Donaldson Group's proactive approach to flood management

Background

Established in 1860, Donaldson Group is one of the UK's largest privately owned timber companies. The group brings together 11 businesses and six brands, working collaboratively to deliver integrated off-site timber systems, bespoke interiors, and timber merchanting services.

Donaldson Group is committed to embracing innovation and sustainability, not only for the business itself but also for the communities in which it operates.

The challenge

Today, around one third of commercial properties in the UK are at risk of flooding, meaning organisations must take a proactive approach to flood resilience.

Donaldson Group had already taken significant steps to understand and manage flood risk across its estate. Working with a flood consultant, the company was able to identify locations with the highest potential exposure.

Following this assessment, Donaldson implemented a number of proactive resilience measures, including:

• Developing site-specific flood response plans within a user-friendly app
• Storing critical equipment on higher ground
• Investing in flood defence equipment such as inflatable sandbags and pumps

However, many Donaldson sites face risk from both fluvial and pluvial flooding, meaning the business needed real-time flood intelligence to complement its response procedures. Without accurate forecasting and monitoring, it can be difficult for site teams to know when to activate flood plans and deploy mitigation measures.

The solution

To strengthen its resilience strategy, Donaldson Group integrated Previsico's flood forecasting and monitoring technology into its risk management framework.

Today:

• 45 Donaldson assets are signed up to receive flood forecasting alerts from Previsico's modelling platform.
• Three water level sensors have been installed at a site next to the River Leven to monitor the nearby watercourse in real time.

These sensors provide continuous monitoring of river levels and feed data into Previsico's forecasting system, allowing site teams to anticipate potential flooding and act earlier.

The monitoring technology also delivered unexpected insights. During one alert, water was observed entering the site through a rear door, but the source was initially unclear. Sensor data showed a nearby rise in water levels and, after reviewing historic site maps, the team discovered an old river stream that once flowed through the area.

This previously unknown watercourse explained the flooding pathway and has helped Donaldson better understand and manage flood risk at the site.

The benefits

Previsico's flood forecasting and sensor monitoring have become an integral part of Donaldson Group's proactive flood resilience strategy.

By providing early warnings, actionable insights, and real-time monitoring, the system equips site teams with the information they need to take early action and minimise potential impacts.

Key benefits include:

• Early flood warnings and real-time alerts, enabling site teams to make informed decisions and deploy mitigation measures in advance.
• Demonstration of proactive risk management to insurers, contributing to insurance premium reductions worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
• Reduced costs from unexpected damage, repairs, and operational disruption.
• Enhanced business continuity, reducing delays and operational disruption.
• Optimised sensor placement, improving the accuracy and relevance of flood warnings.
• Staff training and preparedness, ensuring teams can effectively interpret alerts and implement flood response plans.

"Businesses can no longer afford to be reactive when it comes to flood risk. We work on short lead times, with tight margins, and the impact of a flood would have a significant impact on our business. It's much better to invest in proactive measures, such as Previsico's resilience planning and monitoring tools."

Mark Murphy, Chief Risk Officer, Donaldson Group