Move helps masonry contractor build for the future

Nick Hammond

A CONSTRUCTION business which has expanded from a team of two to more than 100 in less than seven years is building for further growth after a move to new premises.

Brick Baron Ltd, which was launched by Managing Director Nick Hammond, has completed the relocation of its headquarters from a unit in Beverley to more than 5,500 square feet at Goulton Street, next to the A63 in Hull.

The move has also brought benefits for health and safety consultancy SHE Knows, which was looking to move from Goulton Street to new premises in Freightliner Road, Hull.

Paul White, Agency Director at Garness Jones in Hull, said: “Nick approached us because he was looking for offices to support the next phase of expansion for Brick Baron.

“We explored various options but the unit at Hatfield Hi-Tech Park in Goulton Street stood out because we were aware that SHE Knows wanted to vacate that site and there would be an option for Brick Baron to buy the property. We were able to structure a deal that met the requirements of both parties.”

As a specialist masonry contractor, Brick Baron builds large scale residential and commercial projects which currently include 125 houses in Cottingham for Bellway Homes, 59 high value dwellings on the site of the old Westwood hospital in Beverley, three new academy schools in north Lincolnshire for major UK Contractor Galliford Try and the new exhibition hall at the Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate for Clugston. Previous high profile projects include the Humberside Police headquarters in Clough Road, Hull.

The company has retained its premises at Riverview Road, Beverley, as a storage facility but the head office and the Brick Baron Academy training facility are now at the new Quantum House.

Mr Hammond’s wife, Debbie, who is the company’s HR director and head of the academy, said: “We started the business nearly seven years ago with just Nick and one bricklayer and now we have more than 120 bricklayers, about 20 management, technical and admin staff and a further 20 apprentices in the academy.”

Mr Hammond is also President of the Federation of Master Builders for Yorkshire and Trent Region and sits on various government lobbying panels on behalf of the FMB which includes regular meetings at the House of Commons and the Home Office. He said: “We started Brick Baron in a small industrial unit which was fine until suddenly we found ourselves with a lot more people – eight of us working in one small room.

“We needed more space, we needed a base for the academy and as we have ambitious growth plans we had to consider the long term development of the business. We looked at some sites and Garness Jones showed us this one, which is ideal. We are leasing and we have an option to buy which we hope to take up over the coming months.”

Linda Crossland-Clarke, Managing Director of SHE Knows, said the move to Freightliner Road has enabled her team of five to improve their health and safety services and customer care for clients in the local area.

She said: “We have built up a wide customer base since starting the business in 2003 and the move helps us focus on providing a cost-effective service, particularly for small businesses. Garness Jones worked hard to find us the right building at the right price and in the right location.”

Nick Hammond pictured outside his new premises.