Workers at Hobson & Porter have shown their support to Cancer Research UK by donning special hi-vis jackets for the day.

The jackets were worn by the team working on the new Riseholme College in Lincoln.

Each employee was asked to wear a jacket labelled with the words ‘Beating Cancer Sooner’ in return for a donation.

Hobson & Porter features on the cover of the latest edition of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce’s Business Intelligence magazine.

In the April/May magazine, Hobson & Porter Managing Director, Graham Beal, talks about the upcoming general election, the opportunities for the Humber region and the key changes that will affect the construction industry in the coming months.

He also discusses the company’s performance, its current projects and its vision for 2015.

“A general election brings uncertainty but I firmly believe 2015 will be a prosperous year for Hobson & Porter and the Humber region”

AS in any general election year uncertainty is rife across all industries but for construction firm Hobson & Porter 2015 brings only optimism and a wealth of opportunities.

Having enjoyed its most successful year to date in 2014 with turnover rising to around £45m, the Hull-based firm enjoyed further success in the first quarter of 2015, the highlight of which being the completion of its planned expansion into Lincolnshire to reaffirm its commitment to its existing clients and supply chain in the region.

With an increasing portfolio of work on both sides of the Humber, it has also pledged its support to bridging the skills gap in Hull by signing up to the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Skills Pledge and continues to support homeless charity Emmaus Hull.

With Hull moving a step closer to arguably its most defining year, 2017, when it becomes UK City of Culture, Hobson & Porter Managing Director, Graham Beal, believes the region is on a path to prosperity, no matter the outcome of the general election.

“A general election brings uncertainty but I firmly believe 2015 will be a prosperous year for Hobson & Porter and the Humber region as a whole,” he said.

“The construction industry has continued to grow steadily over the last few years helped by low interest rates and government programmes aimed at boosting demand, as well as the broader economic recovery.

“As a business, Hobson & Porter is in a very buoyant period. We are working on some fantastic projects that will make a huge difference to the communities they serve and our order book is continuing to grow. However, we are acutely aware of the need to plan for future growth, highlight potential new business opportunities and markets and continue to drive innovation in the construction industry.”

Set up in 1971, Hobson & Porter has completed a number of high-profile projects across the Humber region over the last 12 months, including the multi-million pound Agrii Crop Technology Centre at Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire and a £3.4m development for Dong Energy Power (UK) in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire.

Other completed schemes include a major redevelopment of East Riding Leisure Haltemprice and a new learning resource centre at Bishop Burton College, while works continue to progress well on a £2.7m homeless shelter in Hull for Emmaus.

While Hobson & Porter, which completed its 100th building project under the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) in 2014, a barometer by which delivery standards are measured across the industry, continues to make a positive difference across the Humber region through its work, the outlook for the construction industry as a whole looks bright.

Rising private sector confidence and investment are driving growth in construction activity. Output volumes rose 0.8 per cent during the third quarter of 2014 to stand 2.9 per cent up on a year earlier, the sixth consecutive period of annual quarter on quarter growth.

Industry experts predict rising private sector investment and improved consumer confidence to underpin further growth in both detailed planning approvals and project starts during 2015. Underlying project starts are forecast to grow by 7.3 per cent this year, building upon an estimated eight per cent increase during 2014.

Light through a general election cloud

With the approaching election looming large in the minds of UK businesses and with George Osbourne having outlined the 2015 Budget, there is an uncertainty hanging over the construction industry.

These concerns were highlighted by 58 per cent of those responding to the 2014 Q4 Construction News barometer survey of major contractors concerned that the general election could stall construction activity – up from 51 per cent in Q3.

However, there is an understanding from all political parties of the importance of long-term stability in infrastructure planning.

In the key areas of housing and infrastructure, the policies of Labour and the Conservatives, one of whom will almost certainly choose the next Chancellor, are closely matched.

The coalition government’s approach has been the creation of the National Infrastructure Plan and related planning reforms, while Labour has committed to going further in the form of setting up the Armitt Review’s recommendation of a National Infrastructure Commission.

