Social housing specialist Fortem has set ambitious growth goals for the next three years under its new ‘FOR Our Future’ strategy.

The company, which is part of Willmott Dixon, intends to increase turnover from the current £205 million to £300million by 2028, with a focus on three distinct business streams: repairs and maintenance, capital works and retrofit programmes. It has also made some key appointments, with Judy Hegarty promoted to deputy MD, Kat Fidler becoming Director of Operations and Dan Churton joining from Orbit Housing as Client Solutions Director.

Fortem operates across England and employs 1,200 employees. The company currently works with 16 local authorities and housing associations where its activities include delivering 350,000 reactive repairs and 4,000 voids upgrades every year. In April 2024, Fortem extended its repairs and maintenance partnership with Birmingham City Council by two years in a deal worth £170m.

Fortem COO Chris Tredget

The refocused strategy comes with the government pledging significant investment in affordable and social housing, as well as improved energy efficiency in the housing stock by 2030.

Under the ‘FOR Our Future’ strategy, Fortem will enhance operational efficiency and drive sustainable growth across its three business streams to deliver value to customers and residents living in homes Fortem works in. Its new strapline, Every Home Matters, underlines this focus on tenant support and satisfaction.

Key strategy highlights:

• Exclusively working in social housing, with a key focus of ‘walking in their customers’ shoes’. To reinforce this, Fortem has appointed Dan Churton, former Commercial and Transformational Director from Orbit Housing, to the Board, to ensure the new strategy constantly adapts to changing sector requirements.

• Customer-Centric Approach: Fortem is focusing its services on three core workstreams:

1. Repairs and maintenance: providing 24/7 responsive repairs, refurbishment compliance, including gas servicing, electrical testing & fire safety works
2. Capital works: improvements to housing stocks, including kitchens and bathroom roll outs, aid adaptations, high-rise fire compliance and fire doors.
3. Retrofit programmes: a newer funding stream, which is PAS 2035 and 2030 compliance, designing and installing energy efficient measures in local authority or housing association homes, such as external wall installation, windows, new doors, new roofs, loft insulation, PVs on the roof, air source, heat pumps.

• Unlocking our People Potential: Fortem’s focus on training and development to equip its people with the skills to be successful includes plans to recruit over 100 apprentices and management trainees from local communities over the next four years.

• Digital Transformation: Fortem is leveraging cutting-edge technology including Totalmobile, Talkdesk, and Microsoft, to provide services like Remote Assistance and Dynamic Scheduling, bringing greater efficiency and convenience to its operations and enhancing the customer experience.

• Purpose Beyond Profit: Sustainability is at the heart of Fortem’s strategy. The company is committed to achieving zero-carbon operations by 2030. As part of its broader commitment to corporate social responsibility, Fortem last year delivered £2.6m of social value investment including 26 biodiversity projects, 85 school workshops, 2000 work experience placements and 270 winter warmer packs.

Graham Dundas, Chief Executive Officer at Willmott Dixon said: “The social housing market is responding to new legislation and regulations, as well as meeting the needs for significant stock investment. Fortem’s new strategy is a statement of intent to be a partner to help councils and housing association navigate these requirements, which is a key strategic goal of the wider Willmott Dixon Group. We look forward to seeing Fortem thrive.”

Chris Tredget, Chief Operating Officer at Fortem said: “This strategy marks an evolution in our processes, efficiency and workstreams. By consolidating all our efforts into this new cohesive strategy, we will focus on becoming the leading and most trusted partner for our social housing customers. I’m excited about the future because I believe what we do makes a genuine difference; every home really does matter.”