Hartlepool firm stays Focus-ed on removals business

Lee Caldwell and Peter Crowe own and run Focus Removals which is based at Greatham Street in Hartlepool. The Hartlepool Mail first reported on the company in 2013 when the childhood friends first went into business.

In the three years since, their business has prospered and a second office in Harrogate is opening with the promise of more jobs to come.

Lee told Business Update: “The company is starting to grow more and more.”

The two Hartlepool men have known each other since their days at Brierton School. They both left school at the same time and both joined the Army with Lee spending eight years with the Royal Engineers - progressing to Lance Corporal - and Peter rising to Corporal during his ten years with the Green Howards.

They saw service in countries including Bosnia but left the Army and set up Focus Removals.

At first, they concentrated on house clearances and waste removal but have now expanded into the storage market and can now boast a workforce of 13 people.

But more are on the way with up to ten staff eventually recruited for the new office, and Lee explained how the Harrogate factor came about.

“We got some work in a self storage facility in Harrogate and started out by doing one job. We were told we were good at it and we were asked to come down a bit more.

“Harrogate is a good hub because it is close to York and Leeds as as the business has grown, we are opening an office instead of letting.”