GRITIT

-UK’s 37^th fastest growing company underpins expansion with appointment of sales and marketing heavyweight-

GRITIT, the UK’s leading winter risk management gritting and maintenance business, has appointed Simon Richards as sales and marketing director. The news follows hot-on-the-heels of the company’s recent win in The Sunday Times Fast Track 100 League[1].

Richards joins the company – in the newly created role – with the key objectives of driving revenue growth and managing the company’s rapidly expanding sales force. He will also oversee all elements of marketing, ensuring that this function continues to work in harmony with sales and operations, maximising opportunities for the business.

Richards brings to GRITIT 28 years’ sales and marketing experience. He joins the company from Hewlett Packard where he was head of Webos Tablets Retail, UK and Ireland, responsible for the market launch strategy and execution of all aspects of product and the management team. During his tenure, he secured distribution with all major retailers and achieved £30m+ booked orders.

Prior to that, he worked as international account director for Dixons Retail EMEA. He was responsible for managing a budget in excess of $800m, and running account teams across the UK, Spain, Italy, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Turkey and The Czech Republic.

Richards has an in-depth understanding of the commercial property sector having spent eight years in Chartered Surveyors Partnerships working closely with both property and facilities management companies – core targets for GRITIT’s offering.

Alastair Kight, managing director at GRITIT, commented: “Simon brings invaluable experience to our business, and his appointment is a significant step forward in our expansion plans. We are confident he will help us win significant new business at a time when clients are increasingly looking for more sophisticated solutions to their winter risk management challenges. We have developed our entire offering to meet these varied demands and Simon will lead our fast expanding sales force so that an increasing number of clients can enjoy the benefits of partnering with us.

“This is a very exciting time in our industry and we are looking forward to driving further growth through innovation and excellence in all areas of our business.”

Simon Richards added: “GRITIT is a world-class operation, with a distinct culture and a unique service. There is real opportunity to grow the business, which I am very excited about.”

GRITIT focuses on keeping organisations operational during adverse weather conditions, preventing accidents, and reducing the unnecessary costs of injury as well as protecting their budgets. The company urges businesses and government to consider the loss of earnings and reputation linked to being ill-prepared for freezing weather.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

GRITIT (www.gritit.com) is the UK’s leading winter risk management company, providing protection for clients against the financial and physical risks of adverse weather.

Founded in 2004, the award-winning company was the first in the UK to focus exclusively on winter gritting and related services (it remains the only company to do so on a national basis), and has developed a reputation as an innovator and market leader in this specialist field.

GRITIT currently provides specialist gritting and snow-clearance to private and public companies in the retail, commercial, industrial, logistics and health sectors. This winter, it is estimated that the business will undertake more than 160,000 service visits across the UK.

Recent winters have made it abundantly clear how adverse cold weather can have a detrimental effect on every business. GRITIT works with its clients on winter risk management strategies to ensure they are protected against: loss of business, loss of reputation and to ensure that each of them is fully protected against the cost and time of any legal claims that might be made against them.

GRITIT has developed innovative service packages and flexible pricing options that help organisations and government departments take the necessary action required to keep their properties safe and accessible, at the same time as avoiding overspend and the negative impact that can have on other essential services.

In December 2011, the company won 37^th place in the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100.

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