The rise of BIM

From 2016, Building Information Modelling (BIM) will be mandated on all central government projects.

Repeat private sector clients are also increasingly looking to BIM to help deliver cost savings, accelerate construction times, cut risk and improve asset management.

To date, BIM usage has been on a small, but rapidly expanding proportion of projects.

However, the current year promises to be a year of transition as the government’s 2016 deadline approaches. BIM proficiency may quickly become a widespread requirement for clients, making training and development a priority for the year ahead.

Hobson & Porter was one of the first construction firms in Yorkshire to adopt BIM and five of its employees have gone on to become BIM Champions.

Diversity at a premium

Following the best 12 months for British construction for more than 18 years in 2014, the need for diversity among services has never been more important.

The general housing market has emerged as a key growth driver for both construction activity and the wider economy. In contrast, government-funded investment generally remains constrained. Social housing starts are a particular weak spot, with the value of project starts falling by four per cent this year and further decline forecast for 2015.

However, education is a relative bright spot. The sector is benefiting from increased investment as local authorities adapt and extend their primary school estate to accommodate rising pupil numbers. In addition the government’s free schools, Priority School Building Programme and university investment schemes are all fuelling sector activity.

Office project starts are expected to pick-up in major metropolitan areas as the demand for more quality office space spreads beyond the capital. Retail and leisure project growth is expected to be spread widely across the UK as consumer spending picks up across the country.

The focus of government capital expenditure on transport will broaden from rail towards road projects, and this will lead to a more even spread of infrastructure work across England.

Hobson & Porter has positioned itself since its foundation in such a way as to offer a broad range of services to all sectors. Supported by its minor works division, the firm’s in-house expertise allows it to undertake a broad range of project from housing and commercial buildings to fire stations and schools.

What the ONS highlights

New work fell by 4.2% while repair and maintenance showed no growth.

Compared with January 2014, output decreased by 3.1 per cent. This was the first year-on-year decrease since May 2013 when it fell by 2.8%. It was a marked decline from 5.3 per cent growth seen in December 2014 compared to December 2013.

Year-on-year, all new work and repair & maintenance fell by 2.7 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively. Within all new work, private commercial provided the largest contribution to the decrease compared with January 2014, falling by 8.9 per cent. Smaller decreases were reported by infrastructure (-2.4 per cent) and public other new work (-2.3 per cent). The decrease in repair and maintenance was primarily due to total housing repair & maintenance which fell by seven per cent.

Housing output fell by -5.0 per cent on the month in January 2015, moderating the annual rate of growth to 0.8 per cent. On a monthly basis, the fall in housing output was driven by both the public and private components. In contrast, the annual growth rate eased due to a sharp contraction in public housing.

The ONS said that the slowdown in housing output was consistent with a range of external indicators which have shown that both demand and supply side factors may be subduing housing construction. In January 2015, the number of mortgage approvals for house purchase fell by 19.6 per cent from the same month a year earlier.

Hull construction firm Hobson & Porter is celebrating after winning a prestigious health and safety award for the third consecutive year.

Hobson & Porter has been given a Gold Award in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2015 for its dedication to working to the highest health and safety standards across all of its projects.

The award will be presented at a glittering ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel in July.

Graham Beal, managing director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded a RoSPA Gold Award for the third year running. It is testament to the hard work our teams put in day in day out that we have been recognised in this way and I’d like to thank all of the staff for their efforts, in particularly Health, Safety and Environment Manager Will Buxton.

“This accolade is another sign of the good work we are doing here at Hobson & Porter and comes as a just reward for our constant investment and dedication to working to the highest health and safety standards possible.”

The RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards are internationally recognised and have fast become the most sought after accolade by organisations from every sector.

In order to achieve the accolade, Hobson & Porter had to provide evidence of a good health and safety management system by answering key performance questions and supporting the answers with a concise portfolio of relevant documentation.

David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “The RoSPA Awards encourage improvement in occupational health and safety management. Organisations that gain recognition for their health and safety management systems, such as Hobson & Porter Ltd, contribute to raising standards overall and we congratulate them.”

The majority of RoSPA’s awards are non-competitive, grading achievement at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Organisations that maintain high standards in consecutive years can win gold medals, president’s awards and orders of distinction.

Competitive awards are presented in more than 20 industry sectors, and they also recognise excellence in specialist areas, such as the management of occupational road risk (MORR).

RoSPA’s mission is to save lives and reduce injuries covers and all ages and stages of life. In support of this mission, the RoSPA Awards, which date back 59 years, recognise commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention at work.

Through the scheme, which is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas, judges consider entrants’ overarching occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

The sponsors of the RoSPA Awards 2015 are: headline sponsor – NEBOSH; The RoSPA International Sector Award – airsweb; The MORR Trophy – Allianz; The International Dilmun Environmental Award – GPIC; The Best New Entry Trophy – Safety and Health Expo; The Workforce Involvement in Safety and Health Trophy – Springfields Fuels; and, The MORR Technology Trophy – Tesco Dotcom.

Visit www.rospa.com/awards/ for more information about the awards.

Hull construction firm Hobson & Porter has taken delivery of its new £300,000 fleet of commercial vehicles as it looks to continue its rapid expansion.

The Malmo Road-based company has recently secured offices in Lincoln after announcing record turnover of £45m, up from £30m in 2013.

Now, in a bid to further increase its presence on both sides of the Humber, Hobson & Porter has revamped its fleet with 11 new vans and trucks from Hull’s Beerhouse Self Drive Hire.

Graham Beal, managing director at Hobson & Porter, said: “Our investment in the new fleet is an important step for Hobson & Porter to take as we continue to grow and secure new projects across the Humber region.

“The new vans will provide us with an increased public presence on project sites as well as on the road.

“We pride ourselves on delivering a premium service with quality products, and this extends to the equipment we use to provide that service. After months of planning and preparation we are delighted to see the new fleet in action.

“As a Hull-based business, we are always looking to support other local firms and we are delighted to have worked with Beerhouse once again to get our new vans on the road.”

The new fleet includes six VW Crafter CR35L 2.0TDi 109 LWB, one VW Crafter CR35L 2.0TDi 109 LWB Single Cab Tipper, one VW Crafter CR35L 2.0TDi 109 LWB Double Cab Tipper and three VW Caddy C20 1.6TDi 102.

Phil Moses, director at Beerhouse, said: “As an existing customer of Beerhouse Self Drive, it was a natural fit for Beerhouse to advise Hobson & Porter on the most cost effective way to source its core vehicle fleet.

“In the first instance, we were able to work with Hobson & Porter to help it get a full understanding of its whole life vehicle costs which in turn then allowed Hobson & Porter to make a calculated decision on how to fund its new fleet. The agreement doesn’t just stop at supplying the vehicles. We are in a position to offer a complete fleet solution, for example all the servicing is included which also includes a replacement vehicle whilst they are in for service work, ultimately keeping downtime to an absolute minimum.”

Beerhouse has also assisted Hobson & Porter with the disposal of its current fleet and has made sure the maximum value for the stock has been obtained.

All of the fleet will carry the company’s branding, designed and produced by another local business, Hessle-based Signs Express.

Hobson & Porter has enjoyed a successful start to 2015 after being shortlisted in the prestigious Family Business of the Year awards and completing a major project for wind turbine manufacturer Dong Energy in Grimsby.

Hull construction company Hobson & Porter has pledged its support to bridging the skills gap in the city by signing up to the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Skills Pledge.

The pledge is designed to help the city’s future workforce obtain the skills that employers crave as well as helping businesses to access vital skills and training organisations to help them succeed and grow, in turn providing a big boost to the economy in the region.

After completing a number of high-profile projects over the past year within the Humber region, including a multi-million pound technology centre at Bishop Burton College, Hobson & Porter is the most recent business to sign-up to the scheme.

Graham Beal, managing director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are very proud to have signed up to the Humber LEP’s Skills Pledge and reinforce our commitment to young people in Hull. At Hobson & Porter, we are actively looking to take on young people that will form our future workforce. Our apprenticeship scheme is proving fruitful and we are looking to expand that in the New Year.”

Recently, the Sutton Fields-based company has celebrated its 100th build under the Considerate Constructors Scheme as well as announcing it is set for a record turnover of £45m in 2014, up by £15m from 2013.

Mr Beal said: “The construction industry is no different to any other. The companies within it must provide stepping stones for young people into work and we are determined to play our part. It is an exciting time for Hobson & Porter after a very successful year and our association with Hull is one that we want to continue to strengthen.”

Hobson & Porter is also currently looking to secure a permanent base in Lincolnshire in a bid to grow its profile south of the river.

Hobson & Porter has teamed up with community groups and schools from the Fountain Road area of the city to commemorate a landmark day for homeless charity Emmaus Hull.

The Hull construction firm is working with Emmaus Hull and Chevin Housing Association, a member of the Together Housing Group, to build a new multi-million pound homeless community and invited a number of groups and schools to contribute to a time capsule, which was buried at the site on Friday, January 30.

The time capsule is aimed at encapsulating 2015 Hull through the eyes of school children and community groups and has been buried where The Orchard’s car park will be. It is to be opened 100 years from now.

Dave Blades, Business Development Director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are delighted so many groups and schools from across Hull have come together to help us with the burial of the time capsule.

“The Orchard really will change the face of Hull for the better and provide homeless people with vital services. We wanted to commemorate such a fantastic project with something that future generations will be able to refer to for an understanding of what this site was like in 2015 and how The Orchard was developed.

“Working with Emmaus Hull and Chevin Housing Association, we are very proud to be building this facility and look forward to seeing it fully operational later this year.”

Newlife Christian Academy, St Charles Primary School, Mitchell Community Centre, St Paul’s Church and Hull and Barnsley Railway all contributed to the time capsule.

Together Housing Group mascot MONTE (Making Our Neighbourhoods Totally Excellent) was on hand with a helping paw for the celebrations.

Caroline Grosvenor, Head of Chevin Housing, said: “The Emmaus movement does fantastic work and we’re happy to be able to play a part in its success.

“This is an important development that will play a part in helping to safeguard some of the most vulnerable people of the city, and we’re glad to see a such a unique venture marked in this memorable way.”

Construction work on the site in Lockwood Street, which will provide purpose-built single en-suite accommodation with communal facilities and a social enterprise centre comprising of warehouse, workshops, a community internet café and retail space for formerly homeless people began in September 2014 and is set to be completed in September.

The community café and second-hand retail space will be open to the public.

Helen McGill, Project Director at Emmaus Hull, said: “Although Emmaus is about creating a self-supporting community to enable people to work their way out of homelessness, it’s also very much about being part of the wider community.

“It’s great to work alongside local groups, learn more about the area and then come together to create a piece of contemporary history. I am sure The Orchard building will be standing in 100 years’ time but who will be living there and what will they make of our lives today?”

Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson performed the official ground-breaking ceremony to signal the start of work on the new £2.7m project.

Hobson & Porter is delighted to announce it has been shortlisted in the prestigious Family Business of the Year Awards 2015.

The company was selected by judges in the Yorkshire Family Business of the Year category as well as the overall Property & Construction Family Business of the Year category, which features companies from across the UK.

The winners of the awards, which are hosted by Family Business United, the leading online magazine and resource centre for family firms in the UK, will now be decided by public vote.

Graham Beal, managing director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are delighted to have been nominated in this year’s Family Business of the Year Awards. Family businesses are the bread and butter of industries throughout the UK and it is fantastic to be recognised for our work in Hull and the Humber region.

“Now that we have been shortlisted, we need the help of the people of Hull. The winners are decided by a public vote and we would love their support. Our business roots are in Hull and we are extremely proud of that and these awards will provide us with a platform to promote that across the UK.”

Paul Andrews, founder and managing director of Family Business United, said: “We are delighted to be able to pull together such a vibrant bunch of family businesses, some that have succeeded for numerous generations and continue to thrive, and others that are relatively young but have great values at the heart of what they do.

“Any one of those shortlisted would make worthy winners and ambassadors for the sector. We are looking forward to finding out more about each of them and I am sure that the decisions to determine the winner will not be easy.”

Visit http://www.familybusinessunited.com/resources/family-business-of-the-year-regions/yorkshire-award/ to vote for Hobson & Porter.

The winners will be announced at a gala reception at The May Fair Hotel in London on June 11.

Hobson & Porter is working with its customers, supply chain and the charity Emmaus Hull to provide essential, and potentially lifesaving, equipment to homeless people across East Yorkshire.

Orvec International, which is part of Hobson & Porter’s supply chain in Hull, has donated around 100 special thermal emergency blankets to Hull HARP, an outreach organisation that works with Emmaus to support homeless people across region.

Kevin Stamp, managing director at Orvec, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Emmaus and its work by donating these blankets, which I hope will be of great benefit to homeless people in Hull and East Yorkshire.

The work that Emmaus is doing in this region is fantastic and the opportunity to support it, through our links with Hobson & Porter, was one Orvec didn’t want to pass up.”

“Our team has created this multipurpose thermal blanket for use in acute emergency care and elective surgery as a proactive patient warming device. Other applications include, but aren’t limited to, emergency rescue services such as Mountain Rescue and the RNLI. The blankets can also be used in road-side assistance.”

The blanket uses the person as the heat source and its thermal pockets create convection heat to maintain normothermia. The product is designed and developed by the company’s research and development team, including textile specialists and project engineers and is manufactured in Hull.

Hobson & Porter is currently building a new £2.7m facility on behalf of Emmaus for homeless people in Hull.

The Orchard, which is due to be completed in September 2015, will offer en-suite accommodation with communal facilities and a social enterprise centre comprising of warehouse, workshops, a community internet café and retail space for formerly homeless people.

Helen McGill, project director at Emmaus Hull, said: “Emmaus Hull is extremely grateful to both Orvec International and Hobson & Porter for their support. Without the support of companies like these, we would struggle to provide the services we do. The blankets will be vital to keeping homeless people across East Yorkshire warm this winter and indeed throughout the year.”

HULL construction firm Hobson & Porter is set to announce record turnover figures after enjoying its “most successful year” in 2014.

Turnover at the Malmo Road-based company is expected to top £45m this year, up from £30m in 2013.

Set up in 1971, Hobson & Porter has completed a number of high-profile projects across the Humber region over the last 12 months, including the multi-million pound Agrii Crop Technology Centre at Bishop Burton College in East Yorkshire and a £3.4m development for Dong Energy Power (UK) in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire.

Other completed schemes include a major redevelopment of East Riding Leisure Haltemprice and a new learning resource centre at Bishop Burton College, while works continue to progress well on a £2.7m homeless shelter in Hull for Emmaus.

Graham Beal, managing director at Hobson & Porter, joined the firm earlier this year and has been delighted with the progress the business has made in 2014.

“It has been a fantastic year for Hobson & Porter in what has been a very testing period for the industry,” he said.

“We have enjoyed our most successful year to date in 2014 thanks to a number of high-profile project wins and completions.

“Our portfolio has swollen dramatically since last year and we ensured that has been felt throughout our supply chain too.

“However, the growth across the last year would not have been possible without investment in our team, supply chain and partners.”

Recently, Hobson & Porter has undertaken its 100th build under the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) – a prestigious milestone in the industry.

Despite the company’s strong growth, Hobson & Porter is determined to share its successes with businesses in the communities in which its projects affect.

In 2014, it announced a unique collaboration with East Yorkshire-based Bishop Burton College, owners of Riseholme College, to allow construction students to apply their learned skills on Hobson & Porter project sites.

Now, it is actively looking to secure new office space in Lincolnshire in order to further grow the business south of the river as well as strengthening its supply chain in the region.

Mr Beal said: “We are currently in the process of looking to acquire office space in Lincoln in order grow our presence in Lincolnshire, a move that we have been looking to make for a while now but has now been made possible by the number of project wins in the region.

“We have had a presence across Lincolnshire for a long time now without having a permanent base there so now is a perfect time to address that. Hopefully this will be finalised in the New Year.”