“Our mission is to supply the best ‘value for money’ poster cases; timetable cases and notice boards in the U.K. through efficient working.”

Our emphasis is on innovation, quality and environmental sympathy.

Company Values

Honesty and Integrity

Committed and Accountable Horizon Signs Ltd. is committed to establishing honest and respectful working relationships with its employees, customers, suppliers and is trustworthy and ethical in all our actions.

Committed and Accountable

Horizon Signs Ltd. seeks to honour its commitments and be fully accountable for its actions and successes.

The Management at Horizon Signs Ltd.

consists of:
Keith Ball: Managing Director
George Foster: Sales Director
Ross Ball: Production Director

Keith Ball

Born: 05.12.1951
Tel: 01484 463 322
Fax: 01484 461 097
Qualifications:
ONC Business Studies
HNC Business Studies
DMS Diploma in Management Studies

Keith started his career at a major tractor manufacturer serving a Commercial Apprenticeship. On completion he took up the post of Organization & Methods Officer which involved improving the organizational procedures of the company.

He then moved to another large company that made turbochargers. Here his dynamic leadership skills were recognised and he was given responsibility for managing the
entire company’s administration at 23 years of age. This covered several departments and some 32 staff which he moulded into a very efficient team.

After five years he had a yearning to work for himself and since one of his departments was printing, he utilised his contacts and left the company to set up his own enterprising printing company with a partner in 1980.

In 1991 he saw another opportunity to purchase a metal fabrication company and bought it, leaving his partner to continue to run the printing business. After three years
his instinct for business told him there was a need in the sign trade for a quality sign manufacturer and so he concentrated on becoming the best available.

Soon he was supplying Councils with timetable cases and today can boast a formidable list of satisfied Council clients. His role now, as an excellent strategist and forward thinker, is to raise the profile of the company and set clearly defined goals and objectives whilst delivering a balanced budget at the end of the financial year.

George Foster

Born: 06.07.57
Tel: 01484 463 323
Fax: 01484 461 097
Qualifications:
HNC Engineering and Fabrication
City & Guilds 3 & 4 Engineering and Fabrication

George started his career as an apprentice fabricator/welder with the NCB in the North East who quickly rose to be works engineering manager.

He then moved to a small engineering company as works manager but was more involved with sales rather than production; he was responsible along with the owner of
the company for growing the business into a medium size company.

After moving to Yorkshire George joined Horizon Signs Ltd as an account manager and was responsible for the Horizon key accounts. In 2007 became Sales Director George’s social and communication skills enable him to perform his role as Sales Director with consummate ease. His ability to instantly assess client’s character, and simultaneously their requirements, has proved invaluable in the past. It is his responsibility to prove to the client that Horizon should be their first choice and that we are perceived as a quality solutions provider. George tends to lead the negotiation stages of major bids and will manage the lifecycle of the contract in conjunction with the Production Director.

High ethical standards, honesty and integrity are all values that clients readily recognize in him as someone they can do business with. He has a high level of personal credibility throughout the trade.

Although he is tenacious in pursuing his objectives he has the self control to put the client’s consideration first. He has considerable experience of negotiating contracts and tenders with Councils and is more than happy to discuss and analyse the tender throughout the lifecycle.

Ross Ball

Born: 14.02.76
Tel: 01484 463 320
Fax: 01484 461 097
Qualifications:
ONC Business Studies
HNC Business Studies

Ross began his career working in the family business covering all aspects and functions as he embarked on an in-depth training programme. On completion he took on the
role of Production Supervisor. His focus and attention to detail enabled him to quickly improve the efficiency of production.

His dedication to driving down costs, yet still maintain a good working relationship with suppliers, resulted in significant savings to the company and he was promoted to Production Manager.

Possessing self discipline and confidence he has turned his attention to improving output. Although he may be a hard taskmaster his dynamic but fair approach to the staff ensures that his ideas and targets are met with co-operation and not derision. In 2007 Ross became Production Director. His Managers appreciate his practical knowledge and ability to think ‘outside the box’. It is Ross who will ensure the tender is fulfilled in accordance with your requirements on a daily basis. His dedication is just what is needed not to let you down.

