Some people do their job well. Others bring our vision to life through the impact they have on those around them, Ben Keeler is one of those individuals.
Every day, Ben demonstrates what it means to put our vision into action through the way he supports his colleagues, serves our customers, and contributes to the wider business. His commitment, professionalism, and genuine care for others make a positive difference across Plantforce and set a great example for those around him.
Ben’s commitment to people is evident in everything he does. He is genuinely invested in the wellbeing of our operators, regularly checking in to ensure they have the right PPE, feel supported, and have everything they need to work safely and confidently. Ben takes the time to listen, offer guidance, and share his knowledge, helping others develop their skills and grow in their roles.
Ben’s impact also extends to the relationships he builds with our customers. He consistently delivers a level of service that reflects the standards we strive for as a business, often identifying and resolving potential issues before they become problems. Customers know they can rely on him for practical solutions, expert advice, and dependable support whenever it is needed. His proactive approach builds trust, strengthens relationships, and reinforces Plantforce’s reputation for excellent customer service.
What makes Ben particularly deserving of recognition is his commitment to continuous improvement. He is always looking for ways to make things better, regularly sharing ideas, suggestions, and opportunities that could benefit the wider team and support the ongoing success of the business. His focus goes beyond his day-to-day responsibilities, demonstrating a genuine desire to help us grow and succeed.
Alongside all of this, Ben brings positivity and personality to every day. His genuine nature, collaborative approach, and willingness to help others make him a valued colleague and trusted partner to customers alike.
Ben’s dedication to supporting people, delivering for customers, and helping the business improve is a fantastic example of our vision in action. Thank you, Ben, for the difference you make every day and for consistently demonstrating what it means to bring our vision to life.
Andrew consistently delivers an exceptional standard of work, approaching his role with positivity, professionalism, and a genuine willingness to support those around him. He never complains, remains upbeat in all situations, and is always the first to offer help when it’s needed. These qualities are evident in his day-to-day approach, but recently Andrew demonstrated a level of care and responsibility that truly sets him apart.
After noticing that a CIS operator was struggling, Andrew acted quickly and with genuine compassion. Rather than overlooking the situation, he took immediate ownership and proactively raised his concerns by calling directly to ensure the right support systems were in place. Determined to make a difference, Andrew provided the operator with the landline number and text contact for the Lighthouse Charity, ensuring they could access confidential support straight away.
The Lighthouse Charity is a vital organisation within the construction industry, offering emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to workers and their families. Through initiatives such as a 24/7 confidential helpline, text support service, and free wellbeing resources, the charity provides a lifeline to those who may be struggling, ensuring help is always accessible when it’s needed most.
Andrew didn’t stop at simply sharing this information. He went a step further by following up afterwards, checking in to make sure the operator was okay and that the support had not only been received but also accessed. This additional step highlights Andrew’s genuine care for others and his commitment to ensuring no one feels unsupported.
This thoughtful and empathetic response goes far beyond Andrew’s day-to-day responsibilities. His actions reflect our core values and demonstrate an outstanding level of compassion, professionalism, and personal accountability. By taking the time to notice, act, and follow through, Andrew made a meaningful difference to a colleague at a time when it mattered most.
His commitment to supporting others is a true example of what it means to go Above & Beyond, and his actions continue to make a positive and lasting impact across the team.
When people talk about those who go the extra mile, Hannah Phillips is one of the names that regularly comes up.
As a valued member of the Hire Desk team, Hannah is always willing to go the extra mile to help customers and support the team. Her positive attitude and proactive approach make a real difference, and no problem is ever too much trouble.
What really stands out about Hannah is how approachable and dependable she is. If someone needs advice, a helping hand, or just a bit of guidance, she’s always happy to step in. She has a way of making even the most challenging situations feel manageable, and her calm, can-do attitude makes a real difference to everyone she works with.
Recently, our customer took the time to share some fantastic feedback about Hannah and the support she provides. They highlighted how helpful, professional, and reliable she is, and how she consistently goes above and beyond to ensure issues are resolved quickly and smoothly. They also recognised the positive impact she has on their team and the strong working relationships she has built.
The praise didn’t stop there. Several managers have independently shared positive feedback about Hannah, recognising the contribution she makes across the business. That kind of recognition from multiple people speaks volumes about the respect she has earned and the difference she makes every day.
In a world where feedback can often focus on what went wrong, it’s important to take a moment to celebrate the people who make things better. Hannah is one of those people. Her dedication, positive attitude, and commitment to helping others make her a fantastic ambassador for Plantforce and a thoroughly deserving recipient of an Above & Beyond award.
Thank you, Hannah, for everything you do. Your support, hard work, and willingness to help others does not go unnoticed, and the impact you have on the team and customers alike is truly appreciated.
Even though the weather was less than ideal, 24 teams enjoyed the rolling course of Mendip Spring Golf Club during a break in the rain on 11th June. The teams of four competed in a shotgun-style tournament to raise money and awareness for our charity partner Children’s Hospice South West.
With three hospices covering Devon, Somerset and Cornwall, the organisation gives medical care and support services to families of babies, children and young people with life-limiting illnesses. Their purpose is to help those who might not reach their 18th birthday make the most of their short and precious lives.
Alongside getting together for a good cause, our teams enjoyed some healthy competition out on the course. Supplier Ford Fuels took the gold medal place, while two teams from customer Kier BAM secured second and third on the podium.
