Wright Group has created a legacy within Worksop, Nottinghamshire, providing a diverse range of services and jobs to the area. Managing Director of Wright Engineering Chris Boden-Hook and Director of Wright Renewable Heating Adam Roberts discussed the latest developments from within the group, during an in-depth interview with Inside Sustainability. Report by Imogen Ward.
Wright Group emerged in 1986 when Owner & Chairman Stewart Wright established Wright Engineering. The business filled a hole in the community that was left behind by the colliery closures.
“At the time, you either worked in the coal mines, or you worked in an industry that supported the coal mines,” said Managing Director of Wright Engineering Chris BodenHook. “When the mines closed, an economic turmoil transpired. There was an abundance of skilled individuals in the area who were suddenly out of a job, and that’s where Wright Engineering focused its efforts for many years.”
The company offered products relating to aggregates and building materials, including plasterboard, roof tiles, bricks, quarries and mining, and plant, before branching out into power generation and recycling industries just before the 2008 recession. Wright Engineering dedicated time to converting coal-fired power stations in the UK.
“We worked hard to convert these power stations to desulfurised gypsum production,” explained Mr Boden-Hook. “This was a major turning point for Wright Engineering, it not only allowed us to survive through the economic crisis, but we actually grew quite significantly during this period.”
As time passed, other divisions cropped up, including Mediright, which provides high quality healthcare in the workplace; eRight, for service management and IT solutions; and most recently, Wright Renewable Heating.
Entering the renewables market
Mr Wright was inspired to set up Wright Renewable Heating in 2021 after falling down a rabbit hole of research when upgrading the old oil burner in his property.
“We launched off the back of a global pandemic and supply chain crisis,” said Director of Wright Renewable Heating Adam Roberts. “It was an interesting time, and the industry was so new. The challenge was really to not grow too quickly. So many companies chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and go under doing so. The trick is to focus on the customers, the quality and the day-to-day operations and leave the pot of gold to look after itself.”
Wright Renewable Heating continued to grow at a steady and sustainable pace, growing from just three people to 40 in the space of three years.
Today, the company continues to operate with a B2C business model that prioritises the end consumer. It offers surveying, design, installation and commissioning for air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar PV and even EV charging.
Continued success
Wright Renewable Heating has developed several major framework agreements with local councils, making the most of the government grants available for heating systems upgrades.
“There’s a whole market generated by Energy Company Obligations, which is a government energy efficiency scheme designed to tackle fuel poverty in the UK,” commented Mr Roberts. “We have tapped into that area of the market quite successfully.”
The company has also had a lot of success with solar and even installed new solar PV panels on the roof of Wright Group’s HQ. This was a £100,000 investment and is helping to reduce the group’s overall carbon emissions.
As the company continues to run the paces of this exciting industry, it is always on the lookout for new opportunities. One of which materialised more recently in the form of an upcoming law. The Future Homes Standard, which was first announced back in 2019, is coming into effect in 2025 and will make low-carbon heating in new builds mandatory.
“The Future Homes Standard is a big industry change that is right around the corner,” explained Mr Roberts. “This could be a very interesting opportunity for us, although changes need to be made first.
“Traditionally, the house building market has worked on very tight single digit margins, and that doesn’t work for the renewables sector. So, it is a challenge industry wide that will need to be overcome, but it will be interesting to see how that transpires.”
A greener path
The topic of sustainability is not limited to Wright Renewable Heating. The entire group follows a clear-cut CSR strategy that revolves around four main pillars: responsible business, workplace diversity, community and the environment.
In particular, the company does a lot of work within the community, and being the largest local supplier it has the power to truly make a difference.
“I left school with no GCSEs and somebody at Wright Group saw potential in me and helped me succeed,” said Mr Boden-Hook.
“I feel very passionately about helping others in a similar situation. We help young people get into engineering and many other vocations, we fund apprenticeships and degrees, and I even sit on the North Nottinghamshire Skills and Enterprise
Board which helps young and disadvantaged people into work.”
The group is also working towards Net Zero and has been collaborating with its supply chain to reach this goal.
Memorable moments
Over the years, Wright Group has completed a lot of interesting projects. Wright Engineering, especially, has been involved with a significant number of major infrastructure projects within the UK, including
several situated on the site of Ferrybridge Power Station.
“We were heavily involved with DSG conversions at the power station when it was still firing coal,” explained Mr Boden-Hook. “The coal-fired power station has since closed, and two Energy from Waste plants were installed in its place. We were a key supplier for both those plants, and we still act as an aftermarket supplier for maintenance projects there today.”
In addition, on the same site, Wright Engineering also built a turnkey IBA processing facility and a brand-new plasterboard mill and recycling facility.
“Over the last decade, we have been involved with almost all of the major infrastructure projects on that site,” continued Mr Boden-Hook. “That is something we are very proud of, and it is important to our business model, which seeks to create and sustain long-term relationships with our clients.”
To this day, long-term relationships remain a crucial part of Wright Group’s success. This is a sentiment passed down by Mr Wright who strongly believed in a people first approach.
“I was mentored by Mr Wright, and the thing that he was most proud of was when he began working with British Gypsum in 1986. This was a flagship business, and to work with this company was beyond his wildest dreams. We have maintained that relationship and created a model for long-term mutually beneficial partnerships as a result. That what Mr Wright is most proud of.”
Taking on board the guidance of Mr Wright, the entire group intends to continue providing the very best quality service as it grows and adapts to the needs of the market.
“For the past two years, both Wright Engineering and Renewable Heating have witnessed significant growth, with Wright Engineering being awarded a Grant Thornton fasted growing business award,” said Mr Roberts, in conclusion. “We intend to continue on this path of sustainable growth to ensure the group is the best version it can be.” n
