Travis Perkins : New team for new ideas

29 Jan 2016

Can you imagine your boss taking you aside and asking you to take some time out to look into the next big thing? And that time out turns into a new job and exciting new career in innovation; that's exactly what happened to Rachel Sullivan and Elizabeth Gilbert. Both worked as analysts for Travis Perkins and were asked if they'd like to spend two days a week researching the latest innovations in the construction sector.

The short secondment revealed that there is a lot going on that many had never thought of or imagined possible: think bricks that are 'grown' and 'self-healing' concrete, not to mention being able to change the colour of your walls at the click of a button. After finding a wealth of innovations and new technologies on the horizon, the pair were asked to report back at the Group conference in February 2015.

'It was a great opportunity to present our findings to over 500 colleagues from across the Group and it became clear that no-one was looking at new technologies on the horizon. After our presentation, the Chief Executive, John Carter, approached us and told us that innovation was an important part of the TP business. After that, things happened very quickly,' said Rachel Sullivan.

Since the Group Conference last year, Rachel and Elizabeth have been busy setting up their new team, launching a new innovation product that was named a 'Green Hero' by TV's Grand Design's Kevin McCloud, and keeping up to date with the latest innovations. You can find out more about TP's innovation approach, and watch the great video that gives you a taster of what tomorrow could be like, at the About Us pages.

Innovation is vital to sustainability and responsible business. Using our skills and know-how to overcome problems such as waste and pollution is a great way to ensure that we minimise our impact on society and the environment. TP is now well-placed to learn, improve and help others do the same.

We'll keep you updated on the latest innovations on the Responsibility webpages. Make sure you check our pages regularly as there is a major innovation announcement planned soon.

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