FSS celebrates 20th anniversary milestone

Twenty years ago FSS founding Directors Jonathan and Katharine Barnett realised their business dream by launching Fuel Storage Solutions (FSS) from their spare bedroom in Rastrick, Brighouse. Fast forward to today and FSS has grown into a £4.5m turnover operation employing 38 people. The company’s headquarters are a former Methodist chapel in Thornton village which was fully restored and converted by the Barnetts to providing the platform for further growth aimed at achieving £10m turnover in the next 5 years.

Marking the occasion of the 20^th Anniversary of FSS the Directors hosted a get together for the team which included members of their own family, previous employees, advisors and friends of the business.  The sense of family, family values and teamwork are central to the daily operating principles of FSS.

FSS is an award- winning OFTEC registered provider of complete commercial and industrial fuel storage solutions, from supply to maintenance of tanks for oil, diesel and petrol, plus associated systems including pads, bunds, pipework and environmental controls for the safe storage of all fuel types.

Early days of the business 

Prior to starting FSS Jonathan worked as a Contracts Manager for a company that pressure tested and safety checked underground tanks for Shell, BP, Esso and Total retail sites, and Katharine was a Chartered Tax Advisor for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Leeds.

The first 18 months of the new venture were challenging; tenacity and patience paid off in 2003 when Jonathan managed to pick up a single visit to a site for a bank, then securing the contract and setting FSS on the path for growth. Testament to their expertise and their customer service ethic, FSS still looks after that site as well as all the bank’s UK sites.

With a highly trained in-house Engineering Team, a dedicated Projects Division and a Compliance and Technical Services Division, FSS offers innovative solutions to all sizes of works.  Six of the UK’s largest Facilities Management companies are serviced by FSS, whilst other market sectors serviced range from Undertakers to the RAF, Banking to Distribution & Logistics, Food Prep to Pharma and public sector organisations including the Police, Ambulance Services and The Environment Agency. Important contracts for the Armed Forces and the NHS are also serviced.

Our future plans

The business has ambitious plans for future growth through the development of innovative products and methods to add value to clients including scaling up pipework installations for the transfer of fuel and other products using their patented APIApipe™ cold compression system.

FSS is currently developing their green initiative through the positive reduction of the firm’s carbon footprint. They are consistent donors of charitable funds to initiatives that align with the strong family ethos and values that pervade the business. They obtained the Bronze Armed Forces Covenant in 2020 and the Silver award in 2021 in recognition of the number of veterans that that they employ.

…………..and Katharine had this to say about the importance of teamwork

Katharine articulates the significance of the 20^th anniversary milestone and an opportunity to say thank you to talented and dedicated colleagues.

“I cannot believe where the time has gone. Our journey has been bumpy and fun, scary and exciting but at the centre of it all and supporting us have been all our colleagues.  Every single person who has been part of the FSS family has contributed something that has taken us to the next level, taught us how to do (or not do) things, improved the company that we are, contributed to our growth and left an indelible mark. 

The people in the business are what make Fuel Storage Solutions the force that it is.  They shape us, they drive us, and their loyalty and dedication push us to places we never thought we would go.

On our 20th anniversary we thank you all, past and present, for accompanying us on this journey. We thank you for building a company that offers us all a stable environment and, in doing so, creating a secure place that empowers all, is nurturing, where people are supported to grow and advance, and which provides everyone with a glowing future.

I have a sense of immense pride and excitement as we start the next chapter at Fuel Storage Solutions. Thank you!”