J A Harrison opens
£3m hi-tech plant
Public Relations and Content Creation
Showcasing Standards
J A Harrison had recently relocated and modernised.
The family business, newly home to Oldham in the form of a £3 million state-of-the-art engineering facility, could now supply gaskets and seals to the world’s most regulated hi-tech industries.
Getting the message out to the new industries it could serve and planting its flag as a ‘Northern Powerhouse’ company were at the forefront of the Shepherd family’s mind as it re-opened for business.
Outstanding Outreach
Stones PR was recommended to J A Harrison and immediately prepared a detailed PR strategy for execution. We mapped the media landscape around its prospective client industries and interviewed the company’s managing director Keith Shepherd before identifying a series of compelling news lines to peak editorial interest.
J A Harrison’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant delivered the industry’s fastest turnaround times for bespoke gaskets and seals and therefore reduced downtime for oil rigs, power stations and petrochemical plants. It made new advances in automotive, aerospace and defence technology possible. The facility’s clean supply chain met tough safety standards for medical, food processing and pharmaceutical industries.
Page-ready PR campaigns were prepared with several news releases written to relay each of these USPs to relevant industry media. Another news release relayed the company as a Northern Powerhouse business and was distributed to the region’s business media.
Extensive media outreach was undertaken and several outlets carried a stories of the family’s new hi-tech facility.
Spreading Awareness
Articles appeared in Aerospace Manufacturing Magazine, World Pipelines Magazine, Fluid Handling Magazine, Liquid Natural Gas Magazine, Machinery Magazine, European Rubber Journal, Rubber & Plastics News, The Manufacturer Magazine as well as The Oldham Times, The Oldham Reporter as well as the local Revolution Radio Station’s website.
During media liaisons, Stones PR also secured the broadcast of BBC North West Tonight’s budget statement coverage from J A Harrison’s new facility. BBC business correspondent Nina Warhurst brought a camera crew to J A Harrison on budget day to interview staff members as a first time house-buyer, a single parent and a company director. At 6.30pm, Ms. Warhurst delivered her outdoor live broadcast to BBC HQ and the whole of the North West from beneath J A Harrison’s new company signage.
J A Harrison dominated the first six minutes of BBC North West Tonight on 2017’s autumn budget night. An edited version of the report was repeated at 10.30pm. J A Harrison reached one of the regional network’s highest audience figures of the year – a total estimated audience of 700,000 viewers.
Entry to the oldham business Awards
Public Relations
Winning Formulas
A month later J A Harrison put itself forward for the Oldham Business Awards and asked Stones PR to help it win.
We crafted an entry application that no panel could ignore. In precisely 1700 words we left no doubt that J A Harrison was the deserving winner of the Oldham Business Awards’ £5 – 10m turnover category prize.
After our copywriters highlighted leading products, exemplary service, top tier accreditations, relentless growth, rich history and a global footprint. After we detailed investment secured and construction feats completed, we explained the capabilities and competitive advantages of its new facility.
We touched upon rebranding, a new website and our PR campaign which brought the BBC to Oldham on budget night. With a five year plan outlined and its connection to local job creation and regeneration fully illustrated, we then explained what winning the award would mean to the company and its owning family, now home.
J A Harrison was awarded the £5 – 10m turnover category at the Oldham Business Awards.
International Reach
Later in the year J A Harrison commissioned the BBC’s ‘StoryWorks’ department to create a factual video about its business.
It was to be broadcast on BBC World as part of the channel’s commerical series called ‘The British Bid’.
J A Harrison hired Stones PR’s press office services to manage the film production within its facility.
We provided a 5000 word brief for the film crew which relayed history and purpose, identified locations for filming, people for interview, existing content as well as health and safety issues.
Stones PR managed the production team throughout filming, providing access to people and places and monitoring interviews. We then reviewed the edit, returning it with notes for a final cut.
The show went out on BBC World three months later.
Book A Consultation
Whether you wish to prevent media intrusion, generate PR coverage, turn the tide of opinion or sell your story, you will find it easy going when discussing your media needs with Stones PR. We love advising, guiding and supporting organisations and people as they engage the media.