FARM CONSTRUCTION
MULTI-SKILLED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
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When Roger Bayly needed a reliable, experienced, multi-skilled construction company to tackle a challenging building project in 2016, he turned to Ashford-based G J Elgar Construction. The Hawkinge, Kent, arable farmer was back on the phone to Graham Elgar in 2018 when he needed another building at St John’s Farm – and again in 2022 when he was planning an even bigger expansion to his impressive grain store complex. As repeat customers go, Roger is one of G J Elgar’s biggest, but he is far from unique. “We do get a lot of repeat business from satisfied customers,” said Graham, still fully involved in the business he set up 40 years ago despite having turned 70. While he continues to play a hands-on role in the business, undoubtedly one of the biggest of its kind in the South East with its workforce of 38 skilled people, Graham is quick to hand much of the credit to that closely knit team. “You can’t do anything without the right people working for you,” he explained. “It’s not about me; it’s about the whole team and the
Graham Elgar and Neil Elliott
G. J. ELGAR CONSTRUCTION Ltd
GRAHAM ELGAR T: 01233 623739 M: 07860 414227 Email: office@gjelgarconstruction.co.uk www.gjelgarconstruction.co.uk
JANUARY 2024 | WWW.SOUTHEASTFARMER.NET
contribution they make to ensuring that G J Elgar retains the reputation for quality workmanship it has built up over the past 40 years.” It’s not been an easy journey, but Graham is proud of what he has built up and proud of the fact that he has grown the business organically, by reinvesting rather than borrowing. He’s also made sure that the rest of the team understands the ethos that drives him and underpins the company. “I like to promote people from within the business as that means they understand how we work and the quality we insist on,” he explained. It’s an approach that certainly paid off with Neil Elliott, who joined the company getting on for ten years ago as a steel erector and cladder and is now a director and Graham’s right hand man. Louise Elgar, Graham’s daughter-in-law, joined the company as finance director at the same time as Neil, while Ian Jones, groundworks operations manager, and Blake Hegarty, sheeting operations manager, play a vital role in the business, which also relies on the organisational skills of Lisa Elliott and Wendy Dowling in the office.
