Collins Seafoods is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of ‘frozen at sea’ fish with an award-winning reputation spanning almost 40 years – a true North-East success story.
The family-run company’s HQ is in the heart of Newton Aycliffe, at Heighington Lane Business Park, from where their team supplies fish and chip shops across the North-East and wholesalers across the UK and Ireland with the best quality fish.
Established in 1980, Collins Seafoods has grown from a ‘one man and his van’ operation to employing over 30 staff that deliver their products all over the UK.
The ever-growing nature of the business has seen managers turn to North East commercial legal experts, Endeavour Partnership, for a host of services to assist them as they continue to thrive.
Endeavour Partnership is one of the region’s leading commercial legal firms- the go-to solicitors for a range of issues in sectors including leisure, agriculture, education, construction, healthcare, retail, IT, start-ups and more.
The Stockton-based law firm, which has an unparalleled reputation spanning over 15 years, has worked with Collins Seafoods for over a decade. Endeavour has been responsible for assisting with various aspects relating to the business’s growth from company takeovers to employment issues.
Claire Carter, operations director at Collins Seafoods, said: “The legalities of a business can prove to be a time-consuming, costly minefield but it is not an area that you can dismiss. Endeavour Partnership has always offered us straightforward advice with a simple, no-nonsense approach no matter what issue we’re dealing with.”
Collins Seafoods has worked closely with Endeavour Partnership’s Commercial Property, Employment, Corporate and Commercial departments as it grows its workforce, enters new markets and expands its property portfolio.
As well as assisting Collins Seafoods with elements relating to property purchases and leases, Endeavour Partnership was involved in the company’s acquisition of Wraggs wholesalers in Leeds in 2011 to enable Collins to expand its reach.
Claire Carter, operations director at Collins Seafoods, said: “Endeavour Partnership’s Corporate and Commercial team worked on this vital acquisition for us under a lot of pressure as this was a crucial turning point for the growth of our company, allowing us to enter new market areas. The whole process ran smoothly, efficiently and without any stalling thanks to the depth of experience that Endeavour’s team possesses.”
Endeavour Partnership has also been heavily involved for many years in various aspects relating to employment and staff at Collins Seafoods.
Collins Seafoods now works with Endeavour Partnership’s Employment team on an ongoing basis addressing issues relating to their employee handbook, HR and contractual agreements. Endeavour has a specially-developed HR platform known as ‘Navigate HR’ which is used by many businesses, including Collins Seafoods, to assist with employment legalities.
Claire Carter, operations director at Collins Seafoods, said: “Navigate HR is a great tool for us- an essential part of our business as it provides us with peace of mind and ensures that we are always up to date with changes in the law. Endeavour’s experts provide us with the information relevant to our business and our sector in a user-friendly way that is also cost-effective.
“It’s often the common perception that top quality commercial legal advice is exceptionally expensive and complex. However, this has never been the case for us as we continue to work with Endeavour Partnership. It’s a service that we cannot afford to be without.”
Simon Wake, partner at Endeavour Partnership, added: “Collins Seafoods has an enviable reputation spanning four decades- their success story is truly inspirational. However, the company has also seen very many legal changes over the last 40 years in a complex industry. Here at Endeavour, our wealth of experts and varied experience means that we’re working with Collins Seafoods on a breadth of issues and we have got to know the people and the company very well.”
Located at Teesdale near Stockton, the commercial legal experts are currently on track for faster growth than anticipated as people begin to invest in quality legal advice again following the recession. 2015 saw Endeavour Partnership experience its best year to date following a period of growth and restructuring during its 15th year in business.
Endeavour Partnership was launched in 1999 by four partners who saw the need for a law firm to provide purely commercial legal services. The company has continued to grow from six fee-earners at inception to 21 in total. The business now employs 44 people with plans to steadily increase this.
Managing partner, Paul Bury, said: “The commercial legal sector has faced some challenging times in the post-recessionary climate and it is an exceptionally competitive marketplace. However, we have nurtured clients like Collins Seafoods, our reputation and our team and have continued to thrive. We are certainly on target to double our turnover in the next five years and continually create a variety of opportunities for people in the North East.”
