Proud corporate partners of London Air Ambulance Charity

We’re proud to announce that RED Construction are now an official partner of London’s Air Ambulance Charity.

The charity delivers an advanced trauma team to London’s most seriously injured patients, providing innovative and potentially life-saving procedures by the roadside when time is critical.

In August 2022, our colleague Peter La Plain was involved in a life-threatening road traffic accident. Thanks to the quick response from London’s Air Ambulance and the life-saving treatment, Peter is still here with us today.

#TeamRED has been hard at work fundraising to support this amazing Charity and as of March 2023 we became an official partner of the London Air Ambulance Charity.

We hosted our annual Dinner Dance this May, in which the business came together to celebrate all things RED. With the generous donations from our supply chain, we hosted a raffle and was able to raise a fantastic total of £5,320 in aid of London’s Air Ambulance Charity.

With all your generosity and donations, we are able to support London Air Ambulance, enabling them to provide critical care in the capital for the people who need it most.

The Walkie Talkie Tower Climb 2023

Earlier this month, we took part in the Walkie Talkie Tower Climb 2023 to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to support the extremely worthy cause, with the funds raised going towards ground-breaking research, advanced equipment, children and family support services, and the refurbishment of wards and medical facilities within the hospital.

Congratulations to Con Keating for being the fastest #TeamRED to make it up all 36 floors, and a huge well done the team including Bobbi Elliott, Debbie O’Sullivan, Cai Evans, Nicolae Mitrana, Richard Feist and Steve McIntyre climbing all 896 steps!

To top off the day, an incredible £2,500 was raised by the team, and we’re proud to announce that RED has matched this donation, taking the grand total to just under £5,000.

RED supports Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity

We’re thrilled to announce that we are a company supporter of Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, the only charity that provides emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families, a subject we at RED are committed to. 

Lighthouse offers a 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline (0345 605 1956) that provides a range of free and confidential wellbeing support services. This is complemented by their free Construction Industry Helpline App which offers expert guidance on a huge variety of wellbeing issues. It is aimed at those who may not feel comfortable speaking with someone or would like more information about how they can help themselves before taking the next step in seeking professional help. 

To ensure that our learning and development of mental wellbeing is aligned with our RED to green strategy, we have committed to having a minimum of one Mental Health First Aider on every project and all offices, promoting an open environment to support our #TeamRED

RED’s Milestone Financial Year

We are proud to announce that RED Construction Group has seen revenue more than double in the last financial year, a 164% increase, facilitated by sustainable growth in regional and project diversification. Rising from £24.58m during 2020-2021 to £64.78m during 2021-2022, RED has maintained a pre-tax profit of 2.3%, £1.46m.

In the past financial year, we announced a group restructure to strengthen the businesses, unveiling distinct operating companies to cover key regional opportunities, RED London and RED South West. RED Special Projects, the company’s newest operating division, was also announced this year, focused on delivering exceptional construction services on building projects valued from £100k to £7m.

Graham Sturge, CEO, RED Construction Group, commented: “It has been a milestone year and a period of huge growth for RED Construction Group. We’ve increased the size of the business and built company longevity with the implementation of key regional operating divisions, while going back to our roots with the creation of the dedicated RED Special Projects team.

“We continue to build on our solid foundations and in line with our strategic growth plan, we have consolidated our position this year, with a secured order book for year ending 2023, forecasting revenues of £70m. At the heart of our strategy is the aim to be the contractor of choice in the commercial, residential, hotel and leisure markets, based on the company’s reputation being synonymous with effective delivery across new build and refurbishment projects in the UK. I am extremely proud of what RED Construction Group has achieved in the past 12 months, which wouldn’t have been possible without our outstanding team and partners.”

 

During the financial year, RED Construction Group completed a number of high profile projects, such as 14 Park Crescent for Amazon Property, the refurbishment of 3 Shortlands for Romulus, and The Angel Central refurbishment for CBRE Global Investors. Our other significant projects in 2022 include The Visitor Pavilion for Argent Related, Commercial redevelopment for Seaforth Land, Townsend House for ITC Properties and ONE Hundred Shoreditch Hotel.

