For 130 years, Naylor has been at the heart of the UK construction industry. They’ve quickly become leading suppliers of clay and plastic pipes, and concrete products to projects right across the country. Today, under the leadership of CEO Edward Naylor, the business continues to thrive with a culture of innovation and diversification. Reflecting on the heritage of this fourth-generation family business, Naylor still retains strong values around people and partnerships.
As two businesses, Jewson Civils Frazer and Naylor have a long standing partnership, bringing to market innovative products to meet the ever-changing demands of the construction and civils industries. In this interview, we talk to Edward Naylor and Jewson Civils Frazer Sales Director, Nick Boyle to explore the impact of this partnership in today’s construction environment.
Edward Naylor comments: “I took over the business in 1993, and what struck me immediately, was the value of relationships with our people, customers, and supply chain. Treating people with respect internally is important, but communicating openly and honestly with our partners is equally vital. Our success is as much about the people we do business with, as it is about the products we produce.”
Nick comments, “With Naylor, through our operational relationship and our product innovation plans, our mission of making the world a better home is very much front and centre in our discussions. Not only are we working with Naylor to look at the market-facing products that drive net zero, we are also implementing operational improvements to reduce wastage, maximise vehicle loads and increase recycling – important factors that drive the wider net zero target.”
Reflecting on 2020 and the impact of the pandemic on business operations, Nick comments: “COVID really brought into focus the importance of being agile and flexing to meet customer needs. Naylor rose to this challenge and supported us with an inventory strategy that reflected the urgency and immediacy brought about by the pandemic. Now, as the world begins to return to normal we are retaining that same level of responsiveness demonstrating to our customers that throughout our branch network we have the right stock, at the right time.”
www.naylor.co.uk
"We are facing, head-on, the biggest threat to our planet. What we do now and who we choose to partner with will define our carbon-future."
Edward Naylor - Naylor CEO
Callidus Scotland is a civil engineering company involved in some of the UK’s most significant construction projects. Led by construction director Freddie King, and commercial director Tony Deegan, the business is thriving thanks to its impressive reputation for delivering exceptionally high standards and innovation.
Having worked together on many projects over the last ten years, Jewson Civils Frazer and Callidus Scotland are proud of their strong partnership and ability to deliver modern and sustainable building solutions. We talked to Freddie King and Jewson Civils Frazer sales director Nick Boyle, to learn more about the partnership and how their collaborative approach is driving innovation and sustainability.
Freddie King comments: “In our industry, relationships are key. We’ve worked with the Jewson Civils Frazer team on numerous projects over the years and the partnership has always been a great success. They are real collaborators and can always be relied upon to listen to our requirements, understand the project challenges and deliver the best value-led solutions as a result.
We worked together on the Valneva Vaccination Centre at Livingston which was a huge success. As a confidential project, integrity from our suppliers was key, but experience told us Jewson Civils Frazer could be relied upon to retain the integrity of the project. Their proficiency and advice ensured that we offered a fully sustainable and solution-based package to our client.”
Nick Boyle remarks: “Working with Callidus Scotland on the Valneva project and other works is always enjoyable. They are open to solutions and new ideas and are always looking to show their client different methods of construction. They are steadfast in the delivery of sustainable product alternatives and valued engineering opportunities.
We are excited about the next chapter of our relationship, and the further opportunities we will have to work in partnership. We look forward to exploring more sustainable build methods and driving projects towards net zero.”
"We have shared our 'making the world a better home' missions with Callidus Scotland and they share our vision for the future."
Nick Boyle - Valneva Sales Director
Since 1909, Balfour Beatty has been the contractor behind some of the world’s most important construction projects, creating and caring for the vital infrastructure that underpins all our daily lives. From roads and railways, to airports, bridges, power plants and places to live and work, Balfour Beatty shapes the world we live in, fulfilling both nationally critical complex infrastructure through to local and regional projects at the heart of our communities.
