Wasting No Time Helping Veolia
We’ve completed the construction of a major regional office in record time after winning the Design and Build contract for a new cost-efficient modular office building for the Veolia Group, based in Otterbourne, Hampshire.
The new building, covering 980m2, was conceived as one of the four new regional offices for Veolia – a supplier of integrated waste management services.
Replacing an assortment of time-expired portable buildings, the contract, worth £1.4m, was completed in just seven months. This included adaptations and additions to the original plans within the same time frame, and even achieved a two week saving on the initial contract period. As part of the contract, an extension to an existing building and associated external building and ground works were also undertaken.
A modular construction approach was conceived to reduce capital spend and construction time, as operations had to be relocated off site during this period. This included advanced offsite manufacturing techniques.
Mark Taylor, Operations Director for Veolia Environmental Services (Hampshire) Ltd, says: “Blunt Construction provided high quality performance at a competitive cost to ensure we achieved our programme. Their honesty, openness and good communication made for an excellent working relationship, and we’ve had nothing but positive reactions to the new building.”
“The standard of the modular building construction was important as it affects the welfare and wellbeing of staff. The aesthetics of the building design both externally and internally were therefore very important to us to make sure it felt like a conventional building. We also worked with Blunt Construction to ensure consideration was paid to the environmental impact of the building work, to reduce our carbon footprint long term.”
For more information on the Blunt Construction range of specialist and traditional services, please contact Colin Brooks on 01962 717744.
Colin Brooks Appointed Regional Chairman of Builders’ Group
Our Commercial Director, Colin Brooks, has been appointed regional chairman of leading trade body the National Federation of Builders (NFB). 
Colin took over the chairmanship of the NFB’s Southern Region from Leslie Hillman of LJH Building Refurbishment Maintenance at the annual general meeting.
The NFB represents small and medium sized contractors in England and Wales, operating a regional network of seven offices, providing specialist business support and lobbying local, national and European government on a range of issues to sustain positive trading conditions for members.
Speaking at the NFB Southern Region’s AGM, Colin said: “These are difficult times for our industry and so it is more important than ever that builders can turn to the NFB for support, help and advice.”
“Our industry has a key role to play in providing this country’s built environment - our homes, schools, hospitals, shops and workplaces. I am keen to see the development of training opportunities for young people coming into our industry. It is important that we work through this economic downturn, preparing for the upturn and ensuring that we continue to recruit and train the skilled workforce needed to build Britain’s future.”
Mr Brooks has over 37 years of experience in the construction industry, working primarily in the refurbishment and maintenance sectors in Hampshire. He started his own consultancy in 1995, moving to Blunt Construction in 1998, and was appointed a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building in 2007.
NFB chief executive Julia Evans welcomed Mr Brooks to his new role saying: “Colin Brooks has an excellent track record as a successful and forward-thinking contractor. He will be an excellent advocate for our industry and ensure that the interests of builders in the southern region are well represented at a national level.”
Providing Constructive Support to the Community
We’ve been busy helping the young and the 
not-so-young, donating our free time to help two important charities. Both the Winchester Scouts and Intouch Support, an organisation dedicated to working with people who need help to live independently, have recently been benefitting from our community support projects.
Every year we choose a charity to support, providing them with the same high standards of labour that their commercial client’s benefit from. This year, the Winchester Scouts were chosen but the company were also keen to lend a hand to the vulnerable members of society that Intouch Support work with.
As a result, the Winchester Scouts have seen their Pinsent campsite in Hampshire redeveloped to include an extended and refurbished car park, a meeting/multi-activity room and even the formation of a new archery range! And, whenever staff at the Hampshire-based construction company have a moment to spare, they are also out and about helping the region’s elderly residents who depend on the assistance of charity Intouch Support. From garden clearing, mending leaky sheds, fixing fence panels or even helping with conservatories, residents have been helped with a whole range of maintenance and management projects.
Colin Brooks, Commercial Director of Blunt Construction, said: “In the current financial climate, we don’t want to be one of the many doom mongers and so we’re proud to be able to support charities in our region in a practical way. You often hear stories of elderly and less able residents who need assistance and we’re absolutely delighted to lend a hand whenever we can. And Winchester Scouts is a great way of encouraging young children to be active in society, so we’re more than happy to offer this support. For us, being a successful business also means putting something back into the wider community – after all, we’re supposed to be constructive!”
Winchester Scouts District Commissioner, Carol Pannell, said: “As if by magic, Blunt Construction, with its considerable expertise, has done in seven weeks more than we have been able to achieve in seven years. It is without doubt one of the most valuable contributions an external organisation has been able to offer to us and we are extremely grateful for their support”
Andrew Rolt, Winchester District Scout Chairman, added: “This is a rare visionary approach being taken by Blunt Construction. This commitment and effort has really enhanced the delivery of quality Scouting in the area.”