Summary

So hopefully, you can see that we have the team and all the necessary skills between us to treat your tender with respect and the plant capacity to produce as many timetable cases as you are prepared to give us. We are a customer focused, solutions-driven business looking forward to the challenge of this tender and warmly welcome the opportunity to work closer with you.

Horizon Signs Ltd adopts the principles of ‘Process Management’ and continually builds a culture of continuous improvement within the organisation with the aim of:

• Identifying and eliminating all forms of wastes that do not bring value to the customer.
• Creating competitive advantage for the whole operation.
• Continually adding value to processes and all aspects of the business.
• Providing high quality products and service to fully satisfy customer requirements.
• To deliver correct, defect free products to our customers on time and within budget.

As part of an ongoing process to achieve these aspirations we have set objectives for product quality including:

• Reduction of rejected product.
• Reduction in the number of customer complaints.
• Increasing the level of customer satisfaction.

Specific objectives and targets are established and reviewed at the regular management review meetings.

The company uses training of and communication to all employees to ensure this policy is understood and implemented.

As a company we are fully committed to ensuring the implementation of and continual improvement of this quality management system.

The Quality Policy is a live document, and is reviewed at regular Management review meetings.

Quality is an essential, inseparable part of every process at Horizon Signs Ltd. Our quality shows in every aspect of our business. A commitment to excellence is required of every employee at Horizon Signs, regardless of the job they do. Horizon Signs’ quality policy is to assure conformance to product specifications through excellence of execution in the manufacture and delivery of our products.

Horizon Signs personnel are dedicated to providing our clients with creative, cost effective, and innovative engineering solutions of the highest quality. For this reason Horizon Signs is to start a program to implement ISO 9001 throughout the company. ISO 9001 is one of ISO 9000 five universal standards for a Quality Assurance System that is accepted around the world. Currently 90 countries have adopted ISO 9000 as national standards.

The most comprehensive of the standards is ISO 9001, which deals with quality system requirements that can be used for external quality assurance purposes. It is used when conformance to specified requirements is to be assured by the supplier during design, development, production, installation, and servicing. The standards apply uniformly to companies in any industry and of any size.

Horizon Signs’ quality program is composed of three parts, quality manual, standard operating procedures (SOP’s) and forms. The first part, quality manual is the “roadmap” to our quality management system. The second part includes Horizon Signs’ standard operating procedures and the third part includes the forms, or job dockets, that lay the foundation for Horizon Signs’ quality management system. At Horizon Signs each operation is recorded on a job docket which is signed and dated
by both the person performing the operation and by the person approving the work quality. This ensures that at every stage of the manufacturing and production process, the high quality that Horizon Signs is committed to delivering to our customers, is achieved.

It is the policy of Horizon Signs Ltd. to ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare of its employees and the health and safety of other persons who may be affected by its activities. Horizon will take steps to ensure that its statutory duties are met at all times.

Horizon’s Health & Safety Responsibilities

We will ensure that:

a) all processes and systems of work are designed to take account of health and safety and are properly supervised at all times.

b) a member of senior management maintains specific responsibility for health and safety.

c) competent people are appointed to assist us in meeting our statutory duties including, where appropriate, specialists from outside the company.

d) all employees are consulted on matters related to health, safety and welfare.

e) adequate facilities and arrangements will be maintained to enable employees to raise issues of health and safety.

f) each employee will be given such information, instruction and training as is necessary to enable the safe performance of work activities.

g) all arrangements are brought to employees’ attention and are monitored and reviewed to ensure that they are effective.

Employees’ Responsibilities

Employees must ensure that they:

a) co-operate with management to enable all statutory duties to be complied with.

b) take reasonable care of their own health and safety and the health and safety of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

c) familiarise themselves with the health and safety arrangements which apply to them and their work functions.