RED’s 2022 Overview

Play Video

2022 has been a year of many milestones and achievements for RED Construction Group, both as a business and as a community. The most notable being the announcement of our new group restructure to strengthen the businesses, unveiling distinct operating companies, RED London and RED South West, covering key regional opportunities. We also launched RED Special Projects, the company’s newest operating division, focusing on delivering exceptional construction services on projects valued from £100k to £7m, allowing RED London to deliver projects up to £40m across London.

The Group have been working on outstanding projects for exceptional clients. Our London team has been leading the way in the capital, progressing unique developments such as: Seaforth’s distinctive refurbishment project at 8 Bleeding Heart Yard on Greville Street; CIFI Group and Arbrook Land’s exciting seven-storey redevelopment of 19 Dacre Street, close to St James’s Park; Hnes’ flagship mixed-use retail and office project at 80 New Bond Street; and ITC Properties’ redevelopment of Townsend House – just to name a few. The launch of RED South West saw our southern division appointed to deliver the £20m net zero carbon Zeal Hotel in Exeter, the first hotel of its kind in the UK.

2022 has been a bumper year of not only exceptional projects, but our commitment to giving back, with the team raising over £40,000 for a number of charities, including Pancreatic Cancer UK, London’s Air Ambulance Charity and Imperial Health Charity. We had the pleasure of hosting our Annual Clay Shoot and first RED Annual Golf Day at Moor Park Golf Club, and took part in Grosvenor’s 19th Annual Dragon Boat Regatta. Many of the RED team completed the Extra Mile Charity Cycle across rural France and RED’s Three Peaks Challenge – go #TeamRED!

As importantly, our ‘RED to Green’ ESG strategy achieved its first major milestone, by cutting our reliance on fossil fuelled vehicles in the company fleet. We’re now 50% hybrid and 50% fully electric, and are driving towards 100% fully electric by 2025. We were also delighted to welcome Steve Kerslake to our site at Greville Street, using Construction Sport to encourage honest discussion about mental health and wellbeing.

None of the above, however, would have been possible without our clients, our team, our supply chain partners, and the many consultancies and businesses that we collaborate so effectively with. Thank you all for your ongoing support and commitment to RED.

Bedford Blues Rugby Sponsorship

We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Bedford Blues Women’s rugby team again this season. RED’s commitment to supporting our communities is often focused on the buildings we deliver, and their end users, but there is much more to it.

The RED to Green strategy helps us focus on what it means to be a responsible business, one that contributes to social initiatives as well as one that minimises its environmental impact as much as possible. We work in Bedford, so it’s with a sense of pride that we sponsor the local team.

Wishing the team good luck for this weekend’s game against at Milton Keynes Women on home soil!

RED’s Annual Clay Shoot

This September we had the pleasure of hosting our Annual Clay Shoot in aid of Pancreatic Cancer UK, with the phenomenal day being facilitated by Holland & Holland.

Congratulations to Dave Eastwood from Dough Phillips Limited who was awarded top gun of the day, and bragging rights going to Robore for the best team.

To top off the day, an incredible £8,000 was raised for PCUK, a cause very close to RED. An additional £1,000 was also donated to Imperial Health Charity, with the happy auction winners from Pro Access Scaffolding firing the La Destruidora Cannon.

Supporting Mental Health in Construction

We’re delighted to have recently welcomed Steve Kerslake to our site at Greville Street, promoting Construction Sport to encourage honest discussion about mental health and wellbeing.

Please watch this edition of We Are England on BBC iPlayer if you haven’t already – we can all learn from Steve’s work, and help make mental health and wellbeing a priority for our industry.

The last few years have been particularly challenging for our people, and we’re using our RED to Green initiative to ensure this conversation is not a moment in time, but a continued one.

RED unveils new Special Projects division

This year we launched a new operating division to facilitate the next stage of the company’s growth. Focused on delivering exceptional construction services on building projects valued from £100k to £7m, RED Special Projects joins the our regional arms, RED Construction London and RED South West.

