Hope celebrate successful first year

New entrants Hope Construction Materials pleased with progress so far and optimistic about the future

ENTREPRENEUR Amit Bhatia, chairman of Hope Construction Materials, has told of his optimism for the future as the firm celebrates its landmark first anniversary this week (6 January).

The company, launched 12 months ago, has gone on to sell 2 million cubic metres of concrete – enough to build 22 Wembley stadiums – 1.3 million tonnes of cement and 4 million tonnes of aggregates in its first year.

Hope were launched in January 2013 after the acquisition of 180 nationwide operational assets, from the South Coast to the Scottish Highlands and from West Wales to East Anglia. These include concrete plants, quarries, depots and the UK’s biggest cement plant in Hope Valley, Derbyshire.

The deal was seen by many as a vote of confidence in the future of British construction, and Hope Construction Materials have since grown rapidly to become a major player in the industry, supplying cement and concrete to more parts of Great Britain than any other independent business.

In 2013 the firm turned over almost £300 million, a figure Mr Bhatia believes is testament to the dedication of the 800-strong workforce which ensured that the company quickly found its feet. He said: ‘It was always going to take time to stabilize the business and start to optimize the way we run things, particularly with the scope and size of the business, but we’re pleased with our progress so far.’

Hope have gained widespread recognition for their dynamic approach and have already released a range of performance products that provide solutions to help to improve speed and efficiency in construction. The company is also about to launch a ‘new way of working’ that will improve customer service, although it is not sharing further detail at the moment.

Mr Bhatia continued: ‘When we entered the market a year ago we had our sights set on challenging the accepted norms in this industry. Now we’re making changes to improve service and we will continue to make this a valuable point of difference for our customers.

‘British manufacturing is something I’ve been passionate about for a long time and was keen to get involved in. This year has shown that industry is once again on the rise and it’s a privilege to be part of it. We plan to push on from our solid foundations and continue to build on our standing as the country’s leading independent in the sector.’

Hope Construction Materials’ chief executive officer, Chris Plant, added: ‘We are thrilled to be celebrating a successful first year in business. 2013 was a challenging and exhilarating year, but ultimately one in which we made incredible progress.

‘This could not have been achieved without the confidence our customers have put in us, the support from our business partners, and the amazing dedication of my fellow colleagues in Hope Construction Materials.

‘At all levels of our business our people demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit, a determination to build trust through reliable service and a desire to keep things straightforward. They bring to life everything that Hope is all about.’

A full-length interview with Chris Plant appears in the January 2014 edition of Quarry Management magazine.