Covered
Covered
Steve is our Managing Director and ensures we lead the market in canopy design, innovation and quality. He’s also focused on client satisfaction and building a working culture that attracts the brightest talent. We caught up with him to find out more…
Have you always worked in the construction world?
Yes – it’s in my blood as my family had a business working in high end developments. My Dad wouldn’t let me move into the family business until I had my own trade to fall back on (great move on his part!) and so I completed a Fitter and Turner apprenticeship. I started off working on civils projects before taking over the family business. We focused on new builds and high-end one-off developments, which is where I developed my obsession with delivering a quality product!
What is it that you most enjoy about working in the construction world?
I love the buzz. Every day brings a fresh challenge. I enjoy the problem solving and seeing the client satisfaction when a project is complete. It’s rewarding working in a role where you get to see businesses and organisations really benefitting from the work you do.
What do you most enjoy about the day-to-day work?
I love the interaction with clients and with everyone in our office and factory. We’re a close-knit team and coming into the office feels like being with an extended family. I also value the relationship we build with clients. Many come back to us again and again over and you become invested in their growth and the contribution we can make to that.
Can you describe the working culture at Fordingbridge in three words?
Professional, collaborative and fun. That’s what makes it such a rewarding environment to work in. I’m proud that in an industry which sees high churn in teams, the majority of our team have been with us for over five years, and many have been with us for over 10 years!
When you reflect back over the past five years what makes you most proud about what Fordingbridge has achieved?
I’m so proud of how we rallied through the pandemic. It was a hugely challenging time for the construction industry, and we were able to offer clients a strong service throughout that time. I’m also proud of how we’ve continued to grow and diversify to become the UK’s leading canopy provider without ever losing sight of our fanatical commitment to client service and a quality product.
We’ve also exported several structures to the US and installed them for the world’s biggest logistic company, which was a real milestone moment.
What do you think we’ll be seeing more of in the next five years?
I think we’ll continue to see a huge drive towards outdoors living that will impact every sector we work with, from education to sports to holiday attractions. And seeing an increasing focus on quality leisure time too, so we’ll continue to see the growth of sports like padel, tennis and cricket and investment in quality facilities for these.
Sustainability is a big passion of yours. Why do you feel so strongly about it?
I want to leave a positive impact for my children and for generations to come. It’s why we always insist on using sustainably sourced materials wherever possible and why we incorporate sustainability features like water conservation measures into our designs.
What do you most enjoy doing in your spare time?
In my spare time you’ll either find me on the golf course, spending time with my family, watching Portsmouth FC, or walking my dog Jett – we cover hundreds of miles together every year!
