Construction firm builds on diamond year

Award-winning Shropshire constructor McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd is building on the success of its milestone 60th year, kicking off 2025 with a strong order book across diverse sectors. 

The company marked its diamond anniversary throughout 2024 with a series of celebration events and initiatives - starting with its '60 for 60' food bank donation programme and culminating in the launch of its new McPhillips Community Fund.

Managing director Paul Inions said the company was looking to build on its recent successes and maintain its position of strength and diversity in its project portfolio.

He said: “Last year was momentous for McPhillips – it was a chance for us to take stock of everything we’ve delivered in the last six decades and to celebrate with all the people who helped us achieve this success.

“In the summer we brought together 400 of our staff and their partners which includes our directly-employed workforce working on more than 30 projects across the Midlands, North West and beyond, for a party at Telford International Centre. And in November, we celebrated with our supply chain, against the dramatic backdrop of aircraft at RAF Cosford. We would not be where we are without them.”

A flagship project completed in December 2024 was the Heart of Africa development at Chester Zoo, creating new wildlife habitats. The company's proven expertise in delivering complex schemes has led to a further contract with the zoo to create 51 new luxury lodges on site. This safari-style accommodation project, which includes a two-storey welcome building with restaurant and bar facilities, will continue until summer 2025.

This month the McPhillips team will start on new multi-million projects in Telford & Wrekin and Stafford, progress a £20m project in Newport for retirement living developer Untold Living, and deliver a number of ongoing schemes across the Midlands and North West. 

Company secretary Val Hardy said 2025 would see a continued focus on skills and workforce development, including recruitment into the McPhillips Apprenticeship Scheme.

“We are a rarity in our industry because we choose to directly employ our workforce. This sets us apart from many contractors and is rooted in our commitment to training our talent and building their skills for the future.

“Although it undoubtedly creates additional overheads compared to competitors who rely on subcontracted labour, our sector crisis is caused by a skills gap.

“If we don't train our own and do our bit, then how can we expect it to be any different? So, we've got to keep doing what is the right thing to do - train people and employ them directly. The result is consistently high quality delivery for every client, whether public or private sector."

The company's commitment to social value took a significant step forward in 2024 with the launch of the McPhillips Community Fund, delivered in partnership with Shropshire Community Foundation. The fund will support innovative projects across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin that help improve mental health, reduce social isolation and promote long-term wellbeing in local communities.

Pictured: At the £20m project in Newport