777 Group celebrate 50 year anniversary
Golden anniversary to be marked for one of the leading UK demolition contractors
LONGSTANDING National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) member, 777 Group, will be celebrating their 50 year anniversary this year. While demolition and dismantling still remains a core part of the firm’s business, diversification into waste-management and asbestos removal have added to its ever-growing turnover, which is expected to exceed £20 million during 2014.
The company was founded by John Pearce in 1964, with son Michael joining a few years later and subsequently buying it from his father in 1981. ‘When I the business it consisted of just two machines and one lorry,’ explained Michael Pierce. ‘I set about expanding it, bringing new people in to work for me and building up a fleet of machinery.
‘I focussed on making sure the company always delivered on its promises by keeping our word and completing jobs to the highest of standards. To this day, with over 40 machines and employing 90 staff, the ethos still remains an integral part of our success.’
Over the years, the company has invested heavily in new plant and equipment to meet the wide range of jobs in the demolition and recycling sectors. Michael Pearce continued: ‘We originally started with two Cat tracked loading shovels and subsequently went on to run a Ruston-Bucyrus RB22 crane fitted with a ball and chain.
‘The mid-nineties saw us using some of the first-generation high-reach machines but the equipment that really reflects our drive to embrace new technology has been our pair of Hitachi ultra high-reach demolition rigs. The first one was delivered in 2003 and at the time it’s purchase was a bit of a jump in to the unknown being unproven and quite a large investment.
‘It proved a success and we bought a second machine in 2007. Although our units are not the only ultra high-reach machines being used today, we were one of the first to offer that type of capability and remain synonymous with it.’
Another key development for the company has been Mr Pearce’s business decision to branch out into the waste-management and recycling sectors. The demolition firm has seen its waste-recycling facility, located near the company’s headquarters in Surrey, evolve from a simple storage yard to a state-of-the-art recycling centre.
‘We originally started our own demolition waste at the site but soon developed a market taking other contractors’ waste,’ said Mr Pearce. ‘The rising cost of landfill and environmental regulations have meant demand for this service continues to grow. Such is the success of the facility that six years ago we invested several millions of pounds in a Vecoplan-sourced processing plant which gives us the capability to turn incoming material into refuse-derived fuel.’
