TIS (NGA) Ltd has double the reason to celebrate this month after two significant announcements to boost its grand expansion plans following a six-figure investment.

As well as becoming an accredited member of the Scaffolding Association the Billingham-based service provider has launched its own Rope Access Training School.

TIS (NGA) Ltd trading from a bespoke facility on the Cowpen Lane Industrial Estate since 2018, has welcomed its first learners through this week in a facility designed to create a life-like environment in rope access coupled with a classroom for theory teaching.

It is a proud moment for a company that has hand-picked a senior management team boasting in excess of 130 years’ experience, with Kevin Heilbron, Marty Brennan, John Wanless and Ryan Payne working with Managing Director Gary King.

Operations Director Mr Heilbron said: “The first 18 months of trading has been predominantly as a rope access company. However, In September last year I teamed back up with an old partner Gary King with a view to extend the portfolio of services provided to current and new clients to incorporate multi-discipline services.

“Now we provide rope access, scaffolding, painting, insulation, fire protection and rescue services.

"The strategy is to replicate a company we were previous involved in that was highly successful, Opus Industrial Services.

“We have taken the core service of rope access and expanded because it’s what clients want.

"Clients don’t want a single discipline company any more they want a contractor who offers a portfolio of services.”

TIS has the necessary certifications and its new training centre is fully IRATA approved.

All individuals who successfully complete the courses will receive the appropriate IRATA certificates and it is hoped there will be eight learners every week.

Mr King said: “With all my years’ experience in the industry, and with the knowledge I have gained through building previous training centres, we have been able to produce by far the best facility I have ever been associated with or seen.

“This facility will provide the candidates with a fantastic real-life experience and excellent training of rope access techniques.”

The Training School will increase the company revenue and provide TIS with the ability to upskill its own workforce as well as look to help others into employment.

As an accredited member of the Scaffolding Association, TIS will now be able to embark on a rapid expansion of the access/scaffolding side of the business.

Mr Heilbron added: “Scaffolding has had massive investment from the directors, we have invested £500,000 in facilities, plant, equipment and scaffold stock.

“We have worked with numerous local clients in a short space of time and recently we completed the rope access painting and hopper refurbishment works on the Ribblehead Viaduct.

"We have expanded the rope access and commenced the access division, the overall business is growing and it is hugely exciting to be part of it.”