New business prompts Wates Construction to expand Midlands operation
THE construction group currently developing the Manufacturing Technology Centre’s (MTC) Ansty Park campus in Coventry and the £20m expansion of intu Potteries in Stoke on Trent, has announced plans to grow its Midlands operation.
Wates Construction said the expansion was part of its 2015 growth strategy, which is intended to take adcvantage of new opportunities in the Midlands construction sector.
The expansion comes after the contractor announced a strong financial performance for 2013 in March last year, which saw a combined regional turnover of £113.5m for the East and West Midlands and a forward order book of £2.4bn across its UK operations.
Wates’ recruitment initiative follows a report from Glenigan, which forecasted a 7.3% increase in construction projects for 2015. In 2014, the contractor saw its Midlands team grow by 32.
Phil Harrison, Managing Director, Wates Construction Midlands and North, said: “The past two years have seen a measured optimism that the construction sector is heading towards strong and sustainable growth and rising private sector investment is now beginning to significantly bolster this confidence.
“As the economic recovery begins to build steam, we are in-turn faced with new opportunities to boost employment in our strengthening industry. The success of Wates is built solely on its people and our ongoing recruitment drive, as we begin 2015 will substantially reinforce our reputation as a trusted contractor.”
Wates’ current order book in the Midlands includes the University of Birmingham’s High Temperature Research Centre at Ansty Park in Coventry and Nottingham City Council’s redevelopment of Sneinton Market, which was procured via Scape’s East Midland Property Alliance (empa) framework.
In addition, Wates is currently delivering a £36m programme to rebuild and refurbish four primary schools and one secondary school in Coventry under the EFA’s Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP).