This Environmental Policy covers all of Horizon Signs Ltd business activities undertaken at it’s Huddersfield Plant.

Horizon Signs Ltd is committed to protecting the environment from the significant internal and external impacts of its operations and will achieve this by continuous improvement and the application of environmental management disciplines and Best Practice.

Horizon Signs Ltd’s success will be measured by the level of satisfaction it achieves amongst all stakeholders viz. employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers and the
local and wider communities.

Horizon Signs Ltd will achieve this by:

a) Ensuring that product and process design incorporates a full environmental impact assessment.

b) Minimising waste and the consumption of resources (materials, fuel and energy)

c) Reducing or eliminating the production of discharges and emissions to the environment.

d) Utilising environmentally friendly materials and processes consistent with the principle of Best Practice.

e) Continuing to meet, and where possible, exceed current legislation, regulations, pertinent Codes of Practice and customer environmental requirements.

f) Implementing and maintaining an Environmental Management System which meets the requirements of ISO 14001

g) Monitoring and auditing plant, equipment and process performance to control and improve all activities which may have a significant environmental impact.

h) Ensuring all employees are aware of their environmental responsibilities and are fully competent to control the activities for which they are responsible.

i) Promoting this Environmental Policy to employees, suppliers, customers, shareholders and the general public.

j) Encourage the active participation of employees, suppliers, customers and shareholders in the achievement of this Environmental Policy.

Mission

To shape a better world

Objectives

The firm will implement practices that promote economic security, social betterment and environmental stewardship and will strive for continuous improvement of performance in these areas.To deliver this, the firm aims to:

• Set a sustainability business strategy
• Be a leader in sustainable development in areas relevant to its business
• Work with its clients to pursue, promote and develop sustainable business outcomes
• Promote sustainable practices
• Hold its performance accountable to its staff through objective measurements
• Report on its sustainability performance and achievements
• Ensure that leaders of the firm are involved in implementation of this policy and in reviewing sustainability performance

Actions

In meeting these objectives, the firm will:

For its core business

Provide value to clients by building upon its reputation for integrated design and a holistic approach to projects

• Deliver projects recognised for their sustainability credentials, in line with client expectations
• Evaluate projects with respect to their sustainability risks and opportunities and, where appropriate, discuss these with the client
• Achieve performance that ensures the firm’s economic, environmental and financial viability

General

• This Policy Statement proclaims and emphasises the full commitment of Horizon Signs Ltd. to equal opportunity and fair participation for all applicants and employees, irrespective of gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religious belief, political opinion, race or disability. It affirms that Horizon Signs Ltd will rigorously observe, positively promote and actively pursue the objectives set out in this statement, and will seek to ensure that this policy is fully implemented.
• It has been, and will continue to be the policy of Horizon Signs Ltd that all eligible persons will have equality of opportunity on the basis of merit. Selection, advancement and development shall be on the basis of eligibility in terms of ability, qualifications and aptitude in accordance with the merit principle.
• Legislation exists to protect individuals from unfair discrimination and to positively promote equality of opportunity.
• Direct Discrimination means acting in a way which places at a disadvantage or treats unfairly any individuals because of factors such as gender, marital status, sexual orientation, religious belief, political opinion, race, disability or Trade Union activity which are irrelevant to the treatment or assessment of an individual.
• Legislation on its own is not sufficient to ensure that a non-discrimination policy will work. This will be achieved only if Horizon Signs Ltd management critically examine their attitudes to people and ensure that their judgement is not in any way affected by any trace of discrimination
• They should be fully aware of all forms of discrimination, direct or indirect, guard against them and avoid any action which might influence others to discriminate
  unfairly. Above all they should be aware of their responsibility to positively practice equality of opportunity.
• There must be no indirect discrimination against any person whether in recruitment, promotion or training and development or in any other human resources activity.
• Indirect discrimination is defined in the legislation as the application of a requirement or condition which adversely affects members of one religious/political group, one gender, one ethnic group or disabled people, which cannot be shown as justifiable.
• They should be fully aware of all forms of discrimination, direct or indirect, guard against them and avoid any action which might influence others to discriminate unfairly. Above all they should be aware of their responsibility to positively practice equality of opportunity.
• There must be no indirect discrimination against any person whether in recruitment, promotion or training and development or in any other human resources activity.

