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Construction firm optimistic in recession

18th February 2009

Construction work is still out there – despite the recession. That’s the belief of Neil Armstrong, Business Development Director at Henderson Campbell – a building and civil engineering firm on Teesside.

Neil was appointed at the end of last year to explore new opportunities for Guisborough-based Henderson Campbell, and refuses to be downbeat about the current economic climate.

‘’The Sectors of Education, Healthcare, Public Sector Infrastructure and Utilities remain busy in the market at the moment,” he points out.

‘’Although it has become much more competitive to win projects – and even to get onto approved Tender Lists for jobs – there is still a reasonable amount of work out there. It just means that my role is more vital than ever in maintaining the ongoing success of Henderson Campbell. ’’

With over ten years’ experience in the construction industry, Neil has lived through bad times before and his experience has shown that the key to survival is diversification into areas of the market that remain active.

“Many construction skills are transferable between projects,’ he points out.

“Which means that, although Henderson Campbell’s main focus in the past couple of years has been in the prison and custodial sector, we are equally capable of turning our hand to such schemes as school extensions, hospital and Nursing Home expansions, Park and Rides, Wind Farm sites and the rapidly increasing area of budget supermarkets – all of which proffer a healthy level of enquiries at the moment.”

According to the Construction lead service, Glenigans, to which Henderson Campbell subscribes for new tender opportunities, 17 New Projects across the Building and Civil Engineering Sector came to the North East market for tendering in this week alone, - at a combined value of £30 million.

Many such opportunities, Neil points out, will be to utilise already-approved budgets from government and local authorities but that doesn’t stop him remaining upbeat about the future beyond that.

‘I am acutely aware that the industry is facing hard times but I am cautiously optimistic about its future health on Teesside and in the Tees Valley, with power and port projects being the deciding factor between success or otherwise.”