Creagh Concrete is a family-owned business, employing 800 people across five locations in the UK and Northern Ireland. Creagh works in the precast concrete construction industry, manufacturing its products in its three factories in Northern Ireland, as well as one in Scotland and another in Nottingham. But the firm’s offering goes beyond manufacturing, to include the design and construction of precast cement elements.
“We take everything from small jobs such as farm buildings to precast floors for housing and apartment blocks, high-rise buildings and multi-storey car parks,” says Seamus McKeague, Creagh Concrete’s Managing Director. “We have geographical coverage from Dorset to Aberdeen, from Wales to East Anglia, and of course, here in Northern Ireland.”
That wide geographic footprint, combined with Creagh’s holistic service offering, sets the firm apart in the sector.
“We see ourselves as a service provider. We pride ourselves on being the client’s lead partner,” McKeague shares. “We are involved from the design stage onwards, with a team of engineers and designers. We then see that project through manufacturing, transportation to the site, and final construction. It is a complete package that guarantees the clients will meet their deadlines and budget.”
By investing in the correct training and looking after its people Creagh Concrete ensures a solid foundation for its workers to offer a full turnkey solution. It is a company built around recognising the value of its people and the relationships they go on to form with their customers.
“We have people who can price the work, see it through manufacturing and get an overarching feel for where the market is while building good relationships with customers,” says McKeague. “We are a people company. Internally and externally, we have always been this way.”
Keeping the Standard
To get the most out of those people and relationships, Creagh Concrete ensures that they have the best tools and facilities at their disposal, and that the work they do means something.
“Our factories are modern, our equipment is good, our reputation is strong,” McKeague says. “We are also involved in the wider community. We are part of business associations and leadership institutes, such as the Northern Ireland manufacturing group; CBI. We play our part in the industry and the environment. So many of our workers are in local groups, and we support them in all sorts of ways, such as sponsorships for local sports teams. We help and bring benefits to the whole community.”
McKeague has been in the business for 43 years and has seen the company grow and contribute to local communities while also overcoming numerous challenges.
“How do you bring a good culture into the company, and apply good governance? That is a real challenge,” McKeague shares. “We need to keep the quality high as we develop the business. We have sought out a range of accreditations for safety, environmental impact, and quality. Then we make sure we follow through on that. Values are a huge part of this company.”
One of those key values is diversity, and this is a value lived throughout Creagh Concrete.
“If you are in our company canteen, you can see that diversity for yourself,” McKeague says. “We have 110 non-UK nationals working with us. Creagh Concrete has good gender diversity and cultural diversity, and that has been a really positive thing for us. We embrace it.”
However diverse that team is, however, there is one thing they all have in common. Accountability.
“We seek out those who can take on responsibility,” McKeague tells us. “We want good, genuine, helpful people. Those are our core values.”
The search for those people is an ongoing process. Creagh Concrete is continuously recruiting for different roles. The firm does not have a big turnover, beyond the natural attrition that comes from construction site work. Part of this search means recruiting people from outside, and the other part of the solution is developing from within.
“We have our own internal development and good people come through that,” McKeague says. “But we also look outside. We have taken 30 to 40 young Indian engineers and Bim technicians over the last three years, because we were struggling to find that level of talent. It has improved the quality of the business and our reputation.”
At the same time, to develop the skills base that Creagh Concrete relies on the company founded its own academy ten years ago. The business had been struggling to find the young design engineers and CAD technicians it relied on, and so set out to develop its own. In the first year the academy recruited 15 young people, funded with sponsorship from the Department of Educational Learning.
“We have run the academy in different ways over the last ten years. Its graduates are guaranteed a job at the end of it. It has been really good for us,” McKeague says. “We are also teaching joiners, electricians and engineers to meet skill shortages by developing our own skills.”
Growing Possibilities
To further that work, Creagh has also partnered with Belfast Metropolitan College. This partnership forms part of a greater growth strategy for the company.
“We are always looking to the future, and it is very positive,” McKeague tells us. “We see an opportunity to double the size of the business in terms of turnover over the next five years. We are growing our employment numbers by 50%. We are developing our skills in IT, and training the next generation of designers and technicians. Our order book has never been so strong, and our turnover rose by ten per cent last year, against the grain.”
Creagh Concrete sees itself as a leading player in the industry. McKeague himself is the president of the Academy of Engineering, as well as sitting on the Board of Manufacturing in Northern Ireland. But even in this busy period of growth and expansion, McKeague remains hands-on with Creagh Concrete itself.
“I like to get out around the sites twice a month,” says McKeague.
The company is now investing in a new factory, and is seeing an influx of young people who see a future in Creagh Concrete.
“Everyone feels very positive because they have all made a strong contribution to turning the company around,” McKeague says. “Enjoy the business, enjoy the people you are with, and be ambitious. That’s where the fun comes into the business.”
