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Prochem Europe customer is UK's fastest-growing franchise

The UK's fastest-growing franchise is storming into the disaster restoration market using Prochem Europe technology and solutions.

Greater numbers of escape-of-water insurance claims due to record rainfall in the UK in the past year have seen an increase in the need for damage restoration companies and Kings Lynn, Norfolk-based Tempest Restoration has risen to the challenge, despite a consistently challenging economy.

Managing director and professional cleaner, Martin King sees the proof in the figures, with his company attaining 21 franchises across the UK in just under 12 months. "We're delighted," he says. "At a meeting in August with the British Franchise Association, I was told we were the fastest growing franchise in the UK, with the closest expanding franchise only opening six branches in the same period."

Established in 1990, Tempest Restoration offers complete project management for restoration services including carpet and upholstery cleaning, wooden floor cleaning, fire and water restoration services, and contents restoration.

Offering a 24/7 call-out service for people when their home or business has been damaged by a fire or flood, the company uses the latest systems, equipment and products to ensure operatives can efficiently and effectively restore the policyholder's business or home to its pre-incident condition and with minimal disruption.

"Our policy is to get on site within 24 hours for a fire and four hours for a water damage claim," says Martin.

"We have the latest technical truck mounted carpet and upholstery cleaning equipment required to clean even the toughest soiled carpets and upholstery providing a safe cleaning solution.

"Carpets and upholstery which have been affected by a fire or flood in some cases can be cleaned," says Martin. "Our technical team is professionally trained to use specific products to eliminate the odour of smoke residue and bacteria to provide a clean and sanitized environment.

"We do our utmost to ensure premises are returned to pre-incident condition with minimal disruption. We also offer a protection service to carpets and upholstery so that spillages can be removed more easily, which helps with the safe control of certain harmful bacteria and germs and to protect and prolong the condition."

The past year has been a very exciting time for the company after deciding to make the move into restoration franchising.

"The key factor in driving the business is continually researching requirements to ensure we provide the most up to date systems and services," says Martin.

The expanding business supplies its franchisees (known as branches) with equipment at start up. Included in the franchisee package is the Prochem Steempro Powerplus portable extractor and company- recommended optional Prochem Blazer GT truck mount, in addition to Prochem chemicals.

The big brother to the popular Steempro Powermax, the Steempro Powerplus has the extra capacity and high power vacuums to tackle really big jobs quickly and professionally, saving time on refilling and emptying and its optional Heat 'n' Run in-line heat exchanger also provides continuous hot cleaning solution.

Compact and affordable, Prochem's Blazer GT meanwhile is perfect for cleaners upgrading from a portable, providing powerful vacuum, solution pressure and instant heat to the carpet wand at a distance of 250ft (76m) from the vehicle.

Totally self-contained, the Blazer GT utilizes durable components and Prochem's patented heat exchange system. Set-up time is only a few minutes, then carpet cleaning is continuous with fully automatic water and chemical feed and even continuous emptying with the optional waste pump-out system.

Tempest also offers a national carpet, upholstery and rug cleaning service, Martin being well established in the professional cleaning sector via his company Xtraclean.

"We have been buying Prochem products for years now and they continue to perform extremely well," he says.

Tempest shares Prochem's training ethos. Its branch owners also receive the best and most up-to-date training into the processes involved to identify and restore fire and water damaged properties and contents.

At 21 years of age, latest branch owner Luke Ruddiman is also the youngest member of the Tempest team.

"After touring parts of America and seeing the impact and excitement surrounding franchises, I decided to come home, stop working for someone else and make it happen for myself" says Luke, who now operates the Tempest Restoration Huddersfield branch.

Luke is off to a flying start and is already considering employing others.

"I was lucky enough to have a job before I set up this branch," he says. "Now, I want to be able to offer work to an apprentice and help someone else get involved and work in an industry which I believe has so much to offer."

Founded in 1974, Prochem Europe is a leading British manufacturer of cleaning and maintenance products for carpets, fabrics and floors. Chemicals are made at the company's headquarters in Chessington, Surrey and are available through an extensive network of national and international distributors along with its carpet, fabric and floor cleaning equipment, accessories and spares. Britain's leading commercial provider of training to professional cleaners, Prochem Europe also offers a range of industry-recognised training courses for carpet, upholstery and floor cleaning and maintenance at Chessington, covering the latest techniques and maintenance methods.

T: 0208 974 1515
W: www.prochem.co.uk

21st February 2013