Traditionally, we organise many customer visits towards the end of the year and felt it would be fitting this time to design a made-to-order gift for the commercial team to take along with them. When discussing EPC-UK’s focus on customer relationships with Managing Director, Ben Williams; General Manager, Blasting and Explosives, Ben Coppock suggested we brand a tailored beer that could be enjoyed by customers outside of the day-to-day working environment or over the festive break. A passionate pint Ben is a perfect ambassador for an EPC-UK beer with a purpose of thanking our customers and representing our working SPIRIT values of Safety, Passion, Integrity, Respect, Innovation and Teamwork. During the challenging Covid-19 lockdown period, his ‘feel good’ virtual pub, The Covid Arms, kept friends and family connected as they adhered to the social distancing restrictions that were in place at the time. Back then, the online meeting technology we are now all so familiar with helped Ben and those close to him to keep in touch and support one another ‘over a pint’ on screen as they navigated the uncertainties of the pandemic. With a new, more positive challenge of sourcing suitable beer to put the EPC-UK name to, Ben stayed local and found a brewery close to our main facility in Alfreton, Derbyshire, a traditional quarrying and mining area. “Peak Ales has been an ideal supply partner,” Ben says. “I’d previously tried the brewery’s main product ‘Chatsworth Gold’ in a local pub and found it to be an excellent pint. JoJo, the company’s Sales and Marketing Manager, has been terrific to work with showing a real passion for her company’s product supported by the attitude and ability to deliver, aligning perfectly with EPC-UK’s own philosophy and SPIRIT values.” “The beer that we have personalised for EPC-UK is one of our core ales,” JoJo goes on to explain, “brewed by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic team based on the Chatsworth Estate in the Peak District. It’s great to be working with Ben and the team and we’re delighted that they’ve chosen to personalise an ale with us as a way to appreciate their clients.” Ben shared sample beers with other EPC-UK employees to select an ale that would offer a wide appeal. EPC-UK’s General Manager, Bramble Island, Michelle Miller has herself been a CAMRA member for 15 years and is actively involved, alongside husband David, in the Bury St Edmunds Beer Festival, local to her in West Suffolk. “Michelle, a true expert, taste tested the ale which received her seal of approval,” Ben says. “We soon gave Peak Ales the green light to personalise Precision Blast Bitter – the first in what will hopefully become a range of EPC Beers.” Acquiring a taste for it Ben goes on to explain that plans are already in the pipeline with Peak Ales to brand a lighter IPA in the spring with a crisper taste, reflecting a move to the new season and EPC-UK’s focus on continuous advancement of products and services. In the meantime, our teams will be visiting customer sites over the coming weeks to deliver bottles of Precision Blast Bitter as a token of EPC-UK’s business appreciation over the last 12 months. Cheers!