Having celebrated its tenth anniversary in the summer, Modular Systems Ltd looks set to write the next illustrious chapter in its story after securing a major contract at Sizewell C. The contract provides a strong foundation for the Hull-based company’s continued growth.
“Over the years we’ve been striving to develop the business and enhance our reputation, so winning this contract really underlines how far we’ve come,” explains Chris Marsden, Commercial Strategy and Sales Director. “The multi-year contract is the largest single order in Modular Systems’ history and provides a strong foundation for continued growth. It strengthens our forward order book and provides significant stability.”
Securing contracts of this magnitude doesn’t come about by accident, with a huge amount of hard work and dedication having taken place to get to this point. “We’ve already been working at Sizewell C for over a year, and significant work has been taking place in the background,” adds Chris. “There’s never been a task that’s been beyond us, and we’ve always been on the ball with our responses.
“We’ve got a young team with a tremendous ‘can-do’ attitude. Modular construction has perhaps previously been guilty of being too set in its ways, whereas we’ve looked to challenge that perception by finding workable solutions that fit with the client’s needs. We’re very much a solutions provider.”
Having secured a solid pipeline of work at Sizewell C, Modular Systems is ideally positioned to invest, and it is currently looking to add to its numbers. Having also got its foot in the door with Sizewell C, which is a notable achievement in itself, the business could also potentially secure further projects on the site in the years ahead.
The Sizewell C contract is a significant development for Modular Systems. “We’re also highly active in the student accommodation market and the contracts usually involve the production of between 300 and 600 pods. We are investing in additional manufacturing capacity to support the increased workload.
“We’ll also be increasing our workforce, including our number of apprentices, to help our development further down the road. This is a real positive, because we are major advocates of the apprenticeship scheme. We are expanding our apprenticeship programme and continuing to work closely with Hull College and its Hullraisers Partnership. This strives to give students roles in professions that they have a genuine interest in, rather than merely being a box-ticking exercise.”
Having such faith in the next generation makes it all the more understandable why Modular Systems has chalked up a decade of operation. It is clearly looking to keep that momentum going in the months and years ahead.
“The modular sector is changing all the time, and while I’ve only been with the company for around 18 months, I’ve worked in the industry for over 15 years,” outlines Chris. “In that time I’ve seen the market transform significantly, with there now being more players than ever before. This increased competition has pushed standards ever higher and securing the Sizewell C contract shows that we’re operating at the very top of the sector.
“What’s more, we’re in no mood to get complacent, which is why we’re using the opportunity to invest further in our people and our facilities. This ensures that we’re constantly improving and evolving. This is vital, not only for the Sizewell C contract, but also because the student accommodation sector is still booming, providing us with numerous additional opportunities too.”
Despite this positivity, there are the unavoidable challenges that all companies are having to contend with due to the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, particularly the effect the rising price of diesel is having on costs. However, Modular Systems has worked hard to mitigate the impact by building strong supplier relationships and by being as open as possible with its clients.
With honesty once again proving to be the best policy, Modular Systems is looking forward to enjoying the fruits of its labour with the Sizewell C contract now secured, while also continuing to supplement the project with other developments, particularly in student accommodation. While its 10th anniversary gave the company the opportunity to look back and celebrate all it has achieved so far, the signs are that its future will be even brighter, with investment in additional manufacturing capacity and a workforce that continues to grow.