General Cont…

• Indirect discrimination is defined in the legislation as the application of a requirement or condition which adversely affects members of one religious/political group, one gender, one ethnic group or disabled people, which cannot be shown as justifiable
• Managers and Supervisors must be seen to be impartial in their dealings with staff. They should ensure that their own conduct accords with the policy in this Statement and take appropriate action on any difficulties which arise or appear to arise from lack of impartiality by any members of staff.

Flags and Emblems

• The Company recognises and is determined to safeguard the right of all workers to work in a good and harmonious working environment. Further, Horizon Signs Ltd is committed to the provision of a working environment free from the unauthorised display of flags, emblems, posters, graffiti, the circulation of materials, or the deliberate articulation of slogans or songs which are likely to give offence.
• Religious, political, sexual or racial harassment of any kind is unlawful and will be regarded as an offence of gross misconduct.

Implementation of Policy

• The Managing Director has overall responsibility for ensuring that this policy is operated effectively.
• The Production Director has day to day responsibility for ensuring that personnel Policies and Practices reflect the law, that their application is monitored frequently, that Managers and Supervisors are trained in their legal responsibilities and that all employees are made aware of the scope and the nature of the policy and their part in ensuring that it is followed.
• All employees have a duty to co-operate with Horizon Signs Ltd in putting this Policy into practice, not to take discriminatory action or decisions, and not to put pressure on fellow employees to harass, abuse, intimidate or threaten other employees because of their disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age (except in relation to retirement), race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, political opinion, membership of or activity in a trade union or other organisation, and ‘spent’ convictions.

Recruitment and Selection

• Horizon Signs Ltd will seek to ensure that there is fair participation and the widest possible response to employment vacancies. To this end the company will take affirmative action or make reasonable adjustments as may be deemed lawful, appropriate and necessary to ensure fair participation and equality of opportunity.
• It is recognised that recruitment and selection processes are of crucial importance to the promotion of equal opportunities. These must be carried out according to job related criteria and all job applicants will be treated equally and equitably. Appointments, will be on the basis of ability, qualifications and/or experience i.e. merit.
• Job descriptions and personnel specifications will not contain or imply unnecessary or unjustifiable physical requirements or conditions which are not justifiable and reasonable and disabled people will not be inadvertently or unnecessarily excluded from jobs.

Training and Development

• It is in Horizon Signs Ltd’s interest to provide training and development for all its employees. In support of this Policy, Managers and Staff responsible for appraising the performance and potential of employees and identifying training needs, will ensure that their decisions are based on objective job-related criteria and do not give rise to unfair discrimination.
• Horizon Signs Ltd will ensure that staff with disabilities are provided with the same access to training and development opportunities as their colleagues.
• Staff training and development opportunities will be circulated internally as widely as possible.

Conditions of Service

• Horizon Signs Ltd will ensure that national and local conditions of service, which should not in themselves discriminate against individual groups, are applied fairly to
  all employees.
• Staff who become disabled during the course of their employment will be retained, if possible in the same or a similar job. If this is not possible, every effort will be made to find a suitable alternative post.

Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure

• In matters of discipline Horizon Signs Ltd will take into account any communication or comprehension difficulties experienced by employees.
• If any employee thinks that they have been discriminated against in relation to recruitment, selection, promotion or training or in the application of the conditions of service they should initiate the appropriate grievance procedure.
• This will not prejudice or remove the right of the employee to contact the Equality Commission or the Commissioner for Complaints. Managers should ensure that employees are made aware of the time limits for lodging a complaint with a Fair Employment Tribunal or an Industrial Tribunal.
• All employees shall be liable to normal disciplinary procedures if they discriminate against job applicants or staff on any of the grounds laid down in this Policy.
• It is the policy of Horizon Signs Ltd that any employee who alleges discrimination should be protected from victimisation.

