Ray Andrews - The Andrews Group

"Regain (is) … more passionate about the environment than any other company in environmental services that I have seen."

Ray Andrews is Managing Director of the Andrews Group, a market research company, which started in 1986. With a wealth of experience dealing with many clients, Ray goes so far to say that Regain is more passionate about the environment than any other environmental services company he has seen in his time. 

"Regain stand out as a company, and the individuals within it, as being passionate about the environment and the care of the environment," he says. "We have dealt with a lot of environmental services companies, and I was once on the board of one, and Regain stands out in my mind as being on a personal and collective level, more passionate about the environment than any other company in environmental services that I have seen."  

This is not a statement to be taken lightly as the Andrews Group have always been at the forefront of environmental concern. In 1989, after extensive research, they discovered that the environment was an issue in the energy field, even suggesting to an energy company at the time to consider changing their name to have the word "green" in it. 

When asked why Regain’s Industrial Ecology model of transforming waste into a valuable resource for another industry had not yet been embraced by more companies, Ray simply replies "I’m staggered, absolutely staggered". 

“Today's trend is inevitably and inexorably towards greater environment concern” he says. “Ethical investing continues to grow by and large, and people understand that Regain offers a very good environmental solution. People see it as a serious player that wants to be around for a long time and not overnight.”

Ray also says that Regain are far from being content with their standing in the industry. 

"Regain certainly does not have the attitude of treating its services as a cash cow. People see Regain as a player in the market that wants to continue to improve, continue to grow and to do this without cutting corners.”

The Andrews Group are unique in that their clients come from many different sectors. This way knowledge and distinctive solutions are transferable. 

"When you deal with the same industry over and over, you’re typically dealing with the same ideas over and over” Ray says. “Because the Andrews Group specialise in what we do, rather than for whom we do it for, we can therefore get a great idea, let’s say in the agriculture industry and transport it to banking for example. You learn so much from each industry that you work in.”

According to Ray, it’s Regain’s ability to listen and be accessible to these different ideas that has made them one of his favourite and longest clients. 

"Bernie (Regain Director, Bernie Cooper) is a straight shooter, a deep thinker, a very clever strategist and he appreciates advice,” he says. “In that sense he is a very good client to have because he thinks deeply about what you say, questions you, and thinks enormously before he acts.” 

As Ray ascertains, Regain's passion for the environment, their openness to ideas and their technical innovation has made it a fruitful partnership with a bright future.  

And where to for both companies in the future?

"Regain appreciates loyalty and so do we, so we have found it to be a really terrific association for a very long period of time and we hope it continues for another long period of time."