RED Special Projects benefits from its relationship with RED Construction Group, with clients having access to the company’s wider supply chain, and having the flexibility to call upon the additional resource of the Group whenever necessary. Working across a wide scope of industries, RED Special Projects primarily focuses on the commercial, residential, hotel, and retail arenas. The team also has extensive expertise in specialist areas such as cladding replacement and enabling works, listed building refurbishments and structural alterations.

Leading the Special Projects team is Construction Director, Nathan Farrar, whose career spans over 25 years with numerous iconic and award-winning developments, including London’s Millennium Bridge and 77 South Audley Street. Overseeing some of the company’s most complex and demanding projects, Nathan joined RED Construction Group in 2017 and leads the specialist team with his proven technical expertise and solution-based approach. Joining Nathan is Commercial Director, Adam Sturge, who has worked at RED Construction Group since its conception. Adam has played a key role in establishing the business and its ongoing relationships with employers, consultant teams and supply chain members alike.

Extra Mile Charity Cycle 2022

With an enormous amount of effort and commitment, we’re pleased to say our three RED teams successfully completed the Extra Mile Charity Cycle across rural France this September. It’s fair to say there were a lot more hills (mountains) than expected, ensuring our cyclists had solid climbs on all three days, covering 9,600 metres of elevation gain over 500 miles.

Supporting our colleague Peter La Plain who was recently involved in a road accident, we’re continuing to raise funds for Imperial Health Charity who fund developments, research and medical equipment as well as helping patients and their families for St Mary’s Hospital where Peter is currently recovering.

To help us reach our target for an extremely worthy cause, please click the following link.

 

 

A huge well done to our cyclists Amber Schmidt, Charlie Archer, Chris Setterfield, Georgie Harnwell, Graham Sturge, James Bardwell , Jason Foster, Jon Hayes, Kiona Guillot, Nathan Farrar, Sandra Sztylka and Steve Sawford.

RED’s driving towards 100% fully electric by 2025

We are delighted to announce the first major milestone for RED to Green, as reliance on fossil fuelled vehicles within the company fleet has been cut. We now have 50% hybrid and 50% fully electric, and are driving towards 100% fully electric by 2025.

James Ferdinando, Group Environmental and Sustainability Manager, said: “This is a great achievement for RED Construction Group in the company’s journey to improve its relationship with the environment. By cutting the reliance on fossil fuelled vehicles within the company fleet, we are well on our way to meeting our target to be fully electric in the next three years.

RED gives staff assistance with Cost of Living Crisis

This week we announced to our staff that they will be receiving a £1,250 bonus this month, to support in the midst of the Cost of Living Crisis and as a thank you for continued hard work.

“Everyone is facing a squeeze on their finances, and it’s only right that we as a business look to support our brilliant staff as best we can. All employees bar the Senior Director team will receive this bonus, and we hope it will ease the burden through these unprecedented challenges.” – Graham Sturge

RED joins Grosvenor’s 19th Annual Dragon Boat Regatta

What better to spend 30-degrees in the UK than taking part in Grosvenor’s 19th Annual Dragon Boat Regatta at Oakley Court, Windsor.

On Friday #TeamRED we’re delighted to join 31 boats led by teams from across the UK property industry, to help raise funds for Groundwork, a worthy cause mobilising practical community-led climate action.

Although we didn’t take out the ultimate prize, we were thrilled to have raced in the semi-final and place 5th overall!

RED Dragon Boat Regatta

RED Construction South West appointed to deliver first sustainable ‘ZEAL Hotel’

RED Construction South West, the regional arm of RED Construction Group, has been appointed to deliver the £20m net zero carbon ZEAL Hotel in Exeter. It is the third project that the RED SW management team have delivered for the client, and will be the first ZEAL Hotel.

Established in 2012 with the specific aim of developing hotels in strategic locations, ZEAL Hotels is managed by industry leaders Tim Wheeldon and Tony Clark, who have a combined 50 years’ experience in hotel development and construction. During the last 3 years, ZEAL has developed and opened a Holiday Inn Express and an Ibis Hotel, both in the South West. 

