M&S use FITA to assess floor layers

Following consultation in the summer of 2009, we are delighted to announce that leading high street retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) decided to use FITA to carry out assessments on installers who will fit floors in their premises for their ongoing programme in 2010.

Part of their wider Flooring Improvement Programme which also requires all companies employed to be CFA members M&S Construction Standards Manager Matt Edgell made the following comments regarding the objectives and experience of working with both FITA and the CFA:

“As part of a significant drive in 2009 to identify and eliminate a large number of poor quality flooring installation in its stores, M&S established a team whose challenge was to remove the identified issues. This challenge led to the development of a ten point Flooring Improvement Programme fully supported by the flooring industry itself.

As part of our improvement programme we wanted to establish a baseline of competency that all floor layers working in M&S Stores achieved.  This is the area that the Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA) were able to assist.  Working with FITA, we developed a four module assessment programme that utilised their centrally located, fully equipped training centre.  On our behalf FITA were able to assess the competency of and to demonstrate best practice to a group of 44 pre-selected floor layers in a 5 week period in November and December 2009.  We have been impressed by FITA's ability to successfully co-ordinate and manage this assessment programme taking into account the flexibility required when dealing with floor layers from multiple organisations throughout the UK.

Overall our experience of working with the CFA and FITA has been incredibly positive and we look forward to reaping the rewards of the relationship with an improved quality of installed floor.”

07-01-2010