News and Updates

Arco, has been named as one of the top 10 family businesses in the UK for employing apprentices for a second year running. Arco's contribution to employing apprentices and its investment in the next generation saw the company listed by Family Business United - the global voice of the family business community.

The Hull-based company features in the 2023 report that examines the number of apprentices in the sector, the creation of new apprenticeships and the number of apprentices completing and graduating from apprenticeship programmes alongside the likes of Bagnalls and Hodgkinson Builders, with JCB also included.

Over the past six years, Arco has built upon its Future Experts programme as part of an ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of industry talent.

Darren Ford, head of organisational development and learning and development at Arco, said:

"We are incredibly proud to be recognised for a second year in the Family Business United list of top family business apprentice employers. Helping to nurture future talent and further develop the knowledge and skills of our colleagues plays an important role in the aspirations of the business and will support our ambitions for growth.

"We're seeing a greater uptake from a broader range of business areas now and this year we have committed to creating eight dedicated apprenticeship opportunities across the organisation, with a plan in place to increase this to 16 next year. I'm very excited to see both our internal and external apprentice numbers grow over these coming months."

Arco's Future Experts programme has seen over 42 apprentices graduate and currently has 23 apprenticeships ongoing. Apprentices have the opportunity to work in a variety of areas across Arco, including finance, digital, customer services and safety, health and environment.

Paul Andrews, Founder and Chief Executive of Family Business United, said:

"Family businesses are innovative and entrepreneurial and it is great to see so many providing apprenticeships within their organisations."

"This is our second report and it clearly highlights the growing importance of apprenticeships to family firms across the UK and the continuing commitment from leading family businesses to continue to invest in the ongoing development of the next generation of their staff. There are significant numbers of apprenticeships opportunities available within the family business sector in the UK today and as outlined below, they provide a fantastic stepping stone into a career with long term development opportunities that may even take you to a board position in the future."

We're set to begin our latest website improvement plan designed to help more customers transact online.

The plan, which begins in September will initially focus on helping customers find the exact safety products they need. We stock over 80,000 lines on our website and are determined customers have easy access to the correct products to keep them safe.

Initial improvements to our product listing page will include clearer pricing and delivery dates, an updated design for customers across all devices and clear product lifecycle information to make buying decisions easier.

Customers that we've spoken to will welcome this update as it builds more certainty into their supply chain and helps them plan and buy the products that they need.

We've also added an alternative product link which means where a product is not available, customers can select a suitable alternative.

Head of Ecommerce, Gareth Wray, said:

"We know from customers that selecting products based on delivery time, availability and continuity of supply is critical to their supply chain and that's why we're introducing these changes at the start of our plan.

"Along with the new features, customers will see more time-saving changes such as an improved look and feel to Arco's listings page, more detailed search results allowing faster filtering and the ability to add products directly to their basket."

Customer summary:

• Get clearer pricing by logging into to see your contracted price rather than list price
• Better plan your order with accurate availability dates, even if your purchase is in multiple consignments
• Be sure of ongoing supply with product lifecycle information showing which products are new, have limited availability or are discontinued
• View alternative products if your selected item is unavailable
• Check out faster by adding multiple products and quantities directly to your basket from the listing page

You can shop our full range of products 24/7 online, if you've not already registered to use our website simply register for an online account here.

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Arco, has been awarded certification from the British Standards Institution (BSI) for the health and safety management system at its clothing centre, in Preston, highlighting the company's continued commitment to exceptional health and safety standards.

Following a rigorous assessment, the BSI determined that the site conformed to the ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management Standard, which is designed to prevent work-related injury and ill-health and to provide safe and healthy workplaces.

The BSI assessor spent time talking to colleagues across the site, including the clothing centre's management and Arco's safety, health and environment (SHE) team, as well as assessing working practices and processes and examining documentation.

In the report, the assessor commented that colleagues had 'a very good understanding of the management specification obligations' and that this was 'demonstrated by all participants interviewed and evidence of implementation in all areas planned has been confirmed through this assessment'.