Monitoring Review

• Horizon Signs Ltd recognises that proper assessment of the effectiveness of this Policy will only be achieved by regular reviews and analysis of decisions and working practices.
• Horizon Signs Ltd will ensure that information derived from such procedures will be treated in confidence and will not infringe any employee’s civil liberties.

Customer Complaints

At Horizon Signs Ltd we are committed to providing our customers with an excellent level of service. However we recognise that we sometimes get it wrong, and when we do, we want you to tell us so that we can put things right as quickly and smoothly as possible. With this in mind, we have developed a Complaints Procedure which explains who you should contact and what do if you have a complaint about Your Communications telecommunications services. The Complaints Procedure is described here.

How to contact us

If you would like to make a complaint about our service, please call our Sales line on 01484 460909 with respect to your complaint. Our lines are open 8am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. If you would prefer to write to us instead, please address your letter to:

Horizon Signs Ltd
Unit 15b Holme Mills Ind Park
Britannia Road
Milnsbridge
Huddersfield
HD4 3QF

How we deal with your complaint

When you contact us, we will normally ask you to give us the following information in order to deal with your complaint as efficiently as possible:

• Company name
• Name, contact phone number and postal address
• Nature of the complaint

You can give this information to us over the phone or in writing. When we have registered your complaint we will give it an identification number that you may refer to in any further contacts with us regarding your complaint. We will make every effort to resolve your complaint when you first contact us. However this is not always possible and we may have to investigate your complaint further. Whatever your complaint we will give you our initial response to it no longer than 5 working days from when you notified us. If you are not happy about the way in which your complaint has been handled, you can call us on 01484 460 909 and ask to speak to a Director.

The Company is committed to the highest standards of openness, probity and accountability.

An important aspect of accountability and transparency is a mechanism to enable staff and other members of Horizon to voice concerns in a responsible and effective manner. It is a fundamental term of every contract of employment that an employee will faithfully serve his or her employer and not disclose confidential information about the employers affairs. Nevertheless, where an individual discovers information which they believe shows serious malpractice or wrongdoing within the organisation then this information should be disclosed internally without fear of reprisal, and there should be arrangements to enable this to be done independently of line management (although in relatively minor instances the line manager would be the appropriate person to be told). The Public Interest Disclosure Act, which came into effect in 1999, gives legal protection to employees against being dismissed or penalised by their employers as a result of publicly disclosing certain serious concerns. Horizon has endorsed the provisions set out below so as to ensure that no members of staff should feel at a disadvantage in raising legitimate concerns.

It should be emphasised that this policy is intended to assist individuals who believe they have discovered malpractice or impropriety. It is not designed to question financial or business decisions taken by the Company nor should it be used to reconsider any matters which have already been addressed under harassment, complaint, disciplinary or other procedures. Once the “whistleblowing procedures are in place, it is reasonable to expect staff to use them rather than air their complaints outside the Company.

Scope of policy

This policy is designed to enable employees of Horizon to raise concerns internally and at a high level and to disclose information which the individual believes shows malpractice or impropriety. This policy is intended to cover concerns which are in the public interest and may at least initially be investigated separately but might then lead to the invocation of other procedures e.g. disciplinary. These concerns could include:

• Financial malpractice or impropriety or fraud
• Failure to comply with a legal obligation or Statutes
• Dangers to Health & Safety or the environment
• Criminal activity
• Improper conduct or unethical behaviour
• Attempts to conceal any of these

Safeguards

i. Protection

This policy is designed to offer protection to those employees of Horizon who disclose such concerns provided the disclosure is made:

