Zesty brand fuels growth for joint venture

Sometimes a chance conversation can take your business in new directions that you hadn’t envisaged. That’s what happened to established plumber Martyn Adams. At a bit of a crossroads with where to take his business next, a conversation with a contact led to a joint venture that is delivering success for both of them. We caught up with Martyn in his office in Milton Keynes Business Centre to find out more about the serendipitous conversation and how he has successfully transitioned from a sole trader into a growing joint venture.

The conversation that led to a new venture

With more than 22 years of experience in plumbing and heating, Martyn had built a solid reputation as a sole trader and subcontractor. But around four years ago, an opportunity emerged that allowed him to step away from working alone and build something bigger.

Martyn’s journey into plumbing started early. Straight out of school, he committed to the trade and never looked back: “I’ve been a plumber for 22 years. I started when I was 16, did three years at college and then pretty much worked for myself from day one.”

For years, Martyn operated as a sole trader and subcontractor, building experience across domestic and commercial projects. The turning point came when an owner of an established electrical business approached him to help fix the struggling plumbing side of that operation: “The original conversation was ‘can you come and work for me and fix my plumbing business?’ And I said no. But we ended up negotiating a joint venture and that’s where we are now.”

Rather than patching up a broken model, the pair agreed to start fresh. Lime Heating was launched as a standalone plumbing and heating business, taking over existing customers and rebuilding trust. Today, the company has five vans on the road and a skilled team of engineers, office staff and an apprentice offering everything from emergency call‑outs and boiler replacements to full heating system installations and large residential projects, serving customers across a 30-mile radius from Milton Keynes, including Northampton, Luton and the surrounding areas.

A fresh approach for an established sector

From the outset, Martyn knew he wanted Lime Heating to feel different. In an industry dominated by surnames and predictable branding, standing out mattered: “A lot of plumbing businesses are just someone’s last name and ‘Plumbing and Heating’. We wanted something short, something you could build a brand on.”

The name Lime Heating — and its distinctive green branding — was deliberately chosen to break the mould: “Don’t be a lemon, call Lime… it just stuck. We went away, looked at loads of other names, and then came back to it.”

That playful, memorable identity has helped the business stand out locally, supported by a radio jingle that boosted brand recognition: “The jingle was on MKFM, which plays in places like your local Screwfix, which a lot of DIYers go in, and people have it on when they’re in the car. We’d get people call us saying ‘We know you – we know your jingle,’ so it worked well for us.”

Beyond branding, Lime Heating differentiates itself through its people and culture. Martyn places huge emphasis on quality, reliability and customer service: “You’re only as good as your worst engineer. We’ve got a really strong team — and our office staff always answer the phone and do what they say they’re going to do.”

Finding the right workspace in Milton Keynes to support the business plans

As Lime Heating grew, the business needed a workspace that could evolve with it. After outgrowing an office attached to the former electrical business, Lime Heating moved into Capital Space’s Milton Keynes Business Centre — and has since expanded within the site multiple times.

Cost, flexibility and design were all critical factors: “We looked at lots of warehouse‑type spaces locally, but the rent was ridiculous and business rates were really high. Here, the rent is reasonable, it’s below the business rates threshold, and everything’s monthly rolling.”

That flexibility of the easy‑in, easy‑out monthly licences has been invaluable during periods of growth and uncertainty, allowing Lime Heating to scale without over‑committing. The team now operates from a custom‑built mezzanine unit combining offices, storage and workshop space — all under one roof.

Martyn is equally positive about the on‑site support: “The centre management team are great. They’re polite, helpful with deliveries, and they deal with issues quickly. It’s a really nice place to be.”

Overcoming key business challenges

Like many plumbing and heating businesses, Lime Heating faces seasonal demand fluctuations. Winters are busy; summers can be quieter — creating challenges around staffing and cash flow: “Balance is probably the hardest thing for us. We’re super busy in the winter months and less so in the summer. Keeping good staff busy all year round is a real challenge.”

Recruitment is another ongoing hurdle, particularly in a skills‑short market: “It’s hard to tell how good someone is sitting in an interview. You really need to see them work.” To address this, Lime Heating uses probation periods and trial work, while also investing in apprenticeships to build long‑term capability.

To smooth seasonal peaks and troughs, the business is now retraining engineers to offer air‑conditioning services: “We’ll do boiler installs in winter, air conditioning installs in summer, and maintenance all the way through.”

The vision for the future

Looking ahead, Martyn’s ambition is to build Lime into a multi‑service local maintenance group: “The idea is to deal with the entire scope — plumbing, gas, electrical, air con, general maintenance. The electrical business is the first step.” Lime Electrical, launched around a year ago, is already growing, supported by dedicated leadership and additional vans.

At the same time, Lime Heating aims to become a recognised local authority in air‑conditioning, helping balance workloads and diversify revenue. Martyn is clear that growth must be controlled and sustainable, with quality never compromised.

The long‑term vision is clear: steady expansion, integrated services, and a reputation for professionalism across Milton Keynes and beyond.

How to succeed in business – Martyn’s top tips

Martyn’s advice for other SME owners is refreshingly pragmatic: “Concentrate on the stuff you know first. Get it running properly on its own, and then move on to the next bit.”

He believes many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of chasing too many ideas at once, rather than building strong foundations. By ensuring Lime Heating was fully operational and self‑sustaining before launching Lime Electrical, the business reduced risk and protected quality.

His other hard‑earned lesson? Recruitment realism: “Recruitment is really hard, so rather than aiming to be good at recruitment — be good at letting people go. If it’s not right, it’s not right.

“No matter how carefully you hire, you won’t always get it right. We always give people a fair chance to prove themselves – that’s important to us. But maybe in the past we’ve given one too many chances. We’ve learned to recognise that early – rather than hoping it’ll work itself out, it’s better for the person and better for the business that we don’t let the situation drag on.”

For Martyn, success comes from focus, consistency and having the confidence to make tough decisions — all supported by the right workspace and infrastructure to grow.

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