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Manchester Evening News Business of the Year Nomination
This article appeared in the Manchester Evening News on August 6th 2009
From left director Mike Purcell and chief executive David Lowe with business development manager Chris Purcell in the company's boardroom with a portrait of their fathers who founded the company
It's hard to escape the gloom-mongers when it comes to the present economic position, but two construction companies - one a contender in our awards - are showing that it is possible to thrive in the current climate.
Ben Rooth reports:
A family-owned construction company today showed how it is beating the economic gloom by winning a place on a large housing association’s list of approved contractors. The Manchester and Cheshire Construction Company undertakes general building and engineering projects throughout the North West up to the value of £2m.
Bosses at the Salford based company foresaw the financial crisis was looming at the start of 2007 and decided to focus on securing refurbishment contracts with blue-chip clients. Among the businesses it has worked for are Royal Mail, the Health and Safety Executive, Peel Holdings, Manchester Airport and Manchester University.
The company, which employs 43 staff, has now
added to its client list with a place on Salford based City
West Housing Trust’s framework of approved contractors. The
framework will see around £235m spent on social housing schemes
in the city. Manchester and Cheshire’s turnover grew by 33
per cent from £3.8m in September 2007 to £5.2m last year.
Chief
executive David Lowe said:
'Our aim is to achieve a turnover of £8m by 2011 and in order to achieve this we are targeting larger schemes than we have undertaken in the past.'
The firm's success has led to it being nominated in this year's Manchester Evening News Business of Year category for companies with a turnover of under £10m. David's father, Charles founded the company in 1971 with John Purcell, whose son Chris, is now business development manager.
The company was founded on the ideal of employing a direct labour force - which was unusual in its day as most contractors preferred to lay off staff at the end of a contract. Chris said that the business still adheres to the strongest ethical ideals. He said:
'Going back two or three years, no one was interested in whether the company they were about to do business with was financially stable - but now this matters. When we went for an interview with Royal Mail a couple of weeks ago, the first three questions were all about that.
We are in a strong financial position and understand exactly how the market we serve works, which are important factors in why we are doing well despite the economic down turn.
We were delighted to be included on City West Housing Trust framework.
We have always placed an emphasis on the development and training of the people of Salford - where we’ve always been rooted - and I believe that this was one of the keys to our success in winning that contract.'
Copy of original Manchester Evening News article