FEATURE
Structural Integrity Activity has remained hearty at Hillsboroughbased construction behemoth, GRAHAM, despite the backdrop of a pandemic and Brexit. Here John McDonald, managing director of the company’s investment projects, talks about why the development of its people and a strong CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) proposition are pivotal to its continued success.
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ith a turnover of £800m in 2020, the workload of GRAHAM has evidently been buoyant. From Aberdeen to London and across virtually every sector, the business has been making its mark during an unforgiving climate for many industries. From the £135m A6 dualling scheme in NI to a £160m acute healthcare project in Aberdeen (The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre), situated in Europe’s largest healthcare campus, plus the £106m Port of Tilbury expansion along with an influx of schemes within the fast-emerging build-to-rent sector, the company has been kept extremely busy. It is also actively participating in a range of major frameworks, including ProCure22 (P22), a construction procurement framework administered by NHS England and NHS Improvement for the development and delivery of NHS and social care capital schemes in England. Its pipeline of work is equally as impressive. “Using clear procedures, and through the adoption of stringent health and safety processes, we were able to continue to operate safely during the pandemic, keeping our 2,000-strong workforce safe and healthy while simultaneously ensuring that we continued to meet the objectives of our clients and partners,” John begins. “I would say the construction industry has been a real driving force for the economy throughout COVID-19.” The construction industry believes the pandemic could mark its reinvention and allow for a renewed focus on modern methods of construction, off-site advanced manufacturing and productivity. It could also accelerate the pace of change in the wider economy as industries – including aviation and tourism – struggle in stark contrast to the fortunes of e-commerce, pharmaceuticals and logistics. Indeed, the UK Government’s plan for growth, Build Back Better, lends weight to this argument. With a £100bn investment earmarked for infrastructure, as well as cash injections into skills and a focus on
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