Stephen Grimes - general manager at Northumbrian Roads and board member at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) North East.
Stephen Grimes, is general manager at Northumbrian Roads and board member at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) North East. Nationally, CECA represents more than 300 civil engineering companies, employing nearly 250,000 people and delivering £15bn worth of work annually in the sectors of transport, energy, communications, waste and water.
Can you tell us about your role on the CECA board?
Like all the other directors, who represent a wide range of locally-owned and national companies, my role is to provide support and challenge around policy and initiatives being driven by CECA North East. I have strong views, which I am pleased to share with the fellow directors and, likewise, I appreciate hearing different viewpoints, all of which are encouraged by the chair and vice chair of the Board.
You are general manager at Northumbrian Roads – what does your role involve?
Northumbrian Roads operates across the North East.
Established in 1989, the company grew to a £20 million turnover business, employing 90 staff before becoming part of the Holcim Group in 2022. I have full responsibility for health and safety, business development and profit and loss, indeed, all crucial areas that ensure we operate at the highest possible level. I am grateful to be backed by highly motivated teams and individuals in every area of the business.
What projects is the company currently undertaking?
We are extremely busy with clients in both the public and private sector. This includes participation on two very busy frameworks for Sunderland City Council and South Tyneside Council. We have also been awarded the surfacing packages Amazon warehouse in Stockton, which has a huge low carbon focus to it.
Which areas of the UK does Northumbrian Roads operate within?
We operate in the North East, providing a wide range of services from surfacing, planning, groundworks, haulage and asphalt materials. We also have a recycling facility at our Port of Sunderland location where we process CDM waste into recycled construction materials.
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the sector?
As widely reported, the biggest challenge the industry faces is the skills shortage. We are coordinating with other trade bodies in the region to promote the sector as a highly attractive environment in which to build a career. However, right across the UK, we have a critical shortage of people entering the sector at a time when a very high percentage of the workforce are either retiring or are close to it. Without the next generation coming through we will not have the workforce to build the infrastructure for the future.
What can be done to bridge the skills gap in the sector?
We must change the perception of construction as being inferior to other sectors. This needs to start in schools, with pupils made aware there are very viable alternatives to going to university or into other more glamorous industries. Tradespeople engage in some fabulous, stimulating projects, they can earn great salaries and have the opportunity for swift career development if they study, apply themselves and have a positive attitude. I started as an apprentice and, with constant progression, I am now in my current position, which I would not swap for anything.
How does being aligned to a sector body support Northumbrian Roads?
CECA provides us with access to important industry information, it gives us a voice in the market, allows us to develop first class contacts and learn from others. The more we become involved with CECA the more we see its value to our business.
What’s your proudest business achievement?
In Birmingham city centre, in 2018, I was project director for the first catenary-free battery-powered tram in the UK. The trams run on batteries, eliminating the need for overhead wires. This allows them to operate in historically sensitive city centres, where traditional overhead infrastructure would be visually disruptive, providing a more environmentally friendly and efficient mode of public transport without altering the landscape. I am also extremely proud to be part of the Holcim Group which is focused on ‘Making Sustainable Construction a Reality.’