Identifying the potential for moving away from a narrower focus on installation has seen Sparrow Construction adopt a new business model that is bringing in contracts for some of the biggest projects in the UK.
The Kettering headquartered company is, primarily, an installation contractor for windows, doors, curtain walling and facades. But a decision by Managing Director Radoslaw Wroblewski to focus on operational strategy has reshaped its operating model.
Where traditionally, developers or main contractors would order window and facade systems directly from manufacturers, based on building designs, and then appoint a company such as Sparrow Construction to install the finished product on site, it was a model that could lead to confusion and dispute over where responsibility lay should issues arise.
Thanks in no small part to a long-standing relationship with, and input from, major construction company Bowmer and Kirkland, it became clear to Radoslaw that shifting the focus to taking on the management of windows, doors, curtain walling and facades from design through to installation and maintenance would present an opportunity for Sparrow Construction to grow.
The company, which was founded in 2017 and provides a full range of high-quality aluminium glazing solutions, partners with a portfolio of major manufacturers to install with precision and efficiency for clients the length and breadth of the country. It can handle anything from a straightforward window installation through to a major construction project, and the expertise and experience of the team has been instrumental in moving into the project delivery space and opening up exciting new opportunities.
“When you have someone designing, then another company fabricating and supplying products, then someone else installing, there’s no line of responsibility,” said Radoslaw. “If the installers find windows don’t fit, they can’t do much about that, and in construction, mistakes like that can lead to costly delays.
“Following up on the input from one large construction company completely changed the way we approach the business, and we’ve invested in time and people to develop a system where we do everything, from design to ordering, installation and after-care. If there were to be a problem a year down the line, they can come to us and we’ll respond. We’re de-risking the process for developers and it has become clear that the bigger companies are prepared to buy into that and leave it all in our hands.
“Following on from that shift, we’ve now found that a lot of systems providers, the companies that actually make the windows and doors, are approaching us to bring us in on tenders and projects from an early stage because it’s a benefit to their clients.”
By controlling the entire process, Sparrow Construction can ensure that design projects begin with installation in mind and unrealistic aims are identified and dealt with at an early stage.
It is growth through these partnerships has led Sparrow Construction to expand from a typical pipeline of projects worth around £2m to one that is nearer £35m within the past year, with its success confirming the appetite for a joined-up service that delivers results for clients.
As Sparrow Construction’s reputation has grown, other system providers, including competitors of existing partners, have also approached the company, reinforcing the company’s position as an independent delivery partner rather than simply an installer.
One recent tender Sparrow Construction has been asked to feed into involves a Saudi-backed developer planning a major Manchester scheme for four high-rise tower blocks and housing complex, for which it has been asked to provide a package covering roughly 900 windows, 400 doors and 8,000 square metres of curtain walling.
Radoslaw said: “Around a year ago, I decided to invest in the team so that I could move away from the operational side and focus on building the business. Now, I’m spending a lot of time out there talking to people about what we can offer and how we can partner with them on some of the biggest projects in the UK.
“I recently did a heat map of our clients and it literally covered jobs from Land’s End to the north of Scotland, and from sites across Wales to Norfolk and Lincolnshire and all places in between.
“We’ve increased the office team to seven people, and I expect that to double over the next year, and we’ve got 80 fitters out in the field and that will soon rise to around 110.
“It was clear a year or so ago that we had to shift our focus, but the rate of growth and the way it has developed has been beyond what we imagined. Scaling up from a small installation company to what we are doing now took a lot of ambition and a bit of courage but it’s amazing to see what has happened.
“We saw an opportunity and went for it and have proven that there’s a need out there for the full-service proposition as well as the regular installation work that is still very much part of what we do.”
Find out more about the services offered by Sparrow Construction by calling 01536 639023, email info@sparrowconstruction.co.uk or visit the website here.
