A Thanet concrete and fencing company is celebrating 40 years of trade this year.
Style Cast Concrete & Fencing Ltd was first set up by MD Stuart Latter and friend Barry Tatlow in Bath Road, Cliftonville, 1984. The idea was to produce concrete posts and paving after the pair spotted “a gap in the market in Thanet.”
Stuart said: “It seemed like something no-one else was doing in the area. At that time we were doing building maintenance and we thought maybe we would do this on the side and see what happens.”
But demand turned out to be high and the pair eventually needed a bigger premises.
Stuart said: “In 1990 we found premises at Westwood and grabbed it with both hands because it was on a main road site.
“We also had an expansion of special concrete castings such as bollards, coping and window sills. As well as manufacturing we had a team installing fencing and paving.”
The business, which still trades from the site on Margate Road, today, continued to grow and weathered the recession of the 1990s.
Stuart said: “The recession was a bit difficult, but we kept going.”
In 2000 the partnership with Barry was amicably dissolved and Stuart continued in the business along with his wife Heather, who dealt with accounts, and they were joined by daughter Caroline.
The team later expanded with Nathan Hudson and Andrew Dunn coming on board. Both who are now directors in the firm, as is Caroline.
Stuart said: “Year on year we have increased sales to local gardening and fencing companies and our loyal retail customers.
“We feel the key to our continued success is having a reputation for looking after our customers with reliable service. Good products at reasonable prices and a delivery service every day from our large stock. There are not many streets in Thanet that we haven’t delivered to over the past 40 years.
“All our products are produced by a local workforce for local people, making us a valuable local business.”
Over the last few years Andrew, Nathan and Caroline have been taking the helm to let Stuart,75, and Heather take more of a back seat.
Stuart said: “We have been slowly pulling away from the day to day side of things over the last five to seven years with Andrew and Nathan doing it and Caroline running the office along with all or hard-working and reliable employees.
“The idea is for them to carry on running the business so my wife and I can take a back seat.”
Find Style Cast Concrete & Fencing at: https://www.stylecastfencing.co.uk/
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