• In good faith
• In the reasonable belief of the individual making the disclosure that it tends to show malpractice or impropriety and if they make the disclosure to an appropriate person (see below). It is important to note that no protection from internal disciplinary procedures is offered to those who choose not to use the procedure. In an extreme case malicious or wild allegations could give rise to legal action on the part of the persons complained about

ii. Confidentiality

Horizon will treat all such disclosures in a confidential and sensitive manner. The identity of the individual making the allegation may be kept confidential so long as it does not hinder or frustrate any investigation. However, the investigation process may reveal the source of the information and the individual making the disclosure may need to provide a statement as part of the evidence required.

iii. Anonymous Allegations

This policy encourages individuals to put their name to any disclosures they make. Concerns expressed anonymously are much less credible, but they may be considered at the discretion of the Company.

In exercising this discretion, the factors to be taken into account will include:

• The seriousness of the issues raised
• The credibility of the concern
• The likelihood of confirming the allegation from attributable sources iv. Untrue Allegations

If an individual makes an allegation in good faith, which is not confirmed by subsequent investigation, no action will be taken against that individual. In making a disclosure the individual should exercise due care to ensure the accuracy of the information. If, however, an individual makes malicious or vexatious allegations, and particularly if he or she persists with making them, disciplinary action may be taken against that individual.

Procedures for making a disclosure

On receipt of a complaint of malpractice, the member of staff who receives and takes note of the complaint, must pass this information as soon as is reasonably possible, to the appropriate designated investigating officer as follows:

• Complaints of malpractice will be investigated by the appropriate Director.
• The complainant has the right to bypass the line management structure and take their complaint direct to the Chairman. The Chairman has the right to refer the complaint back to management if he/she feels that the management without any conflict of interest can more appropriately investigate the complaint.

Should none of the above routes be suitable or acceptable to the complainant, then the complainant may approach one of the following individuals who have been designated and trained as independent points of contact under this procedure.

If there is evidence of criminal activity then the investigating officer should inform the police. The Company will ensure that any internal investigation does not hinder a formal police investigation.

Timescales

Due to the varied nature of these sorts of complaints, which may involve internal investigators and / or the police, it is not possible to lay down precise timescales for such investigations. The investigating officer should ensure that the investigations are undertaken as quickly as possible without affecting the quality and depth of those investigations.

The investigating officer, should as soon as practically possible, send a written acknowledgement of the concern to the complainant and thereafter report back to them in writing the outcome of the investigation and on the action that is proposed. If the investigation is a prolonged one, the investigating officer should keep the complainant informed, in writing, as to the progress of the investigation and as to when it is likely to be concluded.

All responses to the complainant should be in writing and sent to their home address.

Investigating Procedure

The investigating officer should follow these steps:

• Full details and clarifications of the complaint should be obtained
• The investigating officer should inform the member of staff against whom the complaint is made as soon as is practically possible. The member of staff will be informed of their right to be accompanied by a trade union or other representative at any future interview or hearing held under the provision of these procedures
• The investigating officer should consider the involvement of the Company auditors and the Police at this stage and should consult with the Chairman
• The allegations should be fully investigated by the investigating officer with the assistance where appropriate, of other individuals / bodies
• A judgement concerning the complaint and validity of the complaint will be made by the investigating officer. This judgement will be detailed in a written report containing the findings of the investigations and reasons for the judgement. The report will be passed to the Chairman
• The Chairman will decide what action to take. If the complaint is shown to be justified, then they will invoke the disciplinary or other appropriate Company procedures
• The complainant should be kept informed of the progress of the investigations and, if appropriate, of the final outcome
• If appropriate, a copy of the outcomes will be passed to the Company Auditors to enable a review of the procedures
• If the complainant is not satisfied that their concern is being properly dealt with by the investigating officer, they have the right to raise it in confidence with the Chairman, or one of the designated persons described above.

If the investigation finds the allegations unsubstantiated and all internal procedures have been exhausted, but the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, Horizon recognises the lawful rights of employees and ex-employees to make disclosures to prescribed persons (such as the Health and Safety Executive, the Audit Commission, or the utility regulators), or, where justified, elsewhere.