Fred Blackwood has been appointed by Coat Facilities Group as its new Associate Director for Corporate Development.
Headquartered in the West Midlands with nationwide coverage, Coat Facilities Group provides industry-leading expertise across all aspects of facilities management and comprises of five individual brands: Diamond Facilities Support, Jet Through, Nationwide Roofing Repairs, Nationwide Property Clean and Sanctuary Fire & Security.
At its core, FM is about keeping people safe – and that’s why there is a raft of legislation which must be rigidly followed, writes Adam Atkins, co-founder and group chief executive of Coat Facilities Group.
In a complex and technology-reliant world, with teams increasingly working remotely, compliance requires more structure, planning and in-depth oversight.
Whilst effective governance, comprehensive records and well-evidenced decision-making have been essential since legislation was first introduced, the technological era has ushered in many new considerations.
As buildings have become ‘smarter’, it is not only the physical infrastructure which must be protected, but also the data stored within systems – meaning cybersecurity is now as important as fire evacuation plans and gas safety checks.
For decades, facilities management leaders have attempted to bridge the gap between preventative and reactive maintenance—now, the rapid onset of new technologies gives providers vastly improved methods of detecting when systems may be at risk. But have these methods become infallible, or is there a way to go before the FM industry shifts to complete reliance on predictive maintenance?
The Rise of Predictive Tech
Since the mid-20th century, specialists within certain sectors have been able to manually conduct tests to predict when systems were failing or degrading, making it easier for work to be planned in advance—meaning a reduction in downtime and fewer unexpected costs. As maintenance management systems became computerized at the turn of the millennium, this approach became less time-consuming and specialized, opening up the opportunities for a broader range of industries to utilize a predictive approach.
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Proud to announce that Coat Facilities Group Ltd rounded Q1 off in style having secured not one but five new awards including Facilities Management Group of the Year 2026 and BUILD Client Satisfaction Excellence Award 2026.
This achievement is a true testament to the dedication and expertise of our entire team, where every member of COAT plays a part in delivering our service to the high standards our clients both deserve and expect.
Here’s to building on this momentum for the rest of 2026 and beyond!
Leading facilities management provider Coat Facilities Group has strengthened its senior teams as part of its ambitious growth plans.
Recently acquired by Tendra Technical Services, Coat comprises of five companies, each specialising in a specific area of facilities management. The group aims to scale its revenue by 100% within the next five years, and to that end has recruited two additional managers and promoted five existing team members to higher leadership positions.
Skills shortages, spiralling wage costs, energy price hikes…and the growing promises and threats created by Al. Yet somehow business leaders press on with guarded optimism about the opportunities ahead.
Insider convened its first Directors Summit, where we brought together leaders from radically different sectors – from funerals and facilities management to manufacturing and marketing – to look at what shared challenges and prospects they face, and to reveal of the solutions and strategies they’ve developed to not only survive, but thrive.
Continued success for FM service providers means grappling with an increasingly complex environment.
Technology has undoubtedly left its mark on every industry across the globe – and facilities management is no different. With continuous advancement, FM leaders have had to adapt and upskill to keep pace with the tech tools and processes reshaping the sector.
Here, Adam Atkins – Group CEO of Coat Facilities Group – reflects on the changes he’s seen throughout his extensive FM career, and the advantages and challenges of adopting technology within the industry.
What have been the biggest technology‑led changes you’ve seen within the FM industry over the years?
One of the biggest transformations has of course been the switch from paper to platforms. The laborious task of keeping track of every project, task and change no longer requires a meticulous filing system but can be accessed at the touch of a button from any location across the country.
This has elevated how teams operate, enabling a truly mobile workforce without compromising on the constant communication needed between head office and those out in the field. And, of course, we have seen data become intrinsic to the work we undertake. While experienced FM leaders will still use their experience and knowledge to inform decisions, it’s transformational to be able to capture and access both real‑time and historic data, allowing us to predict trends and mitigate against future challenges much more easily.
It’s not just about how FM providers utilise this technology, we have also upskilled our workforce so that we can integrate new tech (like the Internet of Things and connected assets) into the buildings that we manage. Smart tools allow for much more security than ever before and provide peace of mind for owners – it’s also something those looking at residential or commercial buildings will often have on their checklist of requirements now too.
Coat Facilities Group has appointed Robert Wollerton as Group Business Development Manager as the company targets its next phase of expansion following its recent acquisition.
The West Midlands-headquartered FM specialist, which operates nationwide, said Robert will lead sales and commercial activity across all five of its brands as it pursues ambitious growth plans, including a target to scale revenue by over 100% within the next five years.
Co-founded by Adam Atkins and Helen Cooper, Coat Facilities Group comprises five brands: Diamond Facilities Support, Jet Through, Nationwide Roofing Repairs, Nationwide Property Clean and Sanctuary Fire & Security. The group delivers a range of directly delivered services spanning technical maintenance, energy management and security solutions.
Facilities management isn’t just about ensuring a workplace meets all regulatory requirements – it has a fundamental impact on the people who use the building day-in day-out, meaning its importance far surpasses that of a simple tick box exercise.
Alongside considering morale-boosting initiatives like wellbeing programmes and job benefits, businesses must view good FM practices as a core asset in boosting retention and productivity, especially in a world where budget constraints can mean fewer financial perks are on offer for staff. Managers may be unable to change external factors like the current economic situation, but this only heightens the importance of positive changes they can affect, which will drive up the happiness, motivation and loyalty of employees.
Physical surroundings and productivity
Our physical surroundings are intrinsically linked to our health, as anyone who has been forced to work in unsafe or unsatisfactory conditions can attest. Not only can poor lighting, ventilation or cleanliness levels cause a wealth of symptoms like headaches, fatigue and nausea, air circulation issues can also affect the spread of illnesses around the workplace, and existing conditions like asthma or allergies can also be worsened by the environment around us.
It’s clear how all of these factors can impact work rates, especially when sickness absences rise as a result, and academic studies back up the correlation: almost seven in ten employees report that poor lighting is among the issues which affect their productivity, according to Idox, and The Times reports that optimised workplaces could actually increase productivity by up to 7%.
Forward-thinking businesses will already have realised it is not just about keeping spaces maintained and clean. The design and layout of their headquarters has almost as big an impact: enabling productivity, for example, by providing different spaces for different functions. Incorporating quiet spaces for concentrated work; break out spaces for downtime; and places where teams can come together for collaborative work and meetings acknowledges the wide-ranging needs employees may have to complete all aspects of their job, and increases productivity by ensuring all of those requirements are met.
