England Rugby Star Chooses Superjet to Power New Drainage Venture

England Rugby Star Chooses Superjet to Power New Drainage Venture

It's not every day that an England rugby international calls looking for advice on high-pressure water jetting equipment—but that's exactly what happened to Superjet's Southern Customer Relations Manager, Gareth Jones.

Earlier this year, Ellis Genge, the England and Bristol Bears prop, contacted Gareth to discuss the best jetting solution for the latest expansion of his growing business portfolio. Gareth soon arranged a meeting with Ellis and his business partner, ex Leicester Tigers winger Sam Aspland-Robinson, to understand their requirements and demonstrate the capabilities of Superjet's equipment.

From Premiership Success to Business Growth

Ellis has built an outstanding rugby career, representing both Leicester Tigers and Bristol Bears, captaining Leicester to a Premiership title before making his England debut in 2016. Since then, he has become one of England's most recognisable forwards, including playing a key role in the 2022 tour of Australia.

Away from the rugby field, Ellis has applied the same drive and determination to business. In 2024, he established a successful groundworks company that quickly secured contracts with South Gloucestershire Council while delivering high-quality services to domestic customers throughout the Bristol area.

As the business continued to grow, expanding into drainage services became the natural next step, leading to the launch of PFD Solutions.

Learning from the Industry

Before entering the drainage sector, Ellis took time to learn from experienced professionals within the industry.

"I managed to speak with some really helpful people, including Wayne Earnshaw from the Lanes Group and Lee Bray from Maintain A Drain, another local drainage business," Ellis explained. "It was great to receive advice from both of them, and a special thanks to Lee for offering support to a company operating in the same area."

Those conversations helped shape PFD Solutions' vision. Ellis recognised that while larger national companies benefit from well-established systems and procedures, independent businesses often stand out by providing a more personal, customer-focused service as the trusted local drainage specialist.

Why Superjet?

With a clear business plan in place, Ellis approached Superjet after receiving several recommendations from within the industry.

"We'd heard a lot of good things about Superjet, but what really took us over the line was the people," Ellis said. "They were professional, straightforward and genuinely interested in helping us make the right decision. Andrew Holt and Gareth Jones guided us through every step, providing honest, practical advice without any pressure."

Following an on-site demonstration by Gareth and detailed discussions about the type of work PFD Solutions would be undertaking, Ellis selected the Superjet VP35P.

One of the UK's most popular van-mounted jetters, the VP35P delivers an impressive 200 bar at 55 litres per minute (3,000 psi at 12 gpm). Featuring a hydraulic hose reel and full remote-control operation, it offers the performance, reliability and versatility required for both domestic and commercial drainage work.

Supporting Every Customer

For Gareth Jones, helping ambitious businesses succeed is simply part of the job.

"Meeting Ellis, Sam and the team was an absolute pleasure," Gareth said. "It's been fantastic to support them as they expand their business. Despite Ellis being an England rugby star, there was no special treatment—this is exactly the level of service we strive to provide every Superjet customer."

Already Investing in a Second Unit

PFD Solutions took delivery of their VP35P earlier this month, and it has already become an integral part of their daily operations.

"We've been really happy with it on both domestic and commercial jobs," Ellis said. "The build quality and reliability have been second to none. In fact, we've been so impressed that we've already ordered a second unit."

Looking Ahead

PFD Solutions has ambitious plans for the future, with the goal of becoming a complete drainage solutions provider. Alongside high-pressure water jetting, the company offers CCTV inspections from small bore pipework up to 1800mm mains, no-dig drain repairs, excavation services and waste removal, providing customers with a comprehensive end-to-end service.

PFD Solutions is already working with main contractors and on S104 adoption schemes across the South West.

Superjet is proud to be supporting PFD Solutions at the beginning of this exciting journey and looks forward to building an even stronger partnership as the business continues to grow.