On Wednesday, 17th September 2025, we were proud to welcome our valued suppliers and colleagues to the Holiday Inn in Alfreton for our Supplier Engagement Day.
The event brought together around 160 guests, including representatives from more than 60 of our suppliers, alongside members of the Van Elle team.
The day was an opportunity to celebrate and thank our suppliers for their ongoing support, outline our upcoming workload and strategic priorities, and explore how we can work even more effectively together.
Galliford Try delivered an insightful presentation on the benefits of early supplier involvement, and several short supplier-led presentations were delivered by our suppliers. These included a safety session from A Squared and innovation sessions from Total, John Lawrie Tubulars, ECSL, Heidelberg and Speedy.
It also gave us the chance to listen to supplier feedback, strengthen our partnerships and provide space for meaningful networking.
Group discussions encouraged open dialogue on improving collaboration, communication and performance, with a focus on enhancing quality, innovation and sustainability. The event concluded with the announcement of our Supplier Awards.
We were also pleased to announce our newly selected Charity of the Year, Bottled Up Blokes, chosen by our employees. Thanks to the generosity of our guests, a raffle held during the event raised over £2,245 for this important cause. This amount was kindly matched by one of our suppliers, bringing the total donation to £4,490.
We would like to thank all of our suppliers for their contributions and engagement, which helped make the day such a success.
Building on the positive feedback we received, we look forward to making the Supplier Engagement Day a regular fixture in our calendar.
Lisa Comery, Head of Procurement, said: “Our suppliers are central to Van Elle’s success, and this event provided an excellent opportunity to recognise and thank them while reinforcing our partnerships. By sharing our plans, gathering feedback and fostering closer collaboration, we can continue to drive excellence in quality, innovation and sustainability. We are grateful to all who attended and contributed to making the day a success.”