Located in Exeter Science Park and designed by architects ECE Westworks Bristol, the first mindfully modern, net zero carbon ZEAL Hotel will be targeted at the business, leisure, and sustainability orientated market, and works are set to commence on site this autumn. RED Construction South West has been brought in to deliver the unique hotel, developing its bespoke design elements to over 140 rooms across four storeys, a bar, restaurant with a ‘theatre’ kitchen, and work and meeting facilities. The project will also include extensive landscaping, the integration of renewable energy sources, and the implementation of over 25 solar-powered EV charging points. The ZEAL Hotel is targeted to open in early 2024.

RED South West Managing Director, Derek Quinn, commented: “After working with ZEAL Hotels for many years, it is a privilege to be working with the team on their first net zero carbon ‘ZEAL Hotel’, in a region we are passionate about. The build will have many unique elements that will draw on the RED Construction South West team’s extensive expertise, and we look forward to breaking ground on this milestone project for our business.” 

ZEAL Hotels Managing Director, Tim Wheeldon, added: “The first ZEAL Hotel has been designed to challenge everything we know about the hotel construction industry. From the build to the final product, ZEAL Hotel will be mindfully modern and unlike any other hotel in the region. We are delighted to have appointed RED Construction South West to bring this exciting project to life and are eager to be working with their expert team again. It’s exciting to have Exeter Science Park, the first of several locations we are presently considering.”

ZEAL Hotel - RED Construction

RED Construction Group builds Senior Management team with Business Development Director hire

RED Construction Group has announced the appointment of James Bardwell MICE as Business Development Director, overseeing business opportunities across RED Construction London.

Bringing over 23 years of experience to the senior management team, James joins RED Construction Group at a pivotal time for the company. As well as continued and controlled expansion of its client base and scale of projects, the Group has recently formed a dedicated regional arm to focus on the London market. This significant new hire follows the news that Jim Lomas-Farley, who has been Business Development Director for the Group for more than three years, has taken a non-executive role on RED Construction Group’s Board, further supporting the company to deliver across a wide range of markets.

Over the course of his career, James has been responsible for complex projects across multiple sectors including commercial, retail, residential and education, delivering schemes from £15m through to £200m. With a particular proficiency in projects with challenging structural alterations, James has helped deliver iconic schemes such as London’s Olympic Village, Phillips Auction House in the heart of Mayfair, and New Law Court at the University of Hertfordshire. He also spent five years working on residential developments, from smaller schemes to those with over 500 units.

Graham Sturge, Managing Director MCIOB of RED Construction Group, commented: “James is a superb addition to RED Construction Group’s senior management team, and this comes at a key moment in time in our company’s journey. His extensive track record, and passion for delivering personable experiences, will add to RED Construction Group’s reputation as a partner and collaborator, and a company that places a high value on building and maintaining relationships.”

James Bardwell, Business Development Director MICE of RED Construction Group, added: “What stood out the most to me about RED Construction Group was the amazing family culture that the business has cultivated over the years, not only internally but externally too. I am delighted to have joined a team and work with great clients who fully understand the market and appreciate the extra mile that RED Construction Group takes. The company has a clear five-year plan which will be the framework for me to work through and deliver, ensuring we influence the industry to improve both the image and efficiency of the construction sector.”

James Bardwell
Business Development Director

RED to Green

we’re excited to announce the launch of “RED to Green” our ESG initiative that provides a roadmap to a sustainable workplace, led by James Ferdinando, our Group Environmental and Sustainability Manager.

As a responsible business we acknowledge the impact that construction activities can have on the environment and we’re passionate about minimising the environmental impacts associated with refurbishments. We’re taking a proactive, hands-on approach both as a business and within our project deliveries.

Our initiative will ensure that all our targets are achievable and fundamentally benefit the company, clients, consultants and communities.

RED to Green LinkedIn

RED Construction South West’s growth continues with the appointment of Pre-Construction Director

RED Construction South West, part of RED Construction Group, has announced the appointment of Robert Brooks as Pre-Construction Director. Robert joins the senior management team, led by managing director, Derek Quinn, to build on its significant success since launching last year.

