Construction company lays the foundations for growth with new £8 million Black Country HQ

S&R Construction, which provides multi-utility services, groundworks, traffic management and open market housing development, has transformed the 2.3-acre ‘William Press’ site in Dawley Brook Road, Kingswinford, into its state-of-the-art new home.

The modern two-storey office block will act as the firm’s administrative HQ and includes its own training academy, events space and expansive gym that is available to all staff and partners.

To the rear is a large depot area and dedicated facilities for the traffic management operation and space to maintain, clean and look after its comprehensive fleet of plant equipment and vehicles.

It marks what has been a true local ‘success story’, with current managing director Steven Sankey starting out in 1998 with a small team laying tarmac. Nearly three decades later and the family-run business has just broken the £51 million barrier and is responsible for directly and indirectly employing 350 people.

Steven, who is joined in the firm by his three sons Chris, Jamie and Ryan, said: “Our new headquarters have been a real labour of love and taken nearly three years from bidding for the land to moving in.

“We wanted to regenerate an old traditional Black Country site and create something special, a home where our team wanted to come to work and a place where we could entertain clients that range from local authorities and major infrastructure contractors to housebuilders and commercial landlords.”

He added: “The offices have all been ergonomically designed, we’ve got the latest lighting installed and we’ve created lots of different spaces where staff can relax. 

"We’re big on mental wellbeing here thanks to our champion Tracey Sankey and believe fitness can play a big role, so part of the lower floor is a gym that features cardio machines, weights and even a boxing ring. Some people have said it’s better than the gym they actually go to.”

Traditionally, the main thrust of S&R Construction’s activity has been as a multi-utility service provider, laying nearly 1.2 million metres of gas, water and electricity mains across the UK.

Accredited to the Gas Industry, National Electric and Water Industry Registration Schemes, the company holds several framework contracts for Colas and Network Plus, as well as local authority contracts for Dudley Council.

Versatility and diversification have been at the heart of the firm’s growth, with the last seven years seeing the group adding its own groundworks and traffic management divisions and investing in the launch of two housing development companies to solve the need for new homes required in the UK.

Chris Sankey, director at S&R Construction, said: “We had developed a strong relationship in the multi-utility space, but often had to work alongside other companies offering groundwork and traffic management.

“After a while we thought we could take this on ourselves and make the customer experience better in the process. We recruited experienced specialists from each sector and invested heavily in equipment and technology to get us and up running quickly.

“Having that turnkey offer has been a big draw and helped us win a host of new contracts. There are also customers who ‘pick and mix’ and just use us for one of the three services they want.

“The last few years have also seen us launch Wychbury Developments (open market housing) and Dwello Partnerships (affordable housing).”

Steven added: “The business has taken on 50 people in the past 12 months and this is just the start. By placing integration at the heart of our business, the ambition is to hit £70m by the end of 2026 and this will probably require a similar recruitment push going forward.”

S&R Construction is passionate about its Black Country roots, investing in eight apprentices, holding several charity events throughout the year and sponsoring local sporting teams and boxing stars, including former European Middleweight Champion Tyler Denny.