Congratulations to Rearo’s recently qualified apprentices

Congratulations to Rearo‘s recently qualified apprentices Lewis Hill (left), Cameron Fletcher (second from right) and Travis Tennent (right).

Lewis and Travis both completed their four-year Wood Machining Industry Skills apprenticeships through Forth Valley College, and will now be joining the Rearo staff as Machine Operators.

Cameron completed his Level 2 Modern Apprenticeship in Freight Logistics – Warehousing, Storage & Distribution (SCQF Level 5) and has now progressed to Warehouse Operative.

The (former) apprentices are pictured with their mentor and manager, Jamie Campbell, Operations Excellence Manager.

Well done, from all of us at Rearo!

Are you interested in joining the Rearo team?

Check out the Rearo recruitment page for current vacancies.

Rearo is officially Cyber Essentials certified!

Cyber Essentials is a government-backed scheme that helps businesses protect themselves against a range of the most common cyber attacks. Cyber attacks come in many shapes and sizes, but the vast majority are very basic in nature. They’re the digital equivalent of a thief trying your front door to see if it’s unlocked. The controls required to achieve the certification are designed to minimise and prevent these attacks. 

What are the benefits of the Cyber Essentials accreditation?

• Reassure you that we are working to secure our IT against cyber attacks.
• Attract new business with the confirmation that we have cyber security measures in place.
• Give us a clear picture of our current cyber security level.

Our IT Implementation Manager, Stuart Hutcheson, recently completed the Cyber Essentials programme for Rearo. 

To achieve the certification, we were assessed on five key areas:

• Firewalls
• Secure configuration
• User access control
• Malware protection
• Patch management

The project was a success, we achieved the certification and we now move on to the continuous improvement stage.

In many commercial sectors, companies must demonstrate a certain level of cybersecurity to be eligible for contracts or partnerships. Now that Rearo is Cyber Essentials Certified, we can qualify for government contracts that require Cyber Essentials certification.

We are proud to display the Cyber Essentials badge to show you, our clients, partners, and stakeholders that we take cybersecurity seriously. 

Rearo will continue to support St Mirren Football Club through trackside advertising boards and hospitality for the cinch Premiership season 2023/24. 

Rearo has a long association with the club going back many years and our sister company, Lerwick Brewery in the Shetlands, produced the famous Buddies Lager which was a great favourite of the Saints fans.

Graham Mercer (Rearo Managing Director), colleagues and we’re sure, many of our valued customers, look forward to attending St. Mirren matches and enjoying hospitality at the Westmarch Suite again this season. 
 
Best of luck to St Mirren Football Club in the coming season. 

Today, 15 June 2023, we wish a happy retirement to Donny Gunn!

Donny was one of the original ten employees when the company started in 1991 and was part of the Rearo football team. He actually started before Managing Director, Graham Mercer, helping guide Graham through his early days at Rearo.

Over the years, Donny has worked in many roles throughout the company – in production, as a supervisor, on backshift and nightshifts… Donny was also a great salesman, driving about in his Citroën Berlingo. As a salesman, he was loved by customers for his ‘no bull**t’ approach, they knew with Donny, they would just get the facts… even if it meant he was sometimes a bit too honest!

True to form, Donny didn’t want a big fuss. However, we couldn’t let the day pass without a small gathering to say a few words and thank him for his incredible commitment to Rearo. 

Donny – From everyone at Rearo, we sincerely wish you the happiest of retirements. The place won’t be the same without you!

Team Rearo

This week at Rearo HQ and manufacturing facility in Glasgow, we celebrated the launch of our new Edgebander machine.  

State-of-the-art HOMAG Edgeteq 380 Edgebander

Rearo purchased this state-of-the-art HOMAG Edgeteq 380 Edgebander with support from Scottish Enterprise, through AWMS Ltd, the official sales and service partner for all Homag Group products in Scotland. 

To commemorate the launch, we asked Michael Kennedy, our experienced Edgebander, to do the honours and cut the ribbon in a small ceremony with our Support Services Manager, Daniel Danso. 

Michael has been with Rearo for 32 years, joining the company in its infancy (along with Donny, who retired last week). Michael was a Rearo truck driver originally, before moving into the warehouse. He has been working on the Edgebander for over 20 years. He knows a thing or two about edgebanding! 

This new Edgebander will speed up the manufacturing process, increase production levels and improve the finished quality of our products. It also takes up significantly less space in our factory, and our staff can be fully trained in two to three weeks, rather than months, with the previous machine (which is still going strong, despite its age!)

Key Features: 

1.       Flexible glue application system that allows for easy changing of colour and glue type. Whether we need EVA or PU adhesives, the system enables swift and hassle-free transitions, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity. 

2.       Multifunctional profile trimming that delivers precise corner rounding and flush trimming. This versatile feature will ensure smooth and consistent edge finishes, meeting our customers diverse design requirements and enhancing the overall aesthetics of our products. 

3.       Multi-level technology making it effortless to adjust the unit when changing materials. Whether we’re working with different thicknesses or compositions, this intelligent system simplifies the adjustment process, saving time and ensuring optimal performance. 

5.       Fully automated machine offering excellent flexibility and easy adjustment. Its advanced automation capabilities streamline production processes, enabling efficient operation and quick adaptation to changing requirements. The automated features enhance productivity and ensure consistent, high-quality results. 

Thank you to Scottish Enterprise for the support and to Andrew Carson and the AWMS team for assistance with the installation.  

Scottish Apprenticeship Week was 6 – 10 March 2023. To celebrate, we gathered Rearo’s current apprentices together for a photograph at our Glasgow HQ. We also asked them for an update on their apprenticeship experience at Rearo.

What is it like to be an apprentice at Rearo?

Kenzie White (started 20/6/22) is “enjoying driving lessons”. Although at the very early stage of his apprenticeship and lessons, he is hopeful he will be able to pass within the next 3 months. 

Cameron Fletcher (started 29/6/22) has found his apprenticeship a good experience so far. With approximately 3 months left he intends to “stay on and get more warehouse experience”. 

Logan Bryans (started 30/1/23) is our newest warehouse apprentice who is appreciating learning new skills and working towards his forklift licence. 

Roshaun Singh (started 9/1/23) – “I have found the Buddy scheme very helpful. My Buddy has made me feel welcome, offered support and advice and has helped me settle into my role at Rearo Laminates.” 

Mohamed Razick (started 14/11/22), is Rearo’s first Digital Apprenticeship apprentice. Mohamed said “The driving incentive that Rearo offers is a huge help to me as an apprentice. I have recently started my driving lessons and looking forward to getting my license”. 

Lewis Hill (started 3/6/19) and Travis Tennant (started 1/8/19) our 4th Year Woodwork apprentices thought their apprenticeships were a good opportunity and nice experience.  Lewis said “college has been good for my CV and for further opportunities”. 

Adam Hone (started 13/09/21). Now qualified, found the tasks around Health and Safety in his college work “helped my understanding of manual handling at work”. Adam has recently joined the Rearo Environmental committee.

Corey Vest (15/11/21) has just qualified and has now accepted a formal offer of Sales & Admin Associate at our Washington Branch. Well done Corey!

Rearo Apprenticeship Scheme Benefits

Rearo firmly believes that learning to drive builds confidence and a sense of independence. It is a desirable skill for employees to have as it opens up opportunities for work and travel. Therefore, as part of our apprenticeship scheme, after three months with the company, apprentices can sign up for free driving lessons. It’s clear that this initiative and the experience gained at Rearo has proven popular with our current apprentices.  

We wish all the apprentices the best of luck with their lessons and the rest of their apprenticeships.  

Apprenticeship Opportunities

For a full list of the current vacancies across our HQ and branch network, see the Rearo Recruitment page.

https://rearo.co.uk/recruitment/

Rearo Laminates Ltd, a specialist in the supply and manufacture of bathroom and kitchen surfaces, has launched a new branch in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, serving domestic and trade customers in the North West.  

From 1 March 2023, customers in Skelmersdale and the surrounding areas can access Rearo’s full range of products through the new Rearo Skelmersdale branch. The new branch is located at Crawford Rd, Crawford, Skelmersdale WN8 9QP. 

The Rearo Skelmersdale branch is a distribution hub with a click-and-collect point for online orders (www.rearo.co.uk) and a kitchen and bathroom surfaces showroom, where customers can view Rearo’s range of wall panels, worktops, flooring, and more. The new branch will offer exceptional customer service and even faster delivery times for customers in the North West region. 

About Rearo

A leading specialist in the supply and manufacture of bathroom and kitchen surfaces within the UK, Rearo is a family run business which has operated in the market for 31 years. The company prides itself on a team of highly skilled craftworkers and providing exceptional customer service, assisting the customer from initial inquiry through to delivery with its own dedicated nationwide fleet of vehicles.

In addition to laminates and wall lining systems, Rearo manufacture and supply worktops, vinyl click flooring, toilet cubicles and matching IPS for commercial premises. Rearo products are specified on major development projects across the UK. Rearo has branches in Glasgow, Rosyth, Northampton, and Washington. This new branch in Skelmersdale, will be the company’s fifth branch serving customers in the North West. 

Rearo Skelmersdale – New Branch launched

Left: Robert Bennett, Peter Kiely, & Graham Mercer at the front of Rearo Skelmersdale (formerly Decorative Products UK Ltd, March 2023. Right: Graham Mercer, Robert Bennett and Peter Kiely in the Rearo Skelmersdale warehouse, March 2023.

The new branch occupies the former premises of Decorative Products (UK) Ltd, a now-ceased distributor of exceptional, high-quality laminate and solid surface kitchen worktops, shower and wet wall systems. 

In addition to occupying the premises, Rearo has taken on two of the company’s former employees. Peter Kiely and Paul Harrison have joined the Rearo team. Both staff members will bring exceptional product expertise and local knowledge to their new roles with Rearo.

Rearo’s Head of Sales & Marketing, Robert Bennett, states, 

“In everything we do at Rearo, we’re continually looking for ways to improve our customer experience. We’re delighted to add Rearo Skelmersdale to our branch network as it means we can better serve customers in the North West. We welcome our new staff members and look forward to working closer with customers in the area”.

Find Rearo Skelmersdale on the Rearo Branches page now.

Rearo Skelmersdale

Crawford Rd 
Crawford
Skelmersdale 
WN8 9QP
T: 01744 882000

OPENING HOURS

Monday to Thursday 8am – 4.30pm
Friday 8am – 3.30pm
Saturday to Sunday Closed