DP Building Systems
The specialist distributor was established in 1998 by Peter White and David Lloyd. 23 years on Peter’s son, Rob White, is Commercial Director and is driving the business forward with beloved charities and thriving relationships at its core.
Rob White
Rob, together with Adrian Edwards, Channel Sales Manager, has developed a series of charging and data transfer cables for CRUK and LGBTQ+. Rob explains, “These charities are close to our hearts, not least because the White family has had a long fight with cancer. A portion of the sales goes directly to the charities, and they are personalised with a batch name instead of a number, in tribute to someone who has been impacted by cancer.
Fortunately, my father survived his diagnosis and we have a product dedicated to him. Not only do they have a personal meaning behind them, but they have people at the heart of their designs too. The multiple charging ports mean that the whole family can charge their devices, without any squabbling over plugs. It’s also the first-to-market cable that transfers data from multiple devices. We have always been focused on creating products that are innovative and this charger was designed to focus on connectivity for all.”
Tech developments and innovations have been a longstanding part of their operations, but they hadn’t realised the income potential of their research until Andrew Jones, Partner at Haines Watts joined the team.
Rob said, “Even though we have been operating for years, before working with Haines Watts we were never advised we could claim back for our R&D work. Now Andrew and his team have made sure we are fully informed, and we’ve claimed huge amounts of relief on work that has always been a core part of the business. The big picture view from Haines Watts has saved us time and money.”
The support started three years ago when DP Building Systems moved into its Perry Barr office. Although it was just by chance that it was on the doorstep of Haines Watts’ office, it was a strategic partnership. Andrew explains, “Out of the options they had for advisors, we weren’t the cheapest option, but we were chosen because we were a good fit personality-wise. We were told they hadn't had the same reaction to their vision from the other firms.”
Shared passion for things outside of normal business obligations has made the relations between the two companies thrive into a co-existing team and Andrew is not only their advisor but a partner with them on their journey.
Andrew said, “It is stressful running a business, and I help Rob and all of my clients manage that stress. Of course, I am an accountant, but I am also a partner of our firm so I have an understanding of the same problems they face such as recruitment or IT. Sometimes they need me to bounce their ideas off instead of just doing the technical accountancy side. We are another ear for them so they don't feel on their own and we can relate our own problems with theirs.
“Rob knows he can call my mobile with a question, and I will always help out, without the fear of being charged like at other firms. I always stress to my clients that if you have a question, just ask. It might spark something that I haven't thought of previously. I want to build lasting relationships so that I’m the go-to support for my clients. For non-accountancy questions I rely also on my network of connections – I always know people that can help.”
‘Serial networker’ Andrew has passed on his passion for people to Rob, who has had big wins as a result. He said, “He advised us to join the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce which unlocked a lot of networking opportunities. We were initially skeptical of joining, but we were pleased to see that the monthly investment paid off with what was essentially a domino effect of Andrew encouraging us to join and then us seeing the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime contract that we have secured but is currently under the wraps of NDAs. “We aspire for our business to grow in a huge way and Andrew and the team understand that. They have the national vision that we also have and they’re on the journey with us. The relationship has gone from strength to strength in just three years, which is a relatively short time in business terms, so we are looking forward to seeing it blossom even more.”
Andrew is also excited for the partnership to continue. He said, “I feel like part of the team at this point. I love working with family businesses because the team dynamic is very close-knit. You see that they value their staff as part of the extended family. As a firm, we do lots of fundraising activities to give back to our local communities so the charitable element of DP Building Systems really aligns with our values and just shows their commitment to helping others.”
Click here to read more about the story behind DP Building Systems’ charity products, and to follow their fundraising goals and journey.