Stephen Crossley, General Manager of Arco's Clothing Centre, said:

"To receive the ISO 45001 standard is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates our commitment to living up to Arco's core purpose of keeping people safe at work.

"This is the first time we have secured this globally recognised standard and it is a great example of how we, as a business, are continuing to lead within the health and safety industry."

Jo Heselton, SHE Manager at Arco, added:

"We are proud to have attained ISO 45001 and I'd like to thank all those colleagues involved in supporting the assessment, this certificate really is a testament to their hard work, day-in and day-out, in ensuring our clothing centre is a safe and healthy workplace.

"As with any assessment, it's not just about the hard work on the day but the many weeks of preparation to ensure we can demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of our health and safety management system."

Find out more about Arco's clothing centre.

Arco has begun using environmentally conscious recycled threads at its clothing centre in Preston.

Following a successful pilot with supplier, Madeira, Arco, the UK's leading safety company, has introduced recycled threads from Madeira's Polyneon Green range into its personalised workplace clothing embroidery and decoration service. Polyneon Green threads are made from 100% recycled PET bottles, reducing carbon emissions associated with virgin thread production and reducing the amount of plastic in the environment.

Over the course of 2022, when the trial began, 62% of the cones supplied from Madeira were Polyneon Green. So far in 2023, 67% of the total cones supplied to Arco have been with thread made from the alternative.

In addition to the thread being made from recycled materials, they also have Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX®, Annex 6 product class I certification, which ensures they do not contain any harmful chemicals. The boxes that the cones are packaged in are made of 66% recycled cardboard and they themselves are fully recyclable, the protective wrapper used for each cone is also 100% recyclable. In total, 1.148 tonnes of recycled threads have been used in the clothing centre since the trial began.

According to a recent study by the European Environment Agency, EU consumers discard 5.8 million tonnes of textiles annually, two thirds of which from synthetic fibres. This accounts for around 13% of all plastic waste globally.

Jim Harbidge, Head of Sustainability at Arco, said:

"At Arco, we work in partnership with our suppliers, customers and relevant bodies to develop and provide responsible solutions for safer businesses.

"Switching to recycled threads is an example of how Arco is taking action for a safer tomorrow and making it easier for our customers to meet their sustainability and circularity goals and to be confident in making more responsible purchase decisions."

Stephen Crossley, General Manager of Arco's Clothing Centre, said:

“Working closely with our supplier, Madeira, we have successfully implemented important changes to the thread we use for our embroidery and decoration services.

"Our job is never completed when it comes to sustainability, so, as the Polyneon Green range continues to develop, in terms of colours and finishes, we will seek to source even more of the threads we use from this range."

Andrew Maylor, Managing Director of Madeira UK, said:

"As a long-term supplier of embroidery threads and accessories to Arco, we are proud to be working in partnership with them to help take action for a more sustainable future.

"Our Polyneon Green range was created in response to the global demand to reduce plastic bottles. With Polyneon Green, we are reducing the amount of plastic in the environment and making the textile industry more sustainable. Our aim is to develop the range further so that our customers can continue to have more sustainable options to choose from."

To find out more about the services available at Arco's Clothing Centre, visit: www.arco.co.uk/about/comprehensive-product-range/specialist-clothing-services

To find out more about Madeira's Polyneon Green: www.madeira.co.uk/embroidery-threads/polyneon-green/

The Plant a Tree Today (PATT) Foundation is a UK Registered Charity that want to take action against climate change by planting native trees and reforesting areas destroyed by illegal logging, development and agriculture.

Green-fingered colleagues from our Customer Experience Centre (CEC) used one of their two annual volunteering days to support the PATT Foundation on the charity's four-acre nursery site just outside of Hull. The team potted native tree seedlings, watered plants, sowed seeds and harvested food crops for local food banks alongside constructing wigwams to establish the planting of runner beans, lettuces and Pinus Sylvestris.

Chris Hepton, Customer Service Team Leader, said:

"It was great to learn about what the PATT Foundation do and it's good to know that that our efforts will go towards helping food banks".

Well done to all involved!