FORGING A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS In The Construction Industry
Project Partner:
FORGING A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS In The Construction Industry Written by Abigail Phillips Produced by Ben Walshe
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By focusing on people, product, and productivity Conneely Group is achieving unprecedented success in the construction sector
Admirals Quay-Internal
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onneely Group is on a continuous growth plan that is both achievable and sustainable by maintaining its existing client base through offering them best service. Demonstrating the success of this approach, the firm is targeting a turnover of ÂŁ50 million within the next three years. Conneely Drylining was established in 1985 by Chairman and CEO Eamon Conneely, and provided drylining, partitioning and plastering services to the construction industry. Over the past 25 years Conneely Group, which is now broken into two sub-divisions Conneely Drylining and Conneely Facades, has developed into highly successful provider of metal stud partitioning, drylining and exterior facades. The level of commitment and expertise from its skilled management and workforce,
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Chelsea Creek
and the unfaltering emphasis on quality has largely attributed to this success. The company concentrates on its core areas of expertise and consequently has become a specialist in drylining and plastering, lightweight steel framing, screeding, render and cladding. In demonstrating its level of quality and experience, Conneely Group has forged extremely close relationships with the likes of British Gypsum, Metsec, Sto and Eternit, some of the industry’s largest suppliers. Its expertise and experience in the industry means it is able to successfully complete the
Conneely Group Has Been Awarded An Achilles Building Confidence 5 Star Rating
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www.hadleygroup.com
HadleyFRAME™ and SFS Hadley Steel Framing serves customers worldwide, creating cold roll formed load bearing panel systems as well as infill structural framing solutions from seven manufacturing centres, supplying five continents.
Our in-house structural engineers’ expertise includes 3-D design and detailing, demonstrated by an international portfolio of completed projects for all market sectors. • Off-site build systems enabling rapid completion of one storey per week on site • Complementary to concrete floor installation improving thermal and acoustic performance • Can eliminate need for “wet-trades” saving cost and time • Shortens time period to completed weathered envelope • More efficient logistics and fit due to off-site planning
Call 0121 555 1385 Email maston@hadleysteelframing.com
/Hadley_Group
/Hadley-Group
/+HadleyGroupSmethwick
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most technically demanding of projects to the highest level of quality. The organisational and site management structure of Conneely Drylining and Conneely Facades enables the company to regularly accept projects on a fast track basis, driving the program on to completion in accordance with its clients’ needs. At Conneely Group, the emphasis from day one has been on quality, efficiency, and providing its clients with relevant services – this focus has provided the company the springboard from which it will derive future success. As well as focusing on quality, the company is also passionate about continuous improvement. As Michael Cockerton, finance director at Conneely, explained: “It is a mainstay of our business. We have always encouraged our teams to question
SUPPLIER PROFILE
“We have always encouraged our teams to question the existing strategies and procedures and offer their own way of improving everyday tasks” -M ichael Cockerton, Finance Director
HADLEY STEEL FRAMING
Hadley Steel Framing are part of the Hadley Group, the largest Cold Rolled Section manufacturer in the UK. With factories in UK, Dubai, Thailand and Germany our innovative sections are used in both infill and over-sail application. Our bolted panelised systems enable us to supply premade panels for buildings up to 11 storeys high with the option of joisted or concrete cast floors. All projects include full design and construction drawings in 2d or full BIM model, accompanied by full PI Warranty and through wall testing with British Gypsum and St Gobain Hadley Steel Framing are the perfect solution for light gauge, rapid build solutions.
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University of Hertfordshire
the existing strategies and procedures and offer their own way of improving everyday tasks, ultimately this creates a culture of continuous improvement that we are happy to embrace.” People management The senior management at Conneely Group recognise that the true value of a company is rooted in its people, and as such the place a huge emphasis on people development. Conneely is recognised as being one of the leading drylining and façade contractors in the south east of England, it has a reputation for quality work and this in itself attracts quality employees, however the company does not stop there. “We have always had good employee retention,” says
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Cockerton. “We recognise that it’s the people that make the business, and we try to ensure that they are supported by senior management along the way so that they can give their best, we expect hard work but in return reward well.” In the last year, the company has set up Conneely Academy. “Whilst we have invested heavily in training throughout the years we have set this company up to ensure that all employees have the specific training to ensure that they are informed on best practice,” says Cockerton. Admirals Quay
“We recognise that it’s the people that make the business, and we try to ensure that they are supported by senior management along the way so that they can give their best, we expect hard work but in return reward well.” –M ichael Cockerton, Finance Director
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Insulated render systems on high rise.... the sky’s the limit with SPSenvirowall SPSenvirowall are market leaders in insulated render systems in the new build high rise residential sector. Cost effective, easy to install, and certified for use on buildings – whatever the height - the Envirowall TS Rail with EPS is the render system of choice for specifiers and installers on high rise concrete frame constructions.
Call our technical team on 0845 1300 983 for more information or visit us on www.spsenvirowall.co.uk
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The company has developed in-house courses that vary from labourers’ specific training to site management training. Courses include site safety awareness to SMSTS, NVQ level 1 to NVQ level 7, Quality training for site managers and supervisors with manufacturers to first aid for office staff. “We ensure the workforce has the knowledge to carry out their work competently,” says Cockerton. As well as offering a roster of in-house training courses for existing employees, Conneely group also offers graduates an opportunity to work in all the departments of the business during their gap years or provide site based gap years only, depending on how confident the graduate is on their career choice after they complete their degree in construction management. “Apprentices have one day at college whilst working in their chosen field e.g. Quantity Surveying / Estimating / Accounting etc. Apprentices work on live projects under the guidance of their line managers and get to be part of the project and the team giving them invaluable experience. They also get to see the results of their efforts, encouraging their continual development within the industry,” Cockerton explains. Conneely aim to advance a high skilled workforce and the apprentices will be encouraged to continue their studies with the relevant degree to the chosen career. The company also works with training colleges and provides placements over a period of three months to a year - often the apprentices continue to
Conneely Group provides quality training for site managers, supervisors and manufacturers, as well as first aid for office staff
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ADA Fastfix Ltd
Etag are proud to supply
ADA Fastfix are an industry leading supplier of fixings & fastenings to the construction industry
CONNEELY GROUP with top quality construction products
01494 478478
Etag stock a comprehsive range of products such as:
orders@adafastfix.co.uk Unit 10, Merlin Centre Lancaster Road Cressex Business Park High Wycombe Buckinghamshire HP12 3QL
All at highly competitive prices! Call today on 0208 691 5794
www.etagfixings.co.uk or buy online from www.fixfactory.co.uk Warehouse: Unit 3, British Wharf Industrial Estate, Surrey Canal Road, Lewisham London SE14 5RS
Proud to work with Conneely Group
Specialist Distributors of Insulation, Dry Lining, Roofing and Ceilings Roofing
Thermal Insulation
Fire Protection
Acoustics
Ceilings
External Facades
Flooring
Dry Lining
Follow us on Twitter @minsteronline For more information visit www.minsteronline.co.uk
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work with Conneely after their placement. “Conneely is currently developing content to provide a good entry level into the drylining industry, where we aim to provide actual site content and work placement where individuals work alongside experienced drylining teams in order to help turn unemployed into employment. We also work alongside the Berkeley group who run a scheme to get unemployed people into employment and we are pleased to have taken on ten through this scheme last year,” says Cockerton. With an ever-looming skills shortage in the industry, its schemes like this that see Conneely grow and succeed in a tough environment. Technology and the supply chain Conneely recognises that to be successful it is reliant on the strength of its supply chain and relationships within it. “We have built up great relationships over the years with our supply chain which has helped us sustain our growth. We try to engage with our supply chain early in the tendering process so that they are with us all the way from the pricing of a secured tender through to the awarding of the project,” says Cockerton. Part of having a robust supply chain is having stable and innovative technology solutions to back it up, particularly in today’s technology driven world where customers and business partners alike expect it. Conneely endeavours to be at the forefront of new techniques and technologies
Plastering - a core skill
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“Prior to embarking on our latest growth plan we invested in an integrated estimating, surveying and accounting system to enable us to take the next big step up. This system has allowed us to increase our output while maintaining the same levels of quality and efficiency throughout the business” – Michael Cockerton, Finance Director
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within the construction industry. As Cockerton explains, “Over the years we have been early adopters of new drylining and ceiling products, new screeds and new cladding systems. We will always happily engage with our supply chain and customers early in the process if there is value to be added to the project that we can all benefit from, whether that is a decrease in costs or programme length, or an improvement to the environmental and sustainability performance or to the method of working to increase safety levels. “Prior to embarking on our latest growth plan we invested in an integrated estimating, surveying and accounting system to enable us to take the next big step up. This system
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Company Information
has allowed us to increase our output whilst maintaining the same levels of quality and efficiency throughout the business,” he says.
INDUSTRY
Poised for future growth Conneely is able to complete the most technically demanding projects within tight programme periods to the highest standards of safety and quality due to its unwavering commitment to quality, people, and continuous improvement. “We offer both the complete internal drylining fit out through to painted finish along with the complete envelope solution reducing the amount of contractors a client has to interface with. Our management systems have been compliant to ISO 9001, 14001 and OHAS 18001 for many years and have recently been successfully reaudited for our three year renewal. Furthermore we are CHAS accredited and Achilles Building confidence 5 star rated,” says Cockerton. But what does the future hold for the business? “In five years’ time we would like to see ourselves as one of the top three businesses within our sector of the construction industry. We anticipate achieving this by the continually striving to improve our business practices, training of our staff and workforce, maintaining the excellent customer and supplier relationships and generally by everyone within the business working towards the same goal,” says Cockerton. If its track record is anything to go by, this is certainly achievable.
Construction HEADQUARTERS
Stansted, UK FOUNDED
1985 EMPLOYEES
Not disclosed REVENUE
£38M PRODUCTS/ SERVICES
Metal stud partitioning, drylining and exterior facades.
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CONNEELY GROUP Braemar House, Water Lane, Stansted, U.K., CM24 8BJ
Tel. 0044 (0)1279 810870 Fax. 0044 (0)1279 816010 www.cdl-ltd.co.uk