Wates secures rare double win at award ceremony
BUILDING and construction company Wates has secured a rare double, winning the Major Contractor of the Year prize for a second consecutive year at Building Magazine’s awards ceremony.
Judges at the ceremony praised the compnay, which has a regional base in Birmingham, saying it scooped the title again for its “rare combination of commercial and management skills”.
The citation also paid tribute to its efforts to secure customer loyalty, saying the firm ended the decade with five years of consistent profit growth and year-on-year improvements in customer loyalty.
“A combination of good commercial performance and a committed approach to sustainability and customer service resulted in some truly great buildings, 98% of which were delivered on time and to budget,” it added.
Paul Drechsler, chairman and chief executive of Wates Group described the win as a “massive” achievement for the company.
“Our simple focus on building long term relationships, supporting the communities we work within, and delivering innovative and increasingly sustainable solutions is proving successful and it is fantastic to see that recognised by our industry,” he said.
‘However, none of this is possible without the great people that work throughout the Wates Group. They must all take enormous credit for helping the Company to achieve this major award for the second time in a row.’
A total of 80% of Wates’ business is for existing clients such as John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, and £400 million of its projects last year were procured through public sector frameworks.
Wates is the first UK company to make innovative use of risk management insurance to give customers and the supply chain greater protection and security.