After all the fun, competitors sat down for a delicious dinner and raffle full of fantastic prizes. This raised around £3,500 for the charity, taking the total proceeds for the day up to well over £6,000, all of which will go directly to the hospice.
Mike Brown, Business Development Manager, who attended the day, said, “It was great to see so many customers and suppliers out and testing each other’s skills on the golf course. We’re very grateful to everyone who attended this event.”
Executive Assistant Charlotte Popperwell, who organised the event, said, “We were worried that people weren’t going to attend because of the weather, but everyone turned up to support the charity. Their enthusiasm made the day. It was also lovely to have so many Plantforce staff out on the course alongside our customers and suppliers.
“We’d like to thank Mendip Spring Golf Club for their fantastic hosting, all of our sponsors, and everyone who got out on the course to raise money for our charity partner.”
Thank you to all our event sponsors:
Spillard Safety Systems and Plantforce have been shortlisted for a Supply Chain Collaboration Excellence award after successfully deploying an AI safety solution on the Banwell Bridge project. With the collaboration cutting red zone incursions by 51.8%, it’s hoped the team will take home the gong at Construction News’ awards ceremony on 9th July.
Listed alongside big industry players like Kier and National Highways, this recognition from Construction News marks the outstanding performance of our supply chain partners as we worked towards a common goal – reducing the number of dangerous red zone incursions on the Banwell Bypass development site.
The collaboration saw us integrate Spillard’s AI-driven Integrated Managed Services (IMS) technology into fleet operations. By working closely with the technology partner and clients Octavius Regional Civil Engineering and Galliford Try, the team were able to cut incidents by 51.8%, significantly lowering risk exposure.
One of the biggest risks on the Banwell Bypass site were red zone incursions, where on-the-ground colleagues (and occasionally the public) get within a dangerous range of heavy equipment. To fix this, our supply chain team started a test-and-learn process to find an AI-driven solution.
Spillard installed and tested their Integrated Managed Services (IMS) technology in plant on the Banwell site. IMS combines Spillard’s human form recognition camera technology with an intelligent AI interface and dedicated account management.
To get vital context and make genuine on-site impact, this information has to be shared and actioned collectively. To avoid siloes, the IMS model was co-developed with colleagues at every level on the Banwell site, from the Chairman to the Banksman.
Driven by key leaders at Plantforce, Spillard and Octavius, best practices were developed between teams, such as a regular feedback loop where concerns and information could be shared.
This enabled the team to implement proven solutions. Machine familiarisation training reduced isolation incursions by 77%. A change in the site layout cut 5m incursions by 25%, and the implementation of red zone and digital thumbs up training cut incorrect operator approaches by 37%. This cut the number of hours where workers were at risk (during 10-second incursions) by 48%.
The collaboration and best practices developed on this project allowed the team to make tangible progress towards their goal of reducing red zone incursions. It also helped fix an industry-wide problem of processing vast volumes of incursion data into tangible results.
Now at the judging stage of the process, the impact of this project will be assessed through face-to-face interviews. The winner will then be chosen by an independent panel of industry figures before the awards ceremony at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House.
George Shields, Works Manager for Octavius Infrastructure, said, “This collaboration saw two different supply chains brought together to meet a shared objective: improving workers’ safety. We’ve been so impressed by both the technology and the impact it’s made on our sites and teams. It’s only been possible thanks to the professionalism between all partners.”
Plantforce has marked out the high safety and compliance standards of its operations by meeting the Rail Industry Supply Qualification Scheme’s (RISQS) Sentinel standards.
Having worked with RISQS for years to establish ourselves as a trustworthy, reliable supplier for our customers, meeting the Sentinel protocol standards shows we’re going the extra mile to guarantee safety and efficiency.
James Smith, Plantforce SHEQ Manager for Plantforce, explains, “Although this is a rail-side qualification, to achieve it we’ve had to prove that our organisation has a strong health and safety culture. So for customers in any industry, this standard is an endorsement and validation of our processes. It shows that Plantforce is low risk when it comes to safety and compliance.”
Sentinel is a protocol set by RISQS that assesses a supplier’s processes for managing operator fatigue and meeting compliance standards against rail industry regulations. Passing the Sentinel audit is a legal requirement for any supplier to provide track-side machinery and operators to rail customers.
James says, “The railway is a high risk and penalty environment. For example, any delay you cause on track incurs fines of £10,000 per minute. To achieve Sentinel’s high standards, we’ve had to prove that our systems are efficient, that there’s redundancy in our operations and the people we hire are in the best possible health to work.”
To meet the Sentinel standards, we undertook an extensive audit process to prove that:
In short, meeting these strict safety and compliance standards showed our team is always ready to work immediately and that our operations are low risk and reliable.
This Sentinel accreditation means we can supply customers, including Tier 1 businesses, with both operators and machines for track-side work. As a result, we can give rail customers the full operated hire solution for their projects, without them needing to perform extra due diligence. Plus, our business will now appear on the main supplier database.
However, as James explains, the real impact of this accreditation falls well beyond the rail industry. “The process we’ve followed to pass this industry vetting means any customer can feel confident in our safety, quality and compliance systems,” he says. “We’ve got all the checks in place to ensure our equipment comes to the customer right first time, plus all our operators are healthy and well experienced.
“In short, our customers can experience a gold standard operated plant hire solution every time they work with us.”
