Over the course of the past decade RMG Groundworks has demonstrated impressive growth thanks to a forward-thinking approach that continues to push boundaries. As it celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, the South Wales-based company can take stock of how far it has come, while also preparing to write the next chapter in its story.
“We are a very innovative organisation that remains hungry for further success by getting better day by day,” explains Tom Diggle, Operations Director. “The average age of our management team is less than 40 and our Managing Director, Robert Morris, remains highly ambitious and full of ideas. When he sets his mind to something he ensures that he sees it through, and this approach permeates throughout the entire company.”
While Mr Diggle is keen to underline the importance of the guidance from the top that RMG has benefitted from, he is also quick to point out the role the entire workforce has played in the company’s development.
“The management team carry out a great deal of hard work in the background but ultimately it’s the boots on the ground that deliver on site. They have allowed us to grow and keep progressing. The last three or four years have seen us trebling in size, so we’ve seen a really good push as a business. This wouldn’t have been possible without our people.
“Our staff aren’t just numbers to us, they’re part of the family. We are a very people-orientated business and Rob, Brendan and myself know the name of every worker out on site. We like to think we look after our employees and even regularly treat them to social nights or days out. I’ve worked at other companies and RMG definitely has a different feel.”
The commitment that RMG has demonstrated to its staff has resulted in high levels of loyalty, which in turn has led to a low rate of employee turnover. This has become more vital in the current climate, where there’s a severe shortage of skills within the wider marketplace.
“We need to attract youngsters into the groundworks profession and we’re working very closely with our sister company, The Construction Hub Academy, to get our apprenticeships up and running. We have a great bunch of youngsters on the ground and we need to make sure we continue to invest in them so that we have the people we need in 20 years’ time. We’re particularly keen to encourage females into the industry and we have women groundworkers that are progressing brilliantly within the business.”
Whilst RMG has put its people at the core of everything it does, it also places a high degree of importance on its systems and processes, as Mr Diggle highlights: “We’re constantly striving to improve our software, our machine controls and our land surveying capabilities. There’s a great deal to be positive about, even in the face of the various challenges we’re currently confronted with, such as material price increases. Thankfully we have strong links with our suppliers, which has helped enormously. We have a particularly good working relationships with John Davidson Pipes & CP Hire who we’ve carried out numerous projects with over the last six months. We view them as partners and they fix their prices for us for long periods of time knowing they’ll get repeat work from us. We also find service requirements and delivery times are improved and the service is more personal.”
As for the markets in which RMG is seeing the most opportunities, schools, affordable housing and the NHS are currently particularly fruitful. This is proving especially beneficial for the company, as operating in the public sector provides a high degree of reliability in terms of payment.
“The stability of the public sector work gives us the confidence and the framework to continue reinvesting in the business and our people,” outlines Mr Diggle. “Government-funded work doesn’t seem to be slowing down and the volume of schools that we’ve completed, and are currently working on, is testament to that. We also have several NHS projects in the pipeline.
“Our tenth anniversary has provided the perfect opportunity to look back at just how far we’ve come. We’ve reinvested somewhere in the region of £250,000 and £500,000 on our machine control and our software, to make everything is that much more efficient. We’ve also spent nearly £2m on a wash plant that was imported from Italy. By continually adding to our equipment, we’re much better placed to move forward capabilities. We’re particularly focused on further developing our earthworks division and our machine control. If we can marry the right people with the correct processes and equipment then we won’t go too far wrong.”
As it celebrates its ten years of operation, RMG Groundworks can reflect on a decade of strong progress. What’s more, it is clear that the company is in no mood to rest on its laurels as it now looks to the future.