Customers, suppliers and staff were treated to Champagne and celebration cake as they were given their first official tour of Ventilation Surveys & Services (VSS) Ltd’s new headquarters.

The ventilation hygiene and system surveying company has relocated to Liverpool from Hertfordshire and is using regional business funding to drive growth and expansion plans.

In total, 40 specially invited guests, including clients and partners, were invited to an open day in June to view the 6,000sq ft premises and hear about the company’s future plans.  In addition, more than 50 VSS staff, including those based in Ireland and site-based engineers and contract managers from throughout the UK, attended the event to see the new head office for the first time.

Chief executive officer of VSS, George Friend, said: “It was fantastic to show guests our new head office after so long in the planning and we are delighted to have already secured new projects in the Liverpool region. We now have the space we need to fulfil our plans for growth and we are proud to be hosting the European Ventilation Hygiene Association AGM in July.” 

He added: “We are aiming for our training centre to be fully fitted out by then so we can host the first training course at the same time.”

VSS’ training school will feature a range of realistic settings, such as a laboratory and hospital set, for trainees to gain valuable experience of real-life work situations.  The firm plans to recruit and train a host of new site-based staff over the coming year. George Friend, along with VSS chief operating officer Nick Umfreville, are also set to help write the new NVQ in ductwork cleaning – part of the Government’s new Trailblazer projects.

VSS’ relocation to Liverpool was made possible with the help of The North West Fund for Loans Plus, managed by FW Capital, and Liverpool’s Mayoral Investment Fund, using Regional Growth Fund money.  Funding has also been secured from the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, as a contribution to professional services for business. 

TPiPictured above, the VSS team gathers at the new headquarters