It is 25 years since the foundation of Hi-Line Industries, a manufacturer and the UK’s largest stockist of energy efficient air filters, absorption dryers and air treatment ancillaries. “Initially the company was myself and my partner,” says Steve Smith, Managing Director at Hi-Line Industries. “We had worked together at a German air treatment company for many years, and decided to start our own business.”
In the beginning, the company predominantly served the brewery and dairy sectors, and soon the company began to make a name for itself.
“Due to our contacts and reputation, we were very quickly able to pick up a number of prestigious blue chip companies throughout the UK,” Smith recalls. “From our humble start in Lichfield, by 2005 we had purchased our own factory in Burton-on-Trent. From there things went from strength to strength, and in 2017 we purchased another factory in Green Street, where we’re working to this day.”
The Next Phase
But while the company continued to grow, there were other changes on the horizon. After the company’s founders parted ways in 2021, Smith decided to push the business into the next stage of its evolution.
“After securing funding from Barclay’s Bank, I was able to invest in software and equipment to further expand the business,” Smith says. “Planning permission was granted for an expansion at the rear of the factory and additional stock was purchased.”
This expansion led to the current development phase of Hi-Line Industries, where the company was acquired by the Ingersoll Rand Group in July this year. Following the acquisition, Smith has stayed at the helm of the business as a Managing Director, but is now backed up by the financial support of the Ingersoll Rand Group.
“From here, Hi-Line’s growth is predicted to be exponential,” Smith says proudly. “We will continue working with Hi-Line’s trusted distributor network. We will retain Hi-Line’s superior product range, and that combined with the support of Ingersoll Rand, means our vision for the company is very bright.”
That vision will see Smith continue to lead Hi-Line Industries as it integrates the new products and working practices that it has attained from Ingersoll Rand.
“This is a two-way street, as Ingersoll Rand has also benefited from some of the bespoke Hi-Line products it has integrated into its range,” Smith says.
Trading Products, Selling Service
Hi-Line Industries is known for the quality of its products, but according to Smith, what truly differentiates the company is the level of service it provides.
“When you ring through to the company, your requirements are immediately taken by the right person. This has been our doctrine from the start,” Smith says. “Probably the most important thing for any company is to have the right product available at the right price at the right time, and we have worked hard to ensure we can do that.”
To make that possible, Hi-Line has committed heavily to keeping the right stock on hand, with over 1,000 dryers on its shelves, available for next-day delivery on demand.
“This really has been the key factor in Hi-Line’s success story,” says Smith.
Handing Over the Train Set
Smith has been integral to Hi-Line’s story since the beginning, staying with it even when his co-founder elected to retire, but now he is looking at how he can assure the company’s future as part of Ingersoll Rand.
“As you can imagine, after 25 years of running the business myself, it was quite the challenge to hand the keys of the trainset over to somebody else,” Smith says. “However, Ingersoll Rand being the gigantic global company that they are, this is not their first acquisition.”
Smith explains that Ingersoll Rand has a well-oiled mergers and acquisitions team who are experienced at managing the integration of new companies into the Group, avoiding common pitfalls.
“So many times, when companies purchase other companies, the fallout can be horrific,” Smith acknowledges. “But Ingersoll Rand are skilled in the integration process and make sure that everybody on all sides is included and communicated with, and aware of the plan that’s in operation.”
Through weekly integration development meetings to discuss matters such as HR, finance, budgeting and marketing, everyone is included and made aware of their personal goals and team requirements.
Smith also recognises that having the financial resources of Ingersoll Rand behind Hi-Line takes a lot of pressure from the day-to-day running of the business.
“This morning I signed a document that Ingersoll Rand staff could manage our energy costs, which over the past couple of years has been almost a full time job for my Financial Manager,” Smith notes. “The accounting and fiscal support combined with the new IT system has really streamlined Hi-Line’s efficiency.”
Hi-Line Industries’ future rests not just with its management, but with the people at every level of the company, and Smith is also working to ensure the future from this perspective.
“We are always looking for well-qualified technicians to join our fast-growing technical department,” Smith says.
While historically Hi-Line has always strived to find its technicians out in the field, once again, Ingersoll Rand has opened up new possibilities, with its own Human Resources Portal that Hi-Line now has access to. The acquisition has also led to increased benefits for staff, including an additional five days of holiday for all employees, access to the Ingersoll Rand pension fund, as well as health and welfare benefits.
Hi-Line is not leaving everything to Ingersoll Rand, however. The company has also established its own strong youth policy, with a number of electrical and mechanical apprentices coming through the business.
“We are always keen to develop young talent with new and fresh ideas,” Smith says. “It is the forward-thinking of our engineers that has put the business on track to achieve the growth that we have.”
The future of Hi-Line is in safe hands, with the company having now taken out a ten-year lease on the site of its Green Street factory, where it is expanding its stockholding area still further while planning to increase the production of oxygen and nitrogen generators in the UK.
“In the year prior to acquisition, Hi-Line Industries grew by a staggering 28%,” Smith tells us. “This growth has come about due to a change in the leadership of Hi-Line Industries, and the hunger from the team to acquire more and more project work in facilities management and project engineering.”
Smith is looking to maintain that meteoric growth going forward, and its prospects are only improving as part of Ingersoll Rand.
