From a single electrician to a million pound company, employing 20 people, The Caztec Group is one of the North East's best kept secrets.
As the company celebrates its 25th anniversary we sat down with founder Brenden Carr who reflects on building one of the regions most respected engineering businesses working with blue chip companies throughout the country.
As founder and managing director of Washington-based Caztec Group, Brenden has never sought the limelight. Instead, his focus has always been on delivering quality work for major national clients while maintaining the values of a family business.
Tell us about your journey into engineering.
I started out as an apprentice electrician in the North East. After which, I spent eight years living and working in London. It gave me fantastic experience, working on projects in the capital then onto projects all over the world. I came back to the North East in 1992 to raise my family.
After working for several engineering companies, I reached a point where I thought, “Why not do it myself ?” So, in 2000, I set up what was then Caztec Electrical Contractors. At the beginning it was just me, but people I’d worked with started asking if I could take on more projects and whether I could bring in additional electricians. That’s really how the business grew.
Was there a clear plan from the beginning?
Not really. It grew organically. I took on my first employee in 2004 and we’ve continued to build from there. Today the business employs around 20 people and has an annual turnover more than £1 million.
We’ve been even bigger at times, but we’ve deliberately settled at a size where we can continue to offer a personal service while working on major contracts.
What sort of work does Caztec Group specialise in?
We’re very much a commercial and industrial electrical engineering business rather than domestic electricians. We are vastly experienced in Substation Work, especially across the Rail Industry
We’ve worked with some outstanding organisations including Network Rail, Siemens, Volker Rail, Hitachi and Mitie. We also carry out a significant amount of work for the NHS, particularly across hospitals in the North East, undertaking specialist testing, compliance work and electrical infrastructure projects.
Many of our larger contracts are across the UK, particularly in London and the South East, although we’re proud to remain based here in Washington.
We’ve also got a small building division and a specialist garage conversion business within the group.
You’ve worked on some prestigious infrastructure projects.
Yes, we’ve been fortunate to work on nationally important schemes, including rail infrastructure and power projects. We’re also involved in work connected to HS2 and continue to secure contracts with some of the country’s biggest engineering companies.
For a business of our size, we’re proud of the calibre of clients we work with.
Our sweet spot is working with Tier One major contractors to provide specialist teams to assist with specific projects they have going on. We work a lot on Network Rail Infrastructure and Sub Station Builds.
Despite the company’s growth, it remains a family business.
Both of my sons joined the business as apprentices and have worked their way through the company. One now manages operations and the other one supervises larger installations.
Has winning awards been important?
Recognition is always nice, but it’s never been our motivation.
We were proud and grateful to receive a National Contractor of the Year award in 2022, and we’ve won other industry awards over the years. They reflect the quality of the work our team delivers every day.
We’re not a company that shouts about ourselves. Most of our work comes through long-standing relationships, repeat business and our reputation.
What keeps you motivated after more than 25 years in business?
I genuinely enjoy building businesses. Even when I’m not in the office, I’m thinking about new opportunities and ways to improve what we do.
We’ve reached a stage where we’re fortunate not to be chasing work for the sake of it. Instead, we can focus on working with good clients and delivering projects to the highest standard.
Putting Back
I believe in helping people as much as possible. We have consistently supported elite North East based athletes in both professional boxing and golf.
What are your hobbies and interests?
I’m in the gym every day and fitness is a big part of my life. Beyond that, I enjoy motorbikes, cars and spending time in Spain, where I have business interests. I try to divide my time between there and the North East whenever work allows.
Looking back, what are you most proud of?
Creating opportunities for people. Helping to change the course of lives by employing people and watching them develop. It’s really rewarding.
When I started, it was just me. Today we’ve created careers for our team and built lasting relationships with some of the UK’s biggest organisations.
For me, that’s what success looks like. We’ve stayed true to our values and kept things real. We have built a strong reputation and proved that a North East engineering company can compete at the very highest level while keeping its feet firmly on the ground.
The real pride is in the people who have grown with us and the brilliant staff that help us get where we are today.
www.caztec.co.uk