With a shared vision of Making the World a Better Home, commitment to sustainable development and building for the future, Jewson Civils Frazer has collaborated with and supported Balfour Beatty on a significant number of UK infrastructure projects, providing expert advice and innovative solutions on a vast range of schemes.
Martin Cope, National Account Manager at Jewson Civils Frazer, has worked closely with Balfour Beatty on many of these projects: “Our collaborative approach and shared vision with Balfour Beatty is what makes our relationship such a success. We understand their business, the way they operate, their requirements and the challenges they face. On every project we partner, we put ourselves in their shoes. Our role isn’t simply to supply materials. It’s much more than that. We are a partner and an extension of their own team. From day one we make sure that our knowledge of the project is aligned, enabling us to recommend the most suitable and innovative solutions for the job. We deliver an uncompromised level of service too. We guarantee that solutions are easily supplied, quick to order and delivered where and when they are needed. It’s this that makes us stand out and it’s simply how we do business.”
And Jewson Civils Frazer really does go above and beyond to deliver excellent service. “I think one of the reasons we have such great relationships with our customers is that we always look at things from their perspective,” continues Martin. “We are constantly trying to find new ways to support them, to make their experience of working with us even simpler. For Balfour Beatty we have developed a bespoke online ordering catalogue and system to make ordering products even easier. We are also currently trialling a new provision that will assist buyers and project managers to accurately price jobs and gauge product availability. It is proving to be really successful with the Balfour Beatty team and we are hoping to roll this out further once the trial is complete.”
“I think one of the reasons we have such great relationships with our customers is that we always look at things from their perspective.”
Martin Cope - Jewson Civils Frazer National Account Manager
It’s this kind of collaboration that really showcases the real capability of Jewson Civils Frazer. Going the extra mile to find and invest in solutions that enhance each and every part of the customer relationship. “Collaboration is vital at every stage of the supply chain,” continues Martin. “We play a very central role in the construction industry and championing the journey to net zero. It is our responsibility to ensure that our customers are introduced to the latest material innovations that will get them there and that our suppliers are aware of the
challenges our customers face to meet the challenges of modern construction. ‘Building New Futures’, the Balfour Beatty sustainability strategy, shares the same principles of our own vision of Making the World a Better Home and is another great example of how collaboration is a vital part of our successful relationship. We regularly host meetings with the team to discuss key sustainability issues to ensure that we are supporting where needed and actively working towards our joint targets. It’s quite simple really, by working together, we help to shape each other’s businesses, developing the innovative solutions we need to improve our operations and satisfy the demand for more sustainable materials.”
The joint purpose of working together goes beyond commercial projects, Jewson Civils Frazer regularly supports Balfour Beatty in the delivery of vital community projects, Martin explains “The most recent of which is Parsonage Pocket Park in Withington, Manchester. Last year Balfour Beatty assisted Highways England to transform an unloved and under used space within this urban area into a beautiful pocket park. They needed support with materials and turf to complete the transformation so we engaged the team at Rolawn, a key Jewson Civils Frazer partner, who agreed to donate all of the turf free of charge. Collaborating in this way is an important part of our commitment to Making the World a Better Home.
Ryan Garfield is Group Buyer at Balfour Beatty and works closely with the team at Jewson Civils Frazer. “As the category lead within Balfour Beatty for the last two years, Jewson Civils Frazer has shown why they were chosen and now seen to be one of our important strategic partnerships. They have shown multiple facets of a strategic partner with their vision and strategy, values, investment, planning and management systems, communications, risk, and reward.”
Martin Cope concludes: “At the end of the day we strive to provide Balfour Beatty with support in every area we can. Our objective is that we want to be recognised as not just a materials supplier by our customers but as a key partner and that is exactly what we have achieved here. Yes, we provide products but it’s the additional project collaboration, solutions advice, streamlined ordering services, monthly spending reports and critically, the trust we have earnt that makes us an important strategic partner. Our people, our knowledge and our capacity to see the bigger picture is what truly sets us apart.”