Kitchen maintenance and servicing specialist MCFT is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having been founded in 1992.
From humble roots as a fabrication shop, making counters, MCFT has developed a global presence. There is now a team of 170 engineers on the road, in five countries, working in the kitchens of businesses, schools, colleges, stately homes, hospitals, care homes and airports, backed up by an office team that provide service support.
The firm believes the key to its success has been consistently delivering quality and excellence around the world and earning a reputation as a leader in the kitchen maintenance industry.
CEO Chris Craggs said: “We have ridden out recessions, economic downturns, political chaos and a pandemic. We’ve done this by staying focused on what we do best – fixing fridges and ovens. Quality is paramount, and we believe it’s our approach to people that sets us apart – along with our unique, in-house, industry-focused software.”
The business became IIP (Investors in People) accredited in 2006, when a strategic decision was made to focus on the development of people within the organisation. In 2016 MCFT was one of just 20 companies out of 40,000 to be awarded IIP Platinum status.
In 2016 an internal learning and development programme was created to formally train and develop both engineers and office staff – this received the Princess Royal Training Award in 2017, and was recognised and assured by City & Guilds in 2018.
Overseas expansion started after a visit to Dubai in 2014 with offices in the UAE in 2015; at the same time an internship programme was established with Breda and Hanze universities in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands office opened in 2021, and a Philippines office is on the agenda for 2022.
Accounts manager, Catriona Hamilton, is celebrating a 20 year anniversary, having joined the business in 2002. She concluded: “It’s a bit of a cliché but it’s been an incredible journey. Being part of something that has come from half dozen engineers to the international company that now is MCFT has been amazing. And it’s doesn’t stop! Always looking forward, always striving to be better.”
MCFT’s timeline
1992 Set up a fabrication shop, buying equipment as finances allowed
1998 Engineers business starts under the name Site Catering Engineers
1998 First project for the Royal Household: Buckingham Palace Temporary Kitchen Ventilation Canopies
2002 Move to new office in St Peter’s Road, Maidenhead
2006 Strategic realisation that people development is the key to continual and future growth. Business became IIP accredited (Investors in People)
2008 Global crisis UK recession led to rethink of strategy and decision to focus solely on service and maintenance
2011 Awarded the Royal Warrant by appointment to HM the Queen
2015 McFarlane Telfer went international with establishment of business in United Arab Emirates
Development of international intern placement programmes with Breda and Hanze Dutch universities
2016 McFT becomes member of CFESA, First European member to this North American association
Qatar office opened as Middle Eastern business goes from strength to strength
Learning and development academy created in-house
IIP Platinum awarded (one of the first 20 companies out of 40,000 to be awarded this accolade)
2017 Awarded Princess Royal Training Award for Technical Academy
2017 Launch of IRIS, state of the art customer portal
2018 In-house training programmes recognised as City & Guilds Assured. The business grows to 160 personnel including 90 directly employed engineers.