Bristol-based RED Construction South West offers unparalleled regional expertise and market knowledge in construction. It works with leading clients across several sectors throughout the South West.

With almost 30 years’ construction, design, and management experience, Robert Brooks joins the team to lead the Pre-Construction department, creating and driving opportunities for regional ­business expansion. Robert is recognised as one of the industry’s highest energies and most enthusiastic problem solvers by many of his peers and clients. He has worked on several nationally renowned schemes, including the £60m redevelopment of the iconic Brent Cross Shopping Centre and the £50m Madejski Stadium. Since moving to the South West in 2001, he has delivered landmark projects within all sectors, collaborating with clients creating long-lasting relationships.

Derek QuinnManaging Director of RED Construction South West, commented: “Robert is a great addition to RED Construction South West’s senior management team. His personality, passion and energy match our culture perfectly, while his experience, professionalism and track record will be highly prized by clients and partners alike. He also joins at an exciting time for the business as we continue to win work and deliver across the South West region.”

Robert Brooks, Pre-Construction Director, RED Construction South West, added: “Working in this industry has taught me relationships and people are what matters. Consequently, I wanted my next role to be strongly relationship-focused while also allowing me to add value to high growth, high energy and high-quality company. RED Construction South West provides all that, and I am very excited to build on the team’s already impressive momentum.”

The appointment of Robert Brooks is the third senior hire in as many months for RED Construction South West, following the work of Grant Millar and James Devey as Operations and Commercial Director, respectively, last October. In addition, the company moved into new offices last September, taking a prime position in the 235,000 sq. ft Print Hall & Unity Street development, which forms part of the 2.4m sq. ft Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone.

5 minutes with … Derek Quinn at RED Construction South West

The firm’s managing director in the South-west on the importance of teamwork and good communication, plus his love of Thai food and playing the drums

What has been your biggest career challenge to date?

Being empowered at 30 in the mid-1990s by an inspirational CEO to set up a new regional business unit.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?

Build on the communication with young people about the equal opportunities that exist within our amazing industry.

Why did you choose construction as a career?

Construction sites always looked fascinating – a step up from the abacus and Lego.

What have you worked on that you are most proud of?

The Station for the Creative Youth Network in central Bristol.

Most helpful advice you were given?

Remember to listen to the team carefully, then make an informed decision. This is something I always consider and especially for my new team at RED South West.

What’s your favourite building in the world?

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona – the intertwined designs spanning 140 years never cease to amaze.

What single piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out in your profession?

Recognise that the building process is complex and knowledge takes time to accumulate. If you are not sure, don’t be afraid to ask along your journey.

Who do you most admire in the construction industry?

A team that delivers and is focused on customer service.

What famous building do you wish you had worked on?

The Empire State Building in New York, if only to sit on that steel beam and have a short lunch break.

Which famous building do you most dislike?

The Walkie Talkie (20 Fenchurch Street) in the City of London.

What is it like, being you?

Passionately driven and always thinking about people when making decisions.

What do you think your best quality is?

Commitment to the agreed objective.

What trait do you most dislike in yourself?

Thinking too far into the future, which can be exhausting at times.

And in other people?

Unnecessary exaggeration.

Do you have a life philosophy?

Simple: always do the best you can.

Name three things that you like.

Family time, great friendships and amazing wildlife.

What is a secret skill we don’t know you have?

An ability to make excessive noise with my drum kit.

What is your most prized possession?

A piece of art by a certain famous graffiti artist from Bristol.

Early bird or night owl?

Both – any time, any place as the saying goes…

What’s your favourite food?

Thai food: pad thai, chicken green curry, fish cakes, chilli squid, just to name a few!

What would your superpower be?

Time travel, so I could go backwards and forwards, which would be fun.

Season’s Greeting from RED Construction Group

2021 will go down as a milestone year for RED Construction Group. We announced a new group structure and launched RED South West, firmly establishing ourselves across multiple regions and sectors. We are exceptionally proud of our achievements, made possible by the continued hard work and commitment from everyone in the business.

2022 is poised to be another rewarding – yet challenging year of recovery – and we feel confident to be going into 2022 with our brilliant #teamRED.