Attack alarms that keep staff safe all over the world are manufactured by an innovative company in Fife.
Pinpoint makes personal staff attack alarm systems used by people who are at risk of violence in the workplace.
It is used in hospitals, courts, psychiatric wards, schools and doctor surgeries.
If a staff member feels threatened, they press a button on their ID badge that sends a signal to display panels in the building so security can respond.
Chief executive Daniel Waring joined the business, celebrating its 30th anniversary, in 1995.
His father set up the business and Daniel worked his way up from licking envelopes to supply chain management.
He says there is a change in each workplace from when a system is installed to coming back to service it.
“After six months it felt like a different and safer place for the staff to work,” Daniel says.
“It was certainly a better place for people to recover from whatever their health issues might be.
“If you can make that environment safer for the staff and a more rehabilitative one for the patients, that’s really quite rewarding.”
Local supply chain
Based in Methil, Pinpoint supplies alarms to workplaces in the UK, Ireland, USA and Middle East.
Out of 44 total staff, 15 work from the Fife headquarters.
Now a global business, Daniel still likes to keep his supply chain as local as possible.
“A majority of our sub-assemblies come from Scotland, so there’s companies in Kirkcaldy, Dundee, Bathgate, and the Borders we work with.
“When we first started 30 years ago, Scotland was a much larger electronics manufacturing base.
“That’s dwindled drastically since then and it is becoming harder, but we try where we can.”
In an effort to provide work to local youngsters, Pinpoint runs an apprenticeship scheme.
Staff highest priority
From his father, Daniel learnt to make his staff a priority.
He thought taking over the company would be easy, but admits that he sometimes feels the pressure.
“When I had to take over, there were a lot of things to consider and learn about,” he recalls.
“I’ve tried to keep his vision, ethics and morals of the way that we do things and focused on our people.
Here at Pinpoint, we are really proud to have recently taken on a team of new trainee engineers.
Trainee Engineer Ethan tells us why he thinks employers should invest in a next-gen workforce.
Find out more about our career opportunities here: https://t.co/9KVOuLglow pic.twitter.com/PSs7IdA9Dz
— Pinpoint Limited (@PinpointLimited) February 24, 2022
“We’ve got staff that have been with us for 15 years, and I’m not getting any younger, so our apprenticeship scheme gets new blood coming through.
“They give young local people opportunities to grow with a company and learn something that’s worthwhile.”
Pinpoint expansion plans
Throughout the pandemic, Pinpoint staff were classed as key workers as they install alarm systems in hospitals.
Maintaining a high workload meant staff came back from furlough within a few weeks to carry on as before.
The biggest problem for the firm now is the global shortage of microchips and silicon used in its manufacturing.
Despite that, Pinpoint has great plans for expansion with a new system coming later this year.
Daniel says: “We want to continue the product development and find better ways to do what we already do.
“America is hopefully going to be a big thing, it’s starting to really grow over there.
“Theoretically, the UK company should become the little sister of the American one, considering the size of the market over there.”
