply chain we reduce the supplier lead time to a minimum. We also have a highly skilled agile and committed workforce, which is able to prioritise work when an urgent response is required.
“By using a very visual approach to highlight the bottlenecks and key processes, the team is empowered to respond to demand without the need for intervention.”
One example was when a customer required a primary unit for an I8-1000 system due to a catastrophic failure.
The lead time would have been 12 weeks but, by having stock available, Inciner8 was able to modify a standard unit to produce the primary unit that could be fitted into the customer’s line in a short installation time. The project was delivered in just six weeks.
These efficiencies will continue to make a difference to a sector that demands a quality reliable product to be delivered and deployed quickly, to have the greatest benefit to an area requiring immediate aid, said Keith, adding: “We are easy to buy from, respond quickly to demand and deliver and install when promised.”
Problem-solving for hospitals and prisons
A remote group of hospitals in Vietnam can now dispose of waste safely and in an environmentally friendly way thanks to Inciner8.
The health centres were previously having medical waste collected just twice a week, with disposal operatives travelling 150km each way.
Sales Executive Anthony Perdichizzi advised on the project, with the hospitals seeking advice on a more cost-effective and safe way to dispose of waste.
He said: “Waste was being stored in bins for two to three days in an area known for its heat and humidity, which caused bio-security issues and was costly to have collected.”
Cost-effective
Inciner8 delivered an i8-M120 incinerator with a Venturi gas scrubber, which was installed this year. To deal with the humidity, the incinerator was coated in rust-resistant paint as an upgrade to the standard model. Anthony said: “We’ve minimised their carbon footprint, increased bio-security and given them a cost-effective way to get rid of waste.”
A project was also recently carried out with French Ministry of Justice to provide a new solution to dispose of prisoner and guard uniforms, which would cause a security risk if they fell into the wrong hands.
Security
Anthony, pictured in Vietnam, said: “We provided two Sirocco incinerators to enable the organisation to bring their uniform disposal, and the disposal of documents, in-house, improving security.”
French-speaking Anthony, who has been with Inciner8 for two years in May, added: “My role is really varied and there is usually a problem-solving element, which makes the work I do – often with remote communities – all the more satisfying.”
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... CRAIG GALLATLEY
Each issue we ask a team member to give an insight into their life
There’s never a typical day for me at Inciner8. I joined the business in September 2022 as Quality Coordinator and, in April 2023, I was asked to pick up the mantle for safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ). It’s just me in the department, working under Operations Manager Keith Taylor, but I work with all the staff throughout the business.
I come in in the morning and I never know what to expect, and that makes it interesting. I deal with anything that concerns what comes into the business such as supplies, quality issues on the shopfloor or any correspondence from customers. If there are any particular enquiries around quality or health and safety, my day involves raising the necessary documents and writing an analysis.
Wider role
It’s a whole new world to me because I came into Inciner8 looking at the systems and processes, completing things like risk assessments, and now the role is so much wider. Health and safety can be summed up as making sure everyone goes home at the end of the day.
The environmental side is another new area for me, and I completed an environmental management course to further my knowledge. One of our goals over the next 12 months is to get us through ISO14001, which I’ll be leading.
We’re doing a lot of work with that at the moment and there’s lots to be done to put in place the necessary documents.
What I would say about my job is that it’s varied so I’m never stuck behind the desk doing the same thing, day in and out. I’ve also had a varied career. I’m a chef classically trained in French cuisine and I worked all over the country at one stage.
Rewarding
At Inciner8, I find it really rewarding putting new systems and processes in place. There’s going to be a lot to do in the next 12 months around environmental awareness, but that’s exciting. I’m trying to instigate change and I can see where I’m making a real difference.
When you do get things taken on board and people realise what you’re trying to do for the business it’s rewarding.
That little piece of information or policy you’ve put in place has made a real difference.
