South Wales-based Trojan Group was founded in 2012 by quantity surveyor Shaun Welsh and construction engineer David Thomas who, when made redundant in the middle of a recession, decided to realise their dream of running their own company.
“Back then, there were not that many work options, so pursuing our ambitions to have our own company was almost a natural thing to do. Welsh explains that the fast-food Drive-Thru market had been their key focus since the beginning – when considering Trojans target sector, the boom in Drive-Thru coffee shops had not even entered their minds.
Trojan’s first client was KFC, for whom the two founders had successfully managed a number of construction projects under their previous employers. This business relationship has proven to be a true win-win – over the last twelve years, the company has built over 250 Drive-Thru projects all over the UK for multiple global fast-food giants.
Growing within partnerships
“We have become something of a Drive-Thru coffee shop specialist construction company over the years, adding Costa Coffee to our portfolio in 2018, quickly followed by Starbucks and Tim Hortons. As all 3 brands continue to grow their Drive-Thru portfolios, we continue to deliver fast-track construction projects for these exciting clients,” says Welsh.
As more franchises started to expand in the UK, Trojan’s client base has grown, and whilst Drive-Thru projects still account for over 85% of the business, the company has successfully penetrated other sectors. Projects across the commercial, residential, industrial and food retail sectors have been successfully completed throughout the United Kingdom for clients such as Hamdon Gate Developments, Burger King, MacDonald’s, Taco Bell, Gastronomy Foods, Southern Co-Op, Pure Gym, Loadlok Manufacturing, and the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club to name but a few.
Such impressive success has not been achieved in isolation. “Our supply chain is fully committed to delivering projects to the highest of standards and has “bought-in” to the Trojan work ethic,” says Welsh. “Subcontractors have partnered with us from the very beginning, putting their trust in a new company that had just started trading. We offered them an opportunity going forward to “partner” with us in all our schemes. And that has been realised – many of our subcontractors have been with us throughout our journey.”
The rate at which the company has grown from virtually nothing is impressive, and this has not gone unnoticed. Trojan won a prestigious award from the National Federation of Builders in its very first year of operation and was also named KFC Construction Contractor of the Year in 2015. Trojan featured highly in the Fast Growth 50 in consecutive years for significant growth in Wales and has won numerous business awards for its services to industry.
Reliable, efficient, and environmentally conscious
What is behind such success? “Our collaborative approach and inclusion of the client in all major decision-making throughout a project results in clients having cost certainty, control of quality and specification. This is coupled with the added confidence of employing a team of construction professionals, who have delivered high-quality design and build developments.”
“We are very hands-on as owners; we visit the sites every week. A lot of effort has gone into getting to where we are, and our business means a lot to us. We have a brilliant team of people and great subcontractors who all know the brands now, and what is expected from them. That is important – you’re as good as your last job in this industry.”
Another factor that is increasingly important for clients is sustainability and Welsh, having been involved himself in green initiatives for many years, affirms that environmental protection is something that Trojan is very passionate about. The company has worked very hard with KFC on producing their first zero-carbon building and is continuously seeking ways to improve carbon footprint on sites, such as using more electric vehicles and are looking into battery packs for its site generators.
“Since we set up our company in January 2012, we are extremely proud to be able to say that we have recycled 95.15% of all waste removed from our sites, thus preventing 3553 tonnes of waste going to landfill,” says Welsh. “We purchase recycled aggregates across all of our sites, which reduces environmentally damaging operations such as the quarrying of raw materials and significantly reduces landfill.”
“Many of our projects are undertaken on brownfield sites where significant clean-up operations are required prior to, or as part of, the ongoing works and we work alongside client-appointed specialists to restore the site back to a clean and environmentally sound condition.”
The ultimate goal
Welsh says that the company is now busier than ever. Trojan has recently secured a contract to build two Drive-Thru units in Welshpool, a project that also encompasses a visitor centre celebrating the history of the lime kilns in the area. Trojan has also been chosen to partner with McDonald’s Restaurants Limited for their future restaurant openings across Wales and the South West regions during 2024 and beyond.
“Maintaining an excellent client-contractor relationship is of the utmost importance to the company, but we have also formed fantastic relationships with some brilliant project managers, and some brilliant people who work with these brands.”
In concluding, Welsh affirms that the ultimate goal is to ensure that Trojan has a successful and profitable future and consequently for its employees, the job security and rewards that come with employment in a strong, stable, and successful organisation.
Trojan’s commitment to providing quality to its clients and investment in its staff through education and training is set to ensure that its client base and economic stability is not only maintained but will continue to grow in the years to come.
“We are getting calls every week from our current brands and given our growing reputation, also from new brands that are looking to come into the UK. Looking back at where we started, this is a great position to be in, and something to be proud of.”
