Ayrshire construction company Smith Contracts Ltd
reports successful first year

WITH over thirty years experience working in the construction industry, in 2006 Kenny Smith made the bold but carefully planned decision to set up his own company, Smith Contracts Ltd. The company recently marked its first anniversary and there is much cause for celebration.


[Picture shows: Gavin McVittie, Ian Blackwood, Graham Robertson, Steven Clark, John Higgins, Mark McClymont (kneeling), Robin Wood, Morris Watters and company directors Fiona Smith and Kenny Smith. CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW / DOWNLOAD FULL-SIZE VERSION.]

After completing a joinery apprenticeship with Dalmellington-based Henderson and Thomson, Kenny moved on to work for Barr Construction where he was to spend the next 23 years. These proved to be significant years in his own personal development and his success and commitment were reflected in his step by step promotional journey from Charge Hand to Junior Agent with the company before being promoted to Site Agent and finally Construction Manager, a position he held for over ten years.

“These were influential years because of the experience I gained managing big projects and the enormous range of projects I was lucky to work on," says Kenny. "More importantly though, I had the privilege of working alongside a wide network of first-class people, people with integrity and superb technical skills.”

With all this experience under his belt and bursting with an array of fresh ideas he was itching to implement, Kenny together with his wife Fiona felt the time was right to set up their own company. One year on the company’s success has been impressive by any standards. Kenny and Fiona have even surprised themselves by exceeding all of their own milestone targets in terms of turnover, new contracts, staff recruitment and investment in plant.

Their success is in no small way due to their strong sense of focus and identifying and reaching their niche market. Within Ayrshire there was a market for a company who could provide a high quality end product and a reliable service from an approachable team, whether it be a small extension or an extensive domestic or commercial development project.

“This industry has not always earned the best of reputations when it comes to completing building developments to a client’s complete satisfaction, said Fiona.

"Kenny has never been satisfied with anything less than perfection when working on a job and we have been lucky to surround ourselves with a team of workers who think exactly the same way. The primary motivator for us isn’t money - the real satisfaction is knowing we can provide a service with integrity and provide our clients with something that will exceed their own expectations.”

Today, they have a workforce of eight full-time employees all hand picked by Kenny from his network of contacts, each chosen for their individual skills, reliability and good character. The Smiths attribute their successful first year to this strong team and the excellent skills they have brought with them. Additionally, Kenny Smith recognised the benefits of investing in his own plant equipment. Through doing so he has been able to offer a much more reliable service by having the right plant in the right location when required and, in long-term economic terms, reduce costs for both the company and their clients.

Four months ago the company was appointed as the main contractor by Community Care Homes to build an extension to Bute House Nursing Home in Cumnock. Working in close collaboration with Ayr-based architects Carricks Darley Hay, this extensive development will create a further 18 ensuite residents’ rooms for the Home and is due for completion in the early Summer of 2008. Kenny commented, “We were thrilled to win this contract. It marks another important milestone for us as a company and allows us to start to build up our portfolio of small to medium sized commercial projects.”

Last month Smith Contracts opened their new workshop in Girvan. They see this as an important step in developing their business, particularly with regard to house extensions and new builds around the Girvan area.

As far as the future is concerned Kenny and Fiona Smith are quite clear about what they want to achieve. For them it is about holding on to core values, providing a quality and reliable service and further developing their domestic and small to medium-sized commercial contracts. The future for Smith Contracts Ltd is looking bright!

Smith Contracts Ltd
Newlands Farm
Maybole
Ayrshire
KA19 8LX

Tel and Fax: 01465 811134
E-mail: mail@smith-contracts.co.uk


Carricks Darley Hay Architects
7 Alloway Place
Ayr
KA7 2AE

Tel: 01292 265066
Fax: 01292 610286
E-mail: mail@carricksdarleyhay.com