The first step to becoming a Thor Duct ® Licensee, and adding EN-tested and certified ductwork to your company’s repertoire, is as simple as making a call or filling in an online form. The motivation for any company making this move and reaching out to the experts can of course vary, but the benefits are as solid and guaranteed as well-installed, fully certified ductwork itself.

We caught up with Operations Director Jay Watts for a chat recently.

Established as a labour-only enterprise by Managing Director Joolz Hembrough and coming up to 25 years in business, Airtech DS Ltd carries out ductwork ventilation for all building types. No job is too large or small for Airtech DS – they work on hospitals, schools and government buildings, as well as residential buildings and office infrastructures. 

“We carry out all types of ductwork, from galvanised rectangular to fire-rated and pre-insulated ductwork. We are licensed to do all three. Basically, if it’s got a vent or a duct, we’ll price the job!” explains Airtech’s Jay Watts, who has been with the company for 16 years.

“Obviously, with any business connected to building and construction generally, there are going to be some ups and downs” admits Jay, “but we are enjoying a period of strong growth and are on course of turnover of £12 million this year”.

Even the briefest examination of a typical Airtech DS job reveals how Thor Duct ® has turned out to be a perfect fit for the Kent-based outfit.

“Basically, we would visit a premises to install a system, which would then go through what we call snagging, and then we would make sure all the brackets and nuts and bolts are in the right place and that all the lagging has been done correctly” explains Watts.

“This is all done very precisely, so that when it comes to the phase known as practical completion, we have a building whose ventilation system is operational, on spec, and to standard”.

It was around the lean times of the recession when the licensee relationship began to look like a timely and sensible option for Airtech DS.

“We had a discussion about becoming a licensee with Brian McCarthy [Thor Duct ® Managing Director] and he came over to see us to explain further how they worked and how they could help us. We knew right away that we were dealing with experts but also – and maybe even just as importantly – that Brian and his team were going to be extremely easy to work with” says Jay. 

“It became a no-brainer to become licensees, and once that decision was made, and the paperwork was all done, Michael Renaghan [Thor Duct ® Technical Lead] came over and trained our key people in the factory on all the technical details and then gave a very useful presentation to our management team. Everyone was very impressed with the level of technical knowledge and the all-round approach of the Thor Duct ® team.”

With a silver anniversary approaching for Airtech DS, things continue to look shiny, which is a credit to the resilience, hard work and flexibility of MD Joolz Hembrough, Operations Director Jay Watts and the team. The decision to reach out to Thor Duct ® has undoubtedly proved to be one that continues to reap dividends in Kent and beyond.