The last 12 months have been challenging and worrying for our business and the wider construction industry since COVID-19 hit. Overnight, clients and peers were working from home, or furloughed, making communication challenging. We had a strong pipeline of work and our investment in technology allowed continuity of delivering projects, taking us through the initial stage of lockdown.
Our expertise in healthcare and the depth of our resources, meant we were approached to work on NHS Nightingale, Exeter. The project required significant resources to develop the design of the building’s mechanical and electrical engineering systems.
At the same time, the government wanted the construction industry to help accelerate the economy. This directive resulted in clients returning with projects with additional government funding, or ‘shovel-ready’. Funding was also released for COVID response facilities at hospitals across the region. Our experience at Nightingale demonstrated our expertise in delivering these complex projects.
We currently see a positive upturn in work until the end of 2021. However, our concern is with government’s long-term strategy and investment in construction, considering the huge national debt caused by the pandemic.
We see the construction industry as an enabler to invest in the cross-cutting themes of creating new jobs for young people and offering opportunities for decarbonisation the building stock.
The South West has talented and skilled construction businesses. We welcome government initiatives making these companies preferred suppliers, to develop and support our regional economy by keeping work and jobs local.
What makes us stand out from the crowd:
- We are Carbon Neutral
- We contribute 1% of turnover to local community and wellbeing projects
- Achieved 25% profitable growth during pandemic
- Benchmark financial and non-financial metrics
- Developed in-house Modern Methods of Construction
- Zero carbon and building environmental experts
- Employ double the industry average of female staff
- Research, design and adopt digital implementation including digitised surveys, integrated calculations, and creation of digital twins
- Provided 2,600 staff training hours
- Provide 45+ hours training